Common Mechanical Shop Scams

At one time or another, every motorist has been left stranded by their broken down car, sometimes unsure of what exactly is wrong. At this point, the motorist is at the mercy of a complete stranger, the auto mechanic. There is no guarantee that the mechanic that comes to your rescue will be fair and honest.

Here are some tips to minimize the chances of being ripped off.

Always try to get a recommendation.

If at all possible, do not look in the Yellow Pages for a mechanic. Following the recommendation of the tow truck driver might not be a good idea either: the possibility exists that the tow truck driver might get a finders fee from the shop he recommends. Try to find a store or business in the area to ask for a recommendation. Most people deal with a local mechanic they are comfortable with.

Always get an estimate in writing before the work is done.

While it might be difficult to get an estimate for repairs before the mechanic knows what is wrong with the car, you can ask for an estimate for the diagnostic time. Always place a dollar limit on charges for work performed without additional approval from you. Make sure that all estimates are in writing.

Weigh the diagnosis against the symptoms.

If the car was running well before it suddenly shut down, chances are one component failed. If the mechanic proceeds to tell you that you need several different items, you might want to get a second opinion. Sometimes the cost of a second tow might be a good investment.

Ask for the warranty policy.

Don't assume that all shops give warranties. However there might be local laws requiring repair shops to give minimum warranties, so it pays to check.

Never sign a blank work order.

Some shops may give you a blank work order to sign, saying that they need your permission to work on the car for insurance purposes, when in fact they might use it as authorization to do repairs, that you in fact did not authorize.

Keep all paperwork.

Keep copies of repair orders, invoices and notes of conversations. If there is a problem down the road and you do have to seek restitution, you will need them.

Education.

The more you learn about the car you are driving, the easier it will be to know if you are being taken. The best way to start is by reading the owner's manual.

These types of tips and suggestions merely put a band-aid over a very large issue. Strong action is required to abolish the source of the problems in the auto aftermarket.

There has not been any new advice in decades. More importantly, no one has answered why car repair scams have reached billions of dollars per year and why there is still no solution these scams?

Many just don't believe that car repair fraud is all that serious of an issue. Some even argue that the vast majority of repair shops do an honest day's work, and that a few bad apples are spoiling it for the rest.

This is an interesting argument, and raises a number of questions.

If it is "only a few bad apples," where are they hiding billions per year?
If most repair shops are honest, why does every province warn against these scams?
Why are car repair shops at the top of consumer complaint lists in every province?

This impression exists because there are a number of types of repair scams. There are the outright rip-offs covered in consumer reports. Then there are the more common scams price and estimate padding, and aggressive scare tactics to get service customers to perform services that they don't necessarily need.

In reality, most of these scams go unseen by the consumer. Typically, customers have no idea that they were scammed. This "low impact" scamming occurs in every level of the business. Affiliation with organizations makes no difference

A certification patch on a mechanics arm, or an CAA or BBB sticker on the door of a shop means absolutely nothing in terms of guaranteeing an honest facility. "Advice from friends" can be just as unreliable, as even shops that "seem" honest, sometimes are not.

Service facilities have found new and imaginative ways of scamming. Often, many of the old tips and suggestions are being used by the shops and allowing them to create a false sense of confidence on the consumer.

You need solid answers, and to be equipped with information, understanding, tools, and an insider's view of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of these scams. Navigating the underworld of today's auto shops with outdated information will cost you more than you ever realize.

Now that you're good an scared, here is a list of scams to watch out for:

Padding The Bill

Highway Bandits

Estimate Scams

Maintenance Hook Schemes

Intentional Misrepresentation

Parts Problems

Counterfeit Parts

Bait & Switch