Auto mechanics ripping you off

I had a thread on this almost two years ago. They told me I had a belt that needed replaced. I'm still driving on that same belt more than a year later. It was also a Firestone.

 

The dealerships will happily f--- you in the a-- just as quickly as anyone else, mike, and dealerships have notoriously high labor rates. I took my car to the local Ford place a couple years ago for a problem (they said) turned out to be the timing belt, but there were some other issues, too. The whole bill ran me about $1,200.

One year and a few days later, my car breaks down on the side of the road, and I have it towed to a local mechanic's place. Timing belt. I say, "No way, just had that done a year ago." He says if someone replaced the timing belt a year ago, they only replaced the belt and not the pulley system, and now the pulley system has gone out, causing the belt to go out again.

I dig out my bill, and sure enough, the one-year warranty on parts and labor from the Ford place has expired by less than a week, but there's nothing they can do. Bastards.

So, I guess the moral of this story is just because it's the big-time dealership doesn't mean the mechanics are more honest or competent than anywhere else.

 

I've lived in my neighbourhood for over 20 years and I've had two mechanics. Both run independent garages and both have been as honest as the day is long. One closed down his main garage and has a smaller run. One is a thirty second walk from our place, the other a two minute walk.

Unless absolutely necessary I have never taken my car into a chain like Firestone, Goodyear or (up here) Canadian Tire. It's like going into McDonald's except it's not burgers 'n fries, it's your car.

 

Usually, that's the worst advice out there. There are exceptions, and I was lucky enough to find one with the dealership that sold me my current vehicle.

"But ... but it's a dealership. They're factory-certified! They must be honest or competent!"

They also charge more than any other place, I've run into a couple of service managers that are slime of the Earth (one, I think, was just a jerk to everyone and the other one had to be a goon to cover up his lousy department) and if those mechanics were any good, they would typically go into business on their own where they can make more money and charge customers less by cutting out the dealership/service manager/service writer's cut of the pie. The risk factor for quality mechanics to go into business on their own is minimal because wise customers will gladly go to a place where there's a trustworthy, quality mechanic that doesn't plunder their checkbooks like a typical dealership.

I miss my regular mechanics ... that's reason enough to want to move back. I think I may have found a place that I might trust, but I'm not sure yet. Saying I'm picky about who gets near my vehicle with tools is a serious understatement.

 

I'm a Toyota guy. When I first moved here I asked a co-worker who's a regular at the local quarter-mile track, "You know anybody reliable who works on Toyotas?"

Turns out a fellow racing regular is manager of an off-the-beaten-path repair place that specializes in Toyotas, Nissans and Hondas. He's been gold. If I ever have a male kid I might consider naming him after this guy.

When my timing belt broke earlier this year I assumed I was looking at 2 large to fix it. He just laughs and says, "Quit worrying. We'll have you out of here for under $500." Turned out to be $428.

He's also the guy who convinced me -- after I threw a rod on a previous Toyota because the oil indicator light was burned out -- to replace the engine. "You like the car, right? It's basically the equivalent of 5 car payments if you buy a new one."

Cost me about $2,000, but I ended up driving it for another two years before upgrading.

 

Agreed on word of mouth. And like doctors, a mechanic you trust is a great source for referrals. I have a guy who does brakes, tires, alignments, that kind of thing.

But if I need some engine work or battery in a pinch he has steered me right about where to go.

 

Go to cartalk.com. There's a section there where listeners of the NPR show give recommendations for mechanics. Perhaps there's one in the city you live in, working on whatever make of car you own.

I did this years ago and it was one of the best things I ever did. This guy is as honest (and good) as they come. (I'm probably going to be in the market for a new vehicle next year, and if I don't buy the same make that I now own, I'm not sure what I'll do, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.)

I no longer worry about mechanics telling me about repairs or service I don't need.