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The Internet Is Cutting Out the Mechanic and Saving People Thousands of Dollars
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The Internet Is Cutting Out the Mechanic and Saving People Thousands of Dollars
Be wary of scamming mechanics.
Walking into the waiting room of the local mechanic, you see the typical lame duck setup: cheap car posters on the walls; a stiff, cold waiting room; and a couple of housewives pecking at their iPhone, waiting for their SUV to be repaired. The smell of grease thickens the air and a couple of middle aged grease monkeys are taking a smoke break. It’s a scene that’s as deceiving as it is dull.
For years now, auto mechanics have been taking advantage of customers, changing prices whenever they can in order to capitalize on a driver’s lack of knowledge. It’s a shady business. As reported
by the Huffington Post
, “Auto repair fraud consistently ranks among the top consumer complaints [for the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau].”
The most alarming part of the mechanic/driver relationship is that drivers know they are being ripped off, yet there is very little they are doing to combat what is going on. Well, there are two major ways that consumers can keep money away from the exploits of certain mechanics.
Know the Costs
One of the best things a consumer can do is become educated on the costs of the services and the needs of his car. Of course, there are a couple of ways to do this.
To cut mechanic costs, call around and compare prices; this will help with negotiations.
Call Around-
Consumers should call competing mechanics in the area and figure out the prices. Having this list of prices will go a long way during the negotiating process.
Get It in Writing-
Before you have any work done, you should have the auto mechanic draw out a detailed estimate that is signed. Your estimate should include the repairs that will be done, the fees (this includes part costs, labor, storage, etc.), whether new or used parts will be used, completion date, and payment method. By having everything broken down, you will be able to spot potential scams and dispute lofty figures.
Know Your Car-
I cannot stress this enough. If you don’t know your car, the mechanic may try to pull out hidden costs or attempt to replace parts that don’t need to be replaced. According to
author Jason Alderman
, “Some unscrupulous operators will rip off inexperienced car owners by performing unnecessary or unauthorized repairs.”
Do-It-Yourself
Knowing the costs and finding the proper mechanic is great, but there is a growing sentiment that doing the job yourself is the best way to go. And, it definitely makes sense. With the internet and all of the information on it, why wouldn’t you do the job yourself? The internet produces “how to articles and videos” on everything from changing brake pads to installing suspension lifts kits. These tools can break down the process and make any novice into an instant expert.
There is another layer to this internet movement, as well. Through the internet, consumers are able to shop around and find the best parts for the cheapest prices. This gives the power back to you, the customer, and cuts out the potential scams that mechanics try to push onto their customers.
By: Tim Snyder
Posted on November 26th, 2013
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