2. Rip-Offs, Garages, and Mechanics
Don't resent paying for repairs. Auto repair, like buying gasoline, is part of the cost of operating a vehicle. Every car, no matter how well engineered, will break down some time. When that happens, you'll need to find a mechanic.
Every car book I've reviewed seems to have the same advice for dealing with mechanics:
- Be specific when ordering repairs.
- Always have estimates put in writing.
- Have the mechanic phone before proceeding with additional work.
That's sound advice on paper, but not good enough to protect you very much. Being specific and putting estimates in writing doesn't help you much if you lack a fundamental understanding of the way your car works. A dishonest mechanic can always fool you somehow, maybe by adding an unneeded repair to a complicated job. What protection is having a written estimate if that estimate is grossly over-priced? When a mechanic or service manager phones to explain that he's found something else that was just about to break, it can be practically impossible to say no.
How to Protect Yourself
The best way to challenge the experts is to know how your car works. So what's the average consumer to do? Taking this course is a great start.
I also want to encourage you to purchase a copy of my book, How Cars Work, a companion text for this course.
Arm yourself with information. Fortunately, there are many things you can learn right now to prepare yourself for dealing with these situations. By knowing how you're vulnerable to fraud, you might just avoid being ripped off.
Understand that it's a battle, and your best weapons are to:
- Be prepared for the types of rip-offs.
- Be aware of your car's condition.
- Use common sense, and a scientific approach.
Car Repair Rip-Offs
It's difficult to find a motorist who doesn't have complaints about car repair service. Auto repair rip-offs are very common.
According to the California Bureau of Auto Repairs, 40 percent of car repairs are fraudulent (says CBSNEWS.com - http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/home/main100.shtml). This number may be somewhat deceptive: I think that the independently owned, local shops have only a small percentage of bogus repairs, whereas 80 percent of the work done is fraud at national chain repair stores.
Besides overcharging for unneeded repairs, automotive swindles come in three basic varieties (discussed in the following sections):
- Bait 'n Switch
- Sabotage
- Soiling
Bait 'n Switch
Bait 'n switch means they give you the bait -- a cheap initial price -- and then switch to a more expensive job. Muffler and transmission shops are notorious for this; advertisements in newspapers offer great deals, if only you come by for a free inspection. To paraphrase Milton Friedman, there's no such thing as a free inspection.
If you suspect that a Bait 'n switch is happening to you, confront the mechanic immediately. Use the phrase "bait 'n switch" and the word "fraud." Make it clear that you have authorized only certain repairs and refuse to authorize anything else. If this fails, tell the mechanic to clean it up and take the car off the rack.
Mechanics rely on you to make the bait 'n switch work. If you say no, the scam won't work. This is also true in retail stores that advertise a good price on a product that is out of stock (of course), but is happy to sell you a similar but more expensive item.
Sabotage
Typical sabotage involves poking small holes in your coolant hoses or tires to cause leaks. An attendant may show you a tiny stream of yellow-green coolant coming from the engine. "Boy, are you lucky I saw that leak. We can repair that right now for you." There's a charge for the new hose, coolant, and the labor of replacing it. What else are you going to do? These schemes are especially prevalent at stations on the interstate highways.
Your best defense is to open the hood yourself and show interest in the car. Use your car eyes to investigate it yourself. A crook won't sabotage your car if you're standing right there watching. Don't leave your car unattended at an unknown gas station.
Soiling
Soiling refers to the placement of things in or on your car to make it look like something is wrong. One service station attendant I know of placed barbecue sauce on a hot alternator. It smoked like crazy. He then informed the motorist that he had discovered a dangerous problem. Fortunately, the attendant just happened to have that exact type of alternator in the back room. It doesn't take long to change an alternator -- 10 minutes or so. The customer was so pleased with the speed and convenience that he gave the attendant a $5 tip. The motorist thought it was his lucky day as he drove away. Remember, con stands for confidence, not convict. "Mr. Badwrench" promptly put the perfectly good alternator back on the shelf, ready for the next unsuspecting motorist with the same kind of car. The best criminals go undetected.
Soiling is a good reason for you to be familiar with your car. If you know you have an oil leak, you'll be less alarmed when a mechanic points it out.
Other Common Rip-Offs
The following sections discuss a few other dishonest schemes that you should be aware of.
Short-Sticking: The gas station attendant offers to check your oil; that's the kind of service you don't often find any more. But the attendant doesn't stick your oil dipstick all the way down, so it comes up low on the dipstick, and the attendant shows you the proof. With your permission, he pours an empty can into your car and shows a nifty profit.
Alka-Seltzer: Maybe the attendant looks under your hood and jumps back. There's something wrong with your battery: The battery is fizzling and bubbling. Adding an Alka-Seltzer tablet to your battery can cause a lot of steaming and make it look dangerous. Many warning labels on batteries say, "Caution: battery contains explosive gas and acid." This message makes anyone cautious; it also makes you vulnerable to unethical mechanics.
Mufflers: At the muffler shop, you may be told that you need a whole new exhaust pipe when you really don't. They may try to sell you new pipe "hangers" at an inflated price. A muffler should last two or three years; the pipes should last for ten years. If they say you need a new pipe, make them prove it. If a muffler or pipe is rusted to the point of replacement, you should be able to see a substantial hole or easily poke through the metal.
Tow trucks: Some unethical tow truck operators race to the scene of a minor accident and hook a car up without asking anyone. If you just had an accident, you might feel stunned; you're busy telling the police what happened. Before you know it, your car is attached to a tow truck. Even if you confront the tow truck operator, you might hear, "This car can't legally drive; look at the bumper -- it's a danger to others on the road." You agree, and they tow it to their own repair shop, or to a shop that gives them a kickback. Remember, a tow truck operator has every incentive to tow your car.
AAA reports that 70 percent of tow jobs are unnecessary.
Garages
Now that you know some of the types of scams you may encounter, let's discuss the types of garages you might have to deal with. There are four basic types of garages (depending on your situation, you may need all four):
- New car dealership garages
- Franchised specialty shops
- Service stations
- Independently owned garages
New Car Dealership Garages
The new car dealership is the place in town where they sell the kind of car you own. It usually has a wellequipped garage with factory-trained mechanics. However, everything at the dealership is overpriced; parts are usually twice the price you'll pay elsewhere. I was once quoted a price of $70 for a small metal tube that an independent mechanic sold me for $7. Dealerships exist to sell new cars, not to repair old ones. Many dealership owners run their garages begrudgingly. They're required to have repair and service facilities to fulfill the warranty obligations for the new cars they sell.
At a dealership, you'll deal with a front man, sometimes called the service manager or the service writer. He's the one that schedules work and talks to the public. If you look at his hands, you won't see grease under his fingernails. He's a people person. I'd rather talk with the guy doing the work: the mechanic.
On the upside, there are reasons you should go to a dealership. It has an extensive parts department, with all the special accessories you won't find in other stores, such as tail- light lenses, body logos, key chains, and fancy floor mats. There are some car parts that you simply can't get except at a dealership.
Another resource at the dealership is the parts department personnel. One assignment for this lesson is to meet your local dealership parts department people. The parts department folks know more about what parts are going to break on your car than anyone – their days are filled with people bringing in identical problems.
Nevertheless, you should avoid having major work done at dealerships. I once encountered a government motor pool manager who insisted that all repairs be performed at dealerships; that's fine if it's the government's money you're wasting, but I suspect you have a more limited budget.
Franchised Specialty Shops
Franchised specialty shops are the fast food restaurants of car maintenance; they are well-lit, well-located, and advertise fiercely for new customers. They don't have many repeat customers.
You can easily locate franchised shops. They are in high-traffic areas: malls and busy intersections. These franchised garages usually specialize in particular services: mufflers, transmissions, brakes, and lubrication. Often, these franchises flourish with high profits from swindling.
You won't likely meet the owner of the franchise on the premises; that's part of the problem. These properties are investments rather than careers or sources of pride. The managers and workers are underpaid and often disgruntled and resentful. Most franchised shops attract their prey by mass media advertising and local newspaper inserts.
Franchised auto shops are usually very friendly, as long as you:
- Don't complain.
- Take all their recommendations.
- Pay with a smile.
- Tell your friends how little anxiety you felt shelling out $589 for unneeded brake repairs.
Service Stations
Where do you fill up with gas? I recommend finding a service station that can perform minor maintenance jobs for you. Find a service station where the owner's name is proudly displayed on the outside; that usually means the owner values a good reputation. The first step can be simply stepping into the garage while filling up with gas and talking to a mechanic. Ask a simple question, "Can you help me fill out this auto information form?" Do you get a good feeling from the answer or did you feel brushed-off? There are plenty of service stations to choose from; if something gave you a bad vibe, cross that one off your list.
Service station mechanics are handy for inspections on the rack, lubrication jobs, oil changes, and tune-up work. They can be a very useful resource for the beginner because the risk of expensive repairs is low, you can ask questions and build relationships with these service station mechanics, and you can see for yourself the work being done.
Independent Garages
Independent garages are the final type of garage and they come in two basic sizes: large and small. I recommend going to the large ones when you have a serious car problem. These places usually can't afford the rent or advertising of the franchised shops, because they're not engaged in profitable fraudulent activities. The independent shop is likely to be in a low-rent location, off the beaten thoroughfare. A little searching can pay off big by finding a mechanic you can trust. The smaller shops specialize in the same jobs as the specialized franchised shops, mufflers, transmissions, and radiator repair.
The independent shop is likely to have its owner's name proudly displayed, as with the local service station. This type of shop exists by maintaining good relationships with long-term customers, rather than the one-shot rip-offs done at franchised shops.
I have found good mechanics by word of mouth; don't be afraid to ask your friends or coworkers where they take their cars. Word of mouth is a valuable resource.
Because independently owned garages survive on a lower profit margin than franchised shops or dealerships, they have to employ mechanic specialists whose work is fast and accurate. Some people think that dealership mechanics are better because they're certified with specialized factory training; this can involve as little as watching a single video in the dealership coffee room. There's no real certification process of mechanics that involves a testing process for competency. Instead, you have to use your own judgment when evaluating a garage or mechanic.
Avoid garages and service stations with a bunch of broken-down heaps parked around – that's a bad sign for your car being repaired quickly, or at all. One way to evaluate how long cars sit is by the dust on their windshields. Another way is to drive by on consecutive days and see whether the cars have changed.
I once dismissed a particular garage because it always seemed to have about a dozen cars parked in front. By observing over several days, however, I noticed the dozen cars changed each day; this small garage simply did its work very fast, and I was later quite happy with the jobs performed there.
The Internet Garage
There's an interesting new type of garage that might be called an Internet garage. One company pursing this new concept in auto repair is called JoeAuto car repair center. Appointments, estimates, and diagnosis are all done over the Internet, with great convenience to the customer. You get an e-mail when the work is done. You can even log on anytime to see the repairs in progress; they have a Web cam on your car.
Moving On
In this lesson, you found out about the different types of repair shops so you can find a mechanic who won't rip you off. In Lesson 3, you learn about the seven basic automobile maintenance systems.