Trust this mechanic insight and avoid these things next time you’re at a repair shop!
Sometimes these mechanic insights are going to save you big time next time you’re getting your car checked out!
As a mechanic, I know that it is close to impossible to find a totally reliable car that is not going to bring you to a mechanic’s doorstep. The only issue is that some cars or models will bring you to our doorstep more often than you would like to see us.
However, no matter what, the chance may have it that you will be crossing our doorstep quite often. Be it that it is a periodic inspection of the car or that you have some issues and you need us, we are going to have to interact.
My advice is to find a garage that you vibe with and that you trust so that you can know that your car is going to be in good hands, no matter what happens.
To manage to create a long-lasting relationship like this is to not go anywhere just because it is less expensive and to make sure that you are not going to be taken advantage of.
To ensure that you are not going to be ripped off by someone at a garage, here are some of the things that I would never say to another mechanic, and then expect them to give me their best services!
Have you ever said these to a mechanic? How did your interaction go? Share your stories in the comments, and I may give you some tips and tricks personally!
Never say you know your issues and that you have the part to fix them too.
If you have an issue with your car, you should not end up shopping around for a mechanic who is going to repair your car using the car part that you have.
This is not going to go well in your favor since they are most likely going to refuse to help you from the get-go when they hear that you already have the part needed.
It’s going to happen because there are a lot of mechanics and shops that are going to make the most of their profit from getting the parts themselves and selling them to the customers with an added cost.
The cost of the labor is not that high, and if you already advertise your issue as already knowing what is wrong with the car and already having the part needed, some mechanics will refuse you outright since this would not be a job that would be profitable.
Some shops also end up going to the extreme and taking the job, only to say that the part you had is not good and that they have to buy a new one that works.
A good idea would be to just take the car to the garage you trust and have them diagnose the issues, then speak to them that you will bring the part that needs replacement.
That way, while they will not make money from the part, they will steal and earn something from the diagnosis and the cost of labor of firing in the piece.
Never breathe down the next of your mechanic.
Another thing that I would never do, despite knowing how to fix most cars myself, is to breathe down someone else’s neck while they are working.
No matter if you know what the person is going to do or not, having someone watch your every move while you are trying to work is annoying, and it can be seen as you not trusting the mechanic to do their job.
Sure, we all want to know that nothing is going to happen to our cars, but believe me when I tell you mechanics are some of the people who hate being watched by the customer the most.
This is not because they do not want you to see what is going on, but rather that one too many bad experiences with pushy and “know-it-all” customers can push even the most patient people to their breaking point.
For this reason, a lot of garages and even smaller mechanic workshops are going to tell the customer that they need to bring their car over and leave it with them over the day so they can do the repair.
It is not that most repairs or checkups end up taking that much time, but it stops a lot of the customers from hanging around the shop while they wait since many have work in the mornings as well.
But do not think that they are lying to you either! A lot of repair jobs can end up taking a couple of hours since a lot of us end up getting parts on the same day, and getting the parts from suppliers can take up to an hour by itself.
Never pretend you know what you’re talking about if you do not.
A surefire way of managing to ruin your relationship with any mechanic is to have them look at your car and then pretend like you know a lot of technical parts of the car.
Believe me, all mechanics can tell if a person has a lot of knowledge and a good grasp of mechanics; they may end up doing the job themselves, especially if it is not that complicated.
No one is going to have someone else look at their car and pay to fix something that they could have done themselves if they were that knowledgeable about cars.
Most mechanics end up being put off if someone tries to pretend like they know everything to do with mechanics and cars. It can go to extreme lengths since you can never know what kind of previous experiences the person you are talking with has had.
I have heard about a mechanic in the past who was really bothered by customers who pretended to know everything he was doing and breathed down his neck too.
It got to a point that this mechanic ended up creating certain issues with the car that the person would have to admit they know nothing about and then fix for them after they brought the car back with their tails between their legs.
It was not a good thing, but it goes to show just how much professionals hate it when people try to one-up them or pretend they know everything that goes on with their car.
A good thing to keep in mind is that if you do not know certain things, it is okay to admit it, especially if you are with a professional you trust.
Most mechanics will appreciate that you are not trying to pretend to understand and will even adjust their speech so that you can learn or understand what is going on.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should be careful and know some things about the car so that you do not end up scammed by certain garage owners.
If they catch wind that you are truly clueless, some of them would try to get more work by making sure you always have to come back with some issues, so you should make sure you do not just go to a place that seems okay or that may not have the best of reviews, but they have low prices.
Finding a good mechanic is important, but it is also part of your job to do the research and find someone you trust and with whom you resonate.
If you want to make sure that you know about the parts that make up your car and that sly mechanics do not trick you, this book right here is a goldmine!
Never ask to have the car inspected for free.
Remember back in school when someone ended up having to do all the work for the whole group? It is not a pleasant experience, so why would you try to get someone to do work for free?
Sure, for you it may sound like it is no big deal, since if something is wrong with the car, you will get it repaired there. But for a mechanic, it sounds like about 10 minutes of their time and expertise being given away for a job they may not end up landing.
A lot of customers end up garage shopping in order to find the best price, and there are also people who end up just wanting to know the issue so they can try to fix it themselves.
So you have a really low chance of being given a free inspection, and the garage may also think you are not a trustworthy customer if you keep insisting.
In a lot of places, mechanics end up cutting the diagnostic fee from the total bill if you end up getting your car repaired with them, so you should not worry about it!
The baseline and the best advice I can give you is to find a garage and a mechanic that you trust and with whom there is a good level of respect between you.
Do your due diligence before you call or visit a shop so you know they are trustworthy, and then try to remain loyal to the shop if you like their services.
That way we will recognize you easily, and becoming a valued customer generally comes with perks!
Having been a mechanic for the past couple of decades, I know how to spot a problematic car from a mile away. If you want to know what the best car in my book is and which cars I would never recommend anyone get, check out this article here!
