UNTRUTHS YOU MAY HEAR FROM A MECHANIC
Beware of lies from a mechanic. I truly hate that word, but we’ve all been there. I dread going to the mechanic. Not only because of what I’ll have to pay for any repairs my car may need, but also because I know nothing about cars. That means that my mechanic could tell me anything about my car that he wanted. In return, I most definitely would not be able to argue with him.
I know where the tires are and how to put air in them;. I could fill the windshield wiper fluid and pour oil in, if needed. That is about the extent of it and truthfully, I don’t care to know more about my car. It has never interested me, and I don’t think about it much. As long as it gets me where I’m going.
So, when something does go wrong with it, I get those twinges in my stomach wondering if I’m going to get taken advantage of. Luckily, I found a really good, honest mechanic a number of years ago. But I only go to him for the big stuff. If I need my oil changed, for instance, I go someplace that handles easy repairs/changes like that and quickly.
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Just An Oil Change?
Have you ever gone to a shop for just an oil change and come out paying for a lot more. It happened because you were told that your car needed this or that? And you felt like the mechanic was talking a foreign language. This has happened to me on more than one occasion. Because of this, I thought it would be a good idea to look up some “untruths” that we get told by mechanics.
I checked out sites like AAA, Edmunds and Consumer Reports to see what they say about this subject. What I’m sharing is a combination from them and myself.
Things that the mechanic should show you to help determine if they really need repaired, include: air filters, wear and tear items like your tires and wiper blades and your brake pads. Don’t be afraid to make sure that what you are being shown actually came from your car. Some places keep used, broken down parts like these to show you, instead of what came off your car.
REPAIRS/MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALERSHIP
You don’t have to keep going to the dealership where you purchased your car. Dealerships have different prices and offer different specials at different times. This is a good time to shop around.
WINTERIZING OR SUMMERIZING YOUR CAR
I remember my parents talking about this many years ago. Today it’s different because coolants and antifreeze are meant to basically last for much of your car’s life. If you have an older car that still uses the “green” coolant, your car would probably still require changes every 24,000 miles or 2 years. Today’s cars and coolant can go from 5 years/50,000 miles to 10 years/150,000 before a change is needed. It depends on your car. This amounts to only a few times during the life of your car. Check the manual.
TRANSMISSION/BRAKE/POWER STEERING FLUIDS NEED CHANGED OR FLUSHED
On all three of these fluids you may get told that you need your fluid “flushed”. There is a very good chance that this is not true on any of these fluids. The mechanic may also say you need it due to the smell or color of the fluid he found. This is an up-sale and if the mechanic doesn’t first ask about the car’s service history and just suggests the flushing—watch out.
Generally speaking, these fluids don’t need to be flushed. And if they do, it’s not more than once or twice during the car’s lifetime. So, when this suggestion comes up, take it with a grain of salt or get another opinion. But, if this suggestion nigs at the back of your brain, take your car and get a second opinion.
CHANGE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES
For some reason, this one always makes me wonder and is one of the reasons I started looking these items up. Trying to stick with this schedule for oil was getting ridiculous to me. I do a pretty good commute to and from work everyday so I was having my oil changed every 2.5-3 months. A pain in my butt. Turns out, I was right to question this.
According to AAA, most lubricants these days can extend the time between oil changes to 7500 miles. And if you are someone that uses full synthetic motor oils you may be able to last up to 15,000.
You can always look in your manual to see what it recommends.
I WOULDN’T DRIVE THIS CAR ANOTHER MILE OR ITS UNSAFE TO DRIVE
A high scare tactic, turn and run scared because if you stay, it’ll cost you big time. This tactic just means high profit for the mechanic telling you this. In some states, it’s illegal to not hand over the car keys to you as soon as you’ve paid for the work orginally agreed upon. Be skeptical of these types of comments.
BOY ARE YOUR BRAKES REALLY BAD
According to Consumer Reports your “bad brakes” can usually be fixed just by turning or cleaning brake rotors or changing the brake pads.
DEALERSHIP OR MECHANIC? I’M THE BETTER OPTION
Neither is correct as both have their pros and cons. Popular Mechanics Magazine says each has their strengths. Independent repair shops tend to be less expensive and can spend more time on a car, if needed. On the other hand, a dealership has more service areas, so your car can get fixed quicker.
If your car is still under warranty—go to the dealership.
WE CAN’T DO RECALL WORK, UNLESS….
Has a dealership said they can’t fix your recall without additional work on your car. They are trying to make this another cha-ching moment for them. Dealers that refuse to do work on your auto recall part(s) with claiming you need other work done actually violates consent orders with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
YOU’RE DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE
This could be a big “maybe, maybe not”. The 3,000 miles rule that we have always heard is not necessarily true anymore. According to AAA, today newer cars that use full-synthetic oil can go up to 15,000 before and oil change is needed. For some of us, that could be a whole year without an oil change. Always pull out your owner’s manual and see what it says.
And while you are there, see what kind of oil your car really needs. Your car may not need to use synthetic oil. This type of oil is more expensive and unless your manual says to use it, why spend the money.
Your mechanic might also try and up-sale you at this time, by recommending services based on the mileage on your car. Again, check your manual to see what the manufacturer says your car needs.
YOU ARE DUE FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE
This is a time to pull out the old handy, dandy owner’s manual again, especially if your car maintenance system hasn’t notified you of any needs for your car. If the manual doesn’t call for any maintenance, then you have no need to head to or stay at the auto shop.
YOU NEED A FUEL INJECTION CLEANING/ENGINE NEEDS TO BE “FLUSHED”
Your fuel injection might need a cleaning, but make sure before agreeing. If you use good quality gas, but your car is still running rough, it’s more likely something else causing the problems. Cleaning your fuel injection is probably not the answer.
Does your car’s engine really need to be flushed? Probably not, according to FIXd. This is definitely an up-sale to affect your pocket.
Read: My post on your very own personal retreat. After getting back from the mechanic, this will do you good!
YOUR AIR FILTER IS DIRTY
I’ve had this happen to me and while the mechanic was showing me “my filter”, I remember thinking “he’s pulling my leg and I’m not sure that is my air filter”. I don’t remember what I did. But I definitely remember feeling like I wasn’t being told the truth.
A mechanic can fake a leak just about anywhere in your car and the same goes for your air filter. They can show you a dirty filter from any type of car, so the filter he may be showing might not even be your filter. Make sure. Ask him to show you where the filter goes on your car so you can see if it’s actually been taken out and it’s your filter in his hand.
You can also look in your manual to see how often your car would need the air filter replaced.
YOU NEED NEW TIRES AND I HAVE SOME IN THE SHOP THAT ARE BRAND NEW
You might be getting a good deal, but are the tires being offered really new. Here’s something I learned from Edmunds. Tires get stamped with a four-digit code that shows the week and year it was made. If a tire was made the eleventh week of 2019, it would be stamped with the number 1119 or the thirty-third week of 2019 would be 3319. A good rule of thumb—don’t purchase tires that are more than five to six years old.
Another tire tip has to do with the pressure. Most tires have the pressure printed on their sidewalls, but you should really be using the pressure printed in the manual. Or on the inside of the driver’s door jam. Tires are made for all kinds of cars, so the pressure has to be somewhat generic. The pressure number in the manual and on your car, is specific to your car.
THERE ARE A FEW ADDITIONAL REPAIRS THAT NEED DONE
Ever have this happen to you? You take your car to the shop for repairs you know are needed and you get an estimate from the mechanic before you say OK to the repairs. A few hours later you get a call for additional repairs that you need which may cost hundreds or even thousands more. What do you do?
Politely tell the mechanic thank you, but you’ll stick with what was discussed on the estimate. Then take your car someplace else for a second opinion; if they agree with the repairs, then you get to decide when and how you want the repairs done.
TIPS TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED BY A MECHANIC
If you are like me and almost totally car illiterate, there are a few things that you can do to help from being scammed and keep your wallet closed.
OBDII Scanner
These scanners are on-board diagnostic tools. (Fixd) They aren’t expensive and the $50-$60 spent on one of these could pay for itself with one save on car repairs. Some of these scanners can tell you what is wrong with your car, complete with a description of the problem and possible common fixes.
Ask friends and family that may know a little about cars if they have a scanner that they prefer and definitely look at online reviews. You can also research the car repair needed according to the scanner so you have even more information before heading out to the mechanic.
Reviews
Speaking of reviews: don’t forget to also look over reviews on the shop and mechanic that you decide to take your car to. Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc. are all good places to start. Even the negative reviews will give you an idea of what to watch out for if you think that the negative review isn’t worth worrying about. Then you can also check out reviews by a service like “Angie’s list”.
Read Your Owner’s Manual
Reading your owner’s manual can actually save you money since it will help you determine exactly what your car needs for maintenance and when. You will then have needed information if the mechanic tells you that your car needs an oil change or tire rotation. Your manual should also give you all the recommended intervals for fluid changes and maintenance items.
OBDII Scanner
Online Repair Cost Estimator
Don’t be afraid to ask your mechanic for a little time before making your decision about estimated repairs. Sit in your car or go get a cup of coffee. Then run the suggested repairs through an online cost estimator. Usually you have to enter the make, model and year of your car along with the estimated costs of repairs and your zip code. The estimator will usually give you a range for the costs of the repairs. Then it’s up to you to either say OK to the mechanic or just move on down the road.
Just Say No
Don’t forget that you can say no, so don’t feel pressured into the repairs, even if you are getting a hard sell. There are plenty of mechanics out there. Go home and call a few and tell them the repairs that the recent mechanic gave you and see if the prices change much. Then go get a second opinion if you feel you need to.
BOTTOM LINE
Don’t let a mechanic get the upper hand with you just because they think they may be dealing with someone that knows little to nothing about cars. And you will know when he is trying to get the upper hand if he is trying to convince you about a repair, but isn’t really explaining anything to you. He doesn’t really want to explain because then you may catch on.
In this day and age when we have our cell phones handy all the time, we have information at our figure tips or we can call someone else for information. Better still, we can come prepared having already done our research or at the least, knowing where to look for info once we have an estimate.
In most cases, you can just search for a car’s year, make and model, and then view the manual. For some cases however, you’ll need to register at the car maker’s site. Occasionally you’ll need to provide a car’s vehicle identification number (VIN).
Stay Healthy
Cher
Revelant Reading:
Safety Items For Your Car
Items to Keep in Your Car
Don’t Be A Target
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