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On regular basis car owners are ripped off by mechanics. This is almost a very common occurrence, when someone goes to a mechanic, they entrust that person with a vehicle they rely on for moving around. A mechanic has special knowledge about one’s car. He knows everything about what makes it run, how to diagnose a problem, and what to do to fix it. Since most of the general public drives, and there are mechanics on hand, a lot of people aren’t as savvy about how cars work. However, this opens the door for mechanics to take advantage of car owners who don’t know any better.
Part of buying a vehicle is accepting that problems are going to come up. Even if a car hardly has any issues, there’s still regular maintenance like changing the oil, rotating the tyres, and replacing parts over a set time. While those who are car savvy can perform some maintenance on their own, the chances are strong they’ll have to go to a mechanic for the bigger issues. That makes it nearly impossible to avoid a trip to the mechanic. We’ll look at common tricks mechanics use to rip customers off so you can be better prepared when you are in such situation.
Preying On Customers’ Fears Over A Check Engine Light
The dreaded check engine light haunts everyone at one time or another. It never comes on at a good time, and while it has the potential to be something minor, in most cases, it ends up being a huge expense to the owner. This is because mechanics try to charge customers more to do a simple fix. Even more, many mechanics aren’t ever upfront about what the issue is. A word of advice, if you can, get your very own diagnosis tool. It doesn’t really cost much for the basic diagnosis ones. This will help you avoid being ripped off.
Performing Free Services Just To See What’s Wrong With The Car
Just the mere mention of something free perks the ears up of anyone and everyone. When it comes to automotive maintenance, something like every third oil change being free or the inclusion of tyre inspection at no extra cost sounds too good to be true. Customers should know that these are all just means to get underneath the hood. Once a mechanic gets that “invitation” to peek inside, he can find the smallest things wrong with it. That’s when they present all the problems to the customer in the hopes that something will stand out large enough to concern the owner.
Becomes Focused On Fixing Something Else Instead
Going to a mechanic is hard enough for some people. It involves realizing there’s something wrong, that needs fixing, and that it will likely cost a boatload of money. What makes the process harder is when mechanics bring to light other problems with the vehicle. A customer coming in for a problem with a belt could discover that the mechanic has found something else wrong and wants to fix that, too. It’s all going to cost the customer a lot more than what he or she originally anticipated. What makes it hard for customers to figure out is how truly severe the additional issues really are, which depends on how honest the mechanic is in the first place.
They Paint An Ominous Picture When It’s Not Exactly That Bad
A mechanic is somewhat like a doctor. It’s his job to find out what the problem is and to fix it. Cars are similar to humans in this regard whenever there’s something wrong. Where a doctor and a mechanic differ, however, is the way they paint the condition of a car/patient. While it looks better for a doctor to speak positively about a patient, it works in a mechanic’s favour to give bad news. Complex reports that a mechanic may spin a negative narrative of the car’s condition that’s exaggerated in the first place. A good mechanic won’t stoke a customer’s fears about the car’s actual condition.
Billing Customers For Nonexistent Work
Many mechanics take advantages of the fact that customers wouldn’t want to get their hands and clothes dirty to add non existing charges to jobs they never did. Unfortunately they get away with it often. So if you don’t mind getting yourself dirty ask to check what was done.
They Do A Repair Without Permission
It’s important that the mechanic goes over what he’s going to do with the customer before getting to work. Usually, it’s only to diagnose the problem first since the repair will more than likely cost the customer money. The reason why this step is important is that a shop should be compensated for any work that’s performed. That’s why a workshop ought to ask for permission first before commencing this is to prevent misunderstanding when payment is made.
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