When Miranda, my 2013 Mitsubishi Mirage, was still fairly brand new, I joined a car club. The car…read moreclub introduced me to many things, and many discount places as well, and one of them was Wax Spot PH. It took me awhile to find Wax Spot, but thanks to modern technology (and my really good sense of direction), I finally found it. I was greeted to a small garage-turned-car wash place, and I seemed to arrive just in time to get the last spot inside. It was interesting to find this place full, considering I went on a weekday afternoon. In any case, their service was quickly done, and they go over each nook and cranny very carefully. There's a small bench for waiting, but I guess it's just enough for the patrons that they can entertain at any given time. You'd also be treated to listening to the local radio station, which is always a nice break from listening to my own music library. I think there are better car wash spots out there, but sometimes Wax Spot PH has pretty good deals on their detailing services.

One major gasoline chain in the Philippines, Petron manages to make its blue-and-red symbol stand…read moreout from other brands through their successful commercial and advertisement campaigns that bring it up in the air when it comes right down to it. Having experienced refillings at practically all the different establishments of gasoline stations in the country due to availing of carpools, road trips, and various other enjoyable activities with friends, I have to admit that when it comes to service, Petron seems to be the best choice. With their very professional staff that can do everything from change and inflate tires as well as check the oil and water levels of a car while still finding time to wipe the windshield, Petron's crew manages to do quite well in my eyes when it comes to car maintenance, even when it competes with other gasoline stations for prices of their unleaded or diesel gasoline.

I love Makati Ford (though I still don't understand why it's not called Ford Makati). Although I…read moredidn't get my car from them, I still keep coming back for the service. As a first-time car owner, I have a lot of questions, and they seem really, really patient with me no matter how many dumb questions I ask. I also love that they underpromise, but overdeliver. Just this morning I was told that my car would be ready by 3, and then got a text by 2pm that it was ready to be picked up. Inside the dealership there are a handful of couches and armchairs, and a big screen TV just in case you have to wait. But if my experience is any indication, you probably won't be waiting too long.

Honda cars are always very reliable. We've had our cars for over 10 years and people still remark…read morehow new it feels. What I really like about Honda cars is the powerful air conditioning system. Unless it's scorching outside at noon, I've never needed to turn on the air conditioning full blast. I'm sure there are more technical explanations but I am a mere layman and I can only appreciate the obvious. Honda's service center is also one of the best. While anyone can easily go to Banawe to find a talyer to repair your car, having your car repaired at the official Honda service center ensures that the problems WILL be solved. They have the tech that talyers don't have and also superb training. Because repairing cars can get expensive, they offer a diagnosis categorized into what needs to be repaired immediately, what requires moderate attention and what can wait. This way, the customer can manage expenses through the year.

When I wrote about Clover Café, I briefly mentioned that it was part of the Shell gas station in…read moreJulia Vargas that has become a go-to meet-up place whenever there are out-of-town trips to the South. Aside from the fact that it a few fast food restaurants beside it, it's also really easy to find. This Shell station is unlike any other because of the types of people I've seen "hanging" around here. I've seen a group of motorists chilling at Select while I've also seen a pack of drag racers (or at least I assumed they were because of the sports cars they were, well, sporting) meeting up at this particular gas station. I told you. There's just something so landmark-ish and comfortable about this station that it even drives people to hang out here. On the flip side, I love the fact that service here is fast. I mean, have you ever experienced waiting 10 minutes to gas up because there was only one guy manning the station? I have and it's not cool when you're running late for work. Whenever we gas up here, service is always really quick and quite efficient. They even offer to clean the windows of your car, which can come in handy when you've missed clean up that morning. This Shell station also has a service station so you can have your cars and motors checked here when necessary.

I have a minivan bought from Subic. It came straight from Japan and it's way cheaper than the exact…read moresame model sold at automaker dealerships. The only downside is that when said vehicle breaks down, I cannot bring it to the casa or any of the automaker's service centers for genuine parts and services. Good thing a cousin recommended Gr8 Car, an auto center in Makati that services Subic-bought or out-of-warranty vehicles. At first, I imagined the service center to be just like the usual mom-and-pop mechanic or talyer. But when I finally brought my minivan for a preventive maintenance, I was surprised that GR8 has all the bells and whistles of a full-fledged auto service center that it may as well be called a casa in its own right. They have uniformed professional service staff who are courteous and very accommodating. And no, they do not accept tips. Do not try to tip the guys because you will only embarrass yourself. They treat customers equally. I also love their clean air-conditioned waiting area, where an impressive number of awards and plaques given to the company are displayed. The best part about GR8 is that they really do their best to find the solution to fix a defective vehicle. Sometimes even resorting to having parts manufactured, this particularly applies to old car models with rare or unavailable parts. And don't you worry, GR8's services cost cheaper than the casa and they provide warranty for their work. When you bring your car for servicing, there's a big chance that the friendly Sir Javier will be the one to fill up the job order and take in your vehicle. In my experience, Sir Mario and Sir Eric are the meticulous guys that check and fix my minivan's needs. If you are up for a good chat, Sir Tony in the office is a good source of information for all things about vehicles.

I thoroughly appreciate the service I experience here at the Paco branch of Union Motor Corp. When…read moreMiranda, my 2013 Mitsubishi Mirage, needs an oil change, or any preventive maintenance tune-ups, I would bring her here. Their staff is friendly, and easy to talk to when you need to make a service appointment. Even if you don't make a prior appointment, the guards at the gate are accommodating to walk-ins, and will direct you accordingly. There was one time when I got Miranda back from a repair job, and I didn't notice that they switched the wiring of my front and back wipers until I needed to use it (a week after I got the car). When I called to complain, they told me to just bring it in whenever I was available, and they'd take care of it, no problem. When I brought Miranda in, they took around 20 minutes after taking her inside the service area, and they fixed the problem, and released the car, with no charge to me. I am quite happy with the kind of service that they give to their customers. Their preventive maintenance prices are relatively cheap, and they even have a bullet service available (I think they charge a premium for this), which will get you and your car in and out of service within an hour.

When I noticed that my car (a Ford Esacpe at the time) wasn't running as well as it should, I asked…read morefor the best options for car repair shops, since it was over warranty, and the Ford service area was too far from my house. My uncle recommended that I take it to Car Zone, since he knew the owner and he really likes their service there. I gave it a shot and brought my car in. When I explained the problem, they had a look at it, and within a few minutes they immediately knew what to do. They told me that a few parts needed to be replaced, and that it would take only 20 minutes to do. They finished the job within the time that they told me, and had it ready and running good as new. The owner told me that if I ever needed to get anything else fixed with the car, just bring it in and he'll do his best to give me a good price.