Saturday, November 27, 2010

What to Say and What Not to Say to Your Mechanic When Bringing Your Car for a Repair

Are you prone to automotive rip-offs? The fact is, auto repair shops and mechanics who have the habit of ripping their customers off choose their victims. They don’t actually prey on every customer that comes in. They only prey on people who show that they’re easy to deceive. And, they sometimes get their clue from the things that the customer says.

So, what are the things that you should say and should not say to your mechanic if you want to avoid an automotive rip-off?

What to tell your mechanic: A description of the symptoms you are experiencing in your vehicle.
If you’re having a problem in your drive, you should tell your mechanic in detail exactly what you are experiencing. Describe any noise that is evident, any vibration originating from somewhere in your car, etc. This will help the mechanic in the diagnosis.

What not to tell your mechanic: Your own assumption about what the problem might be.
Auto repair shops and mechanics on the lookout for a customer that they can rip off can use your assumption to tell you of a problem that does not actually exist and charge you for a repair that they don’t actually do. So, keep your assumptions to yourself and let the mechanic do his work.

What to tell your mechanic: A description of previous repairs done on the vehicle and past problems encountered, if any.
Information about any repair done or problem encountered in the past months will give your mechanic the whole picture and may just make the diagnosis faster and easier.

What not to tell your mechanic: That you’re not familiar with the part that is problematic.
This can raise the red flag among mechanics looking for a chance to trick their customers. They know that a clueless customer is easier to deceive, so telling them that you don’t have knowledge about your vehicle will greatly increase your likelihood to be ripped off.

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