Reliable Mechanic

1. Car clubs and car forums. This is by far, without a doubt the number one place you should try first. If you ignore all on the list except one, make this the one you use. Talk to the local chapter of whatever car you own. There are national level clubs for every car from Datsuns, Hudsons, Packard, Ducati, BMW, Mustangs, to Hondas and Toyotas to Trucks and Motorcycles. Search the internet for those chapters and find a phone number. If you can get in touch with a member of the club, speak to them about your problem and you might even have someone from a club willing to help out with small problems. Internet car forums like Bimmerforums, honda-tech.com, ls1.com and other model specific forums are the greatest wealth of knowledge you as a car owner have. Search " forums" and replace with whatever sort of car you have. You'd be surprised what sort of clubs are out there! Most forums that have a regional section of the board will also have a thread that's always at the top of the board that gives a list of recommended and reputable mechanics. These people are experts and won't do you wrong.
2. Talk with your dealer. Cars out of warranty oftentimes won't bring in as much money as those being brought in for warranty work. So, talk with your local dealer and see if they know of any independent shops that specialize in your car who might be worth a call.
3. Speak with friends. Your friends have cars too and getting a feel for their experience at various shops may help you determine who to take your car to, or at the very least, who NOT to take your car to.
4. The internet! Here's the no brainer. Google dealers in your area and see what comes up. Often times you'll come across sites like Kudzu.com or epinions.com that gives options as well as user reviews. Though many sites still don't have the majority of shops out there (because there are so many), most of the good ones will be spread quickly by word of mouth and become well known in your area.
As you can see, there are plenty of options out there to find your perfect match. So, next time you find a great mechanic, help a friend out and recommend them. It's hard to come by a good repairman and passing along a reliable "wrencher" is a valuable to anyone driving a car!