I hung up the phone and sat in stunned silence. I had just found out I'd lost something I truly treasured -- the only mechanic I absolutely trusted. I guess that in my heart, I knew it was coming. He was a quiet, trustworthy little fish in a pond full of big, power-hungry sharks. There was no way he was going to make it out alive.

I am sure John was not the only honest mechanic out there. Nevertheless, according to the Consumer Federation of America, auto repair rip-offs are consistently one of the top five most frequently reported consumer complaints. National figures indicate $20 billion is spent annually on unnecessary or faulty car repairs.

I first met John back in the early '90s. I was on my way to teach a college class when my minivan came to a shuddering stall at a stoplight. It is such a horrible feeling -- that sinking sensation in your stomach when your vehicle starts to clank, sputter, wheeze, or just not start. You close your eyes and all you can see are dollar signs. You just know it's going to cost you a bundle.

I honestly don't remember how I first found John's business. Maybe it was because it was close to my home, or because his shop was one of the first listed in the phone book. I think it's probably more likely that I just closed my eyes, pointed at the Yellow Pages and hoped for the best.

At the time, auto repair industry fraud had been headline news for months. Disgruntled consumers had just finished successfully suing Sears Automotive Centers for $48 million. Consumer trust of auto repair professionals was at an all-time low, and as a young couple with a big mortgage and young children, we certainly couldn't afford to get ripped off.

I don't remember the details of that first repair encounter with John. I just remember getting my minivan back on the road for a whole lot less than what I thought it would cost.

Whenever I'd take my vehicle in for repair after that, what I heard was a pleasant surprise. It was 14 years of "I didn't have to replace the whole thing, it turned out to be minor repair," or "This is specialty work that I don't do, but I know a good guy who can help you."

I should have seen his demise coming the last time I was at John's garage. The little shop was cold and bare, and nearly devoid of vehicles needing repair.

It was then that John, in his quiet way, explained to me how he believed small repair shops are a dying breed. With many car dealers adding more comprehensive service departments to their lots, he felt that the independent auto mechanic was rapidly becoming an endangered species. While intuitively I knew he was right, I had so hoped he could find a way to survive.

Then the day came when I called his shop. The voice on the other end of the line told me that John had sold the business and had gone to work for an auto parts store.

The California Bureau of Automotive Repair receives around 25,000 automobile repair complaints a year. Since the only people who file complaints are those who know or suspect they have been ripped off, the actual number of auto repair fraud victims in California is probably much higher. To avoid getting taken advantage of, the No. 1 recommendation of automobile industry professionals is to find a mechanic you trust BEFORE something goes wrong with your vehicle.

It looks like I'm going to have to start from square one.

Michelle Groh-Gordy is the owner of InterActive! Traffic School Online at www.trafficinteractive.com, and writes a syndicated weekly column on driving for the publications of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group.