Comments on: Keeping mechanics honest?

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 18 May 2008 04:35:21 +0000

Several years ago I was a passenger in a vehicle being topped up with petrol. While waiting for the precedure to be completed, I saw a mechanic testing a vehicles electric powered radiator fan on a battery on the shop floor.
The fan worked flawlessly, the mechanic was joined by another mechanic, they conversed, tested the fan several times without failure. Then the second mechanic walked away, the first mechanic retested this fan again, then got up walked out of the workshop towards the red vehicle, as he passed me, (unknown to him I had been vwatching him all this time), with great strength, he taw the wires from the electric motor, then placed it on the red vehicle.
Yep, I saw this happen right before my eyes, I pity the vehicle owner who placed his trust in this service station, at XXXXXXX [edited for legal reasons], queensland, Australia.

By: Ray K

Ray K — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:30:32 +0000

Can’t see the sense in this. My experience – Recently needed a road-worthy on a well maintained and regularly serviced Toyota Corolla. Local garage came back saying it needed a sump gasket ( car had never dropped oil) and new wiper blades (mechanic said those fancy silicon blades only last a few months !!! so he had put in a good rubber set -$24 !!- I could have cried ) but I needed that cert. so just shut up and paid. I know I was ripped off. How could anyone who could not see the car check this. I suspect we are all ripped off in small amounts and take it as the cost off doing business.

By: jrhook

jrhook — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:10:52 +0000

I can only see this system working if the mechanics are quoting above retail prices for parts and excessive labour charges for work performed. It could also be said that if “up selling” or “over servicing” was involved an experienced mechanic would within reason be able to at least caution the customer that it would be unusual for a car to need work specified. I heard this week that some mechanics in melbourne are on percentage bonuses for upselling jobs IE car comes in for $150 service, customer is rung with a list of work that should be done immeadiately and before they know it the bill is now $900. The up sell was $750 X 15% the mechanic picks up 112.5. This is from a very reliable source and I am an ex-mechanic and have been in the industry for 28 years.

By: John

John — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:29:17 +0000

Seems like a good idea, I’m sure we all have a story of a friend/relative who was ripped off at some stage.

Having said that though, unless they actually look at the car themselves, how are they going to know whether you’re being charged for something you don’t need, apart from things that really stand out as odd by asking a few questions?

Even in the example of his grandmother, she could give ausquote a copy of a quote listing $1,500 worth of work needed for a road worthy, but unless they look at the car themselves, how can they know it only needed a headlight globe?

Unless I’ve missed something, their website just seems to say they check the quote, ie: if his grandmother got a quote that said “change headlight globe: $1,500″ they would be onto something….