The Truth About Mechanics

Although taking your vehicle to a mechanic can be a trying moment, it does not have to be the drama that many make it out to be. I have heard many stories or opinions and have even read many articles here that a heap of misinformation. I have worked in garages most of my life and with many different mechanics and most are not out to rip you off as others want to you to believe. These are just a few of misconstrued offers of advice I have heard and the truth behind this advice.

1. A mechanic will not offer to put used parts on a vehicle you have to ask. This is true. However, by having a mechanic put used parts on your vehicle you are loosing any kind of warranty that the mechanic or the garage has to offer. There is never a guaranteed that used parts are in working order therefore the mechanic cannot guaranteed that they will work. Nor will the mechanic guaranteed the price of the labor to install the used part.

By having the mechanic install used parts on your vehicle you are taking a 50/50 chance that part may be bad or even break in a month. If you are lucky, some used parts do come with a 30-day guarantee, but the mechanics labor rates do not. Therefore, you may have saved yourself a few bucks in the beginning but in the end, you will be paying your mechanic twice to install it.

2. An oil change does not cost $15 or more. This is not true. Depending on the type of vehicle, an oil change takes from 15-30 minutes, sometimes more on certain vehicles. A quart of oil costs $2 and up depending on the type of oil you vehicle needs. The oil filter is generally less that $5, again this all depends on the vehicle, and I have seen $25 oil filters at that parts store. So once you take all this in mind, if the mechanic charges $40 an hour (which is on the extremely low side) and it take just 15 minutes to change your oil, which is $10. Most vehicles use 5 quarts of oil and even using the cheapest oil that is another $10. Then $5 for the oil filter.

The grand total is $25.00 for an oil change a fair price if you are not going to do it your self. If you have never changed your own oil before and are not mechanically inclined, I do not recommend changing your own oil. If you do not add enough oil, leave the drain plug out, or not tighten the filter enough you have the chance of blowing up your engine, which will cost you a lot more than the $10 you just saved yourself by changing it yourself.

3. Mechanics work on commission. This is both true and false. Not all mechanics work on commission. In fact, most do not work on commission at all. Many mechanics work on flat rate. What this means is that if they are not working on a vehicle they are not being paid. For example if the time book calls for 3 hours to do a certain job, they get paid for 3 hours whether it took them 2 hours or 6 hours.

4. Mechanics are dishonest and just out to rip you off. There are definitely mechanics out there that are dishonest, but most want to make a customer happy so they will become a returning customer. Anyone with a business sense knows that it only takes one bad experience to send a customer packing and looking for another mechanic. Finding the right mechanic for you may take a little searching but you will know when you find the right one. It is like finding the right doctor, you will feel confident in knowing your mechanic is looking out for your best interest and what is best for your vehicle.

In a previous article I explained how to talk to your mechanic and how to understand the things that they are saying. You may not be mechanically inclined but some basic knowledge will help you feel that are getting quality service and not being ripped off.