Confessions of an Auto Mechanic

By CHRISTOPHER NEIGER, AOL AUTOS

Listen to advice. Talk to others who have been to the car repair shop and see what they say about it.
Check for ASE certification, Better Business Buearu membership or AAA approved car repair shop status.
Get a second opinion. If you don't feel comfortable with the quality of work or price, take it somewhere else.
Look for a clean shop. A repair shop that takes care of itself will take care of you.
Don't be afraid to ask a shop about their equipment. If they are proud of it, they'll be happy to explain it.
Talk to your mechanic about the details. If they aren't responsive then you might be better off elsewhere.

By the time we've reached the legal driving age, those who have gone before us usually instill at least three major lessons we should always put into practice. Number 1: Wear your seatbelt. Number 2: Don't speed. Number 3: Never ever trust your auto mechanic.

I recently caught up with an auto mechanic who agreed to give me some honest answers about the car repair industry in exchange for a little bit of anonymity. We'll call him "Max", and he's got more than 30 years of grease on his hands.

Max said that while the car repair industry is trying to clean itself up, some auto mechanics are still doing things like putting used parts in people's cars and selling them as new.

"I would say years ago, it was more par for the course. I would say it happened about 40 percent of the time," he said. "Today, I would say it probably happens a whole heck of a lot less. You're probably looking at about 10 to 7 percent margin, but it does still happen."

" I’m looking for a clean shop. I don't want to see Jake the Junk Yard Dog chained in the office. "

Steering Clear of Shady Auto Mechanics
There are three bits of advice Max gave when looking for a good car repair shop. The first is the proper Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification from places like AC Delco, Ford Motor Company or Bendix. "While ASE certification does not indicate that they're really good, it does indicate that the technicians go on their own time, or the business has given them the incentive to study, to take the course and go and show their skills are worthy of certification." (Ed. Note: ASE is a non-profit, independent organization founded in 1972. To learn more click here.)

Max also wants to see that a car repair shop has all the right equipment in place (like a proper tire mounting machine with rubber mounts that don't scratch your wheels or an alignment rack with laser measurements) to do the job well. "I want to make sure they have the proper diagnostic equipment. A shop that has invested in the proper equipment to service today's automobiles is usually a shop that you can trust, because they are not going to buy that expensive equipment and then have people who are not qualified to use it."

Max also advises that a good car repair shop should also be somewhat tidy. Max says, "I'm looking for a clean shop. I don't want to see Jake the Junkyard Dog chained in the office. I don't want to see a lot of dirt around the place. It shouldn't look like it's going to be condemned by the health department." Sorry Cooter.

" ... the poor little old lady, just shy of a heart attack, started crying and saying, 'Just do it, fix it, do whatever you have to do!' "

Besides a car repair shop's cleanliness, Max says the price for car repairs should be clearly posted, and they should always call you with a car repair estimate before they do any work. You should also be able to get some positive feedback about the car repair shop from people who've been there. If an auto mechanic has been recommended to you, make sure it's more than just, "Well I go there because my father's cousin's grandfather used to work there and they're really nice and they make a good cup of coffee," he said. "It's got to be better than that, they've got to have a track record of good quality repair."

Little Old Ladies, Beware
With three decades of experience, Max has come across some car repair shop scenarios that would make anyone want to sell his vehicle and start biking to work. He told me about a situation in which a co-worker used a scare tactic in order to trick an elderly woman into getting repairs done on her car. Max relayed the waiting room conversation between Mrs. M and the auto mechanic.

Mechanic: Mrs. M., what street do you live on?
Elderly Woman: I live on Elm Street.
Mechanic: I live on that street too. What time do you come home in the evening
Elderly Woman: Oh, about 5 o'clock.
Mechanic: Good. Then I'll know what time to tell my kids to get off the street because I shudder to think of you driving down the street in this car with my children playing in the street because you're driving a death trap and it could kill them.

"Well needless to say the poor little old lady, just shy of a heart attack, started crying and saying, 'Just do it, fix it, do whatever you have to do!' And this is the type of tactic this guy used." Although Max said these situations don't happen as often as they use to, but there are instances where mechanics use such unscrupulous tactics.

Window Shopping
As an auto mechanic for more than 30 years, Max has come across a few annoyances that really get his oil pressure rising. I asked him what types of things customers do that really annoy him and with no hesitation he says, "People who are shopping auto repair prices."

Max gave me a hypothetical situation of people who call up wanting to know the cost for a tune-up, but don't really know what's wrong with their car. The symptoms they give usually require a different procedure. Max usually hasn't gotten a positive response when he mentions the dreaded diagnostics test that so many people hate paying for. He suggests that it's time and money well spent though. "You're paying for a skilled technician to take an hour's worth of labor to diagnose your vehicle with the proper computer scan tools to determine where your drivability problem is."

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Let's Make a Deal
The other types of customers that Max doesn't quite enjoy are the ones who come in and say, 'Can you make me a deal?'" Although, Max says that he does try to look out for people who actually do need help and aren't just looking for a discount.

If a pregnant woman with two kids who worked at McDonalds came to him crying about her car repair problem and didn't have a lot of money to fix it, he told me, "I'm going to the ends of the Earth, to the gates of hell for that woman to get that car running as reasonably as I possibly can and still maintain a profit for my business." Even when helping others, Max says that his line of work is not a charity organization. "I don't wear a white collar and consequently, I can't stay in business if I give away everything I do."

Trust Wins Points
The customers who Max appreciates are the ones who trust him to do his job. He had a customer years ago who would drop off his car and tell Max to take care of the car repair. He never cared what it cost and never wanted a telephone call. He simply trusted Max as his auto mechanic to get it running again and to do his job right. "And I never breached that trust," Max said.

Consequently, Max would adjust his booked schedule, sometimes two weeks' full, in order to get the guy in and out in the same day. "I took care of him. Did I give him a discount? No ... did I do everything I could to get him back on the road as quickly as possible? You're damn right I did. And I did it over, say the guy who came in an hour before and said, 'Can you make me a deal?'"

See Also: Common Driving Mistakes

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426 comments

LCranf1055 12:45:33 PM May 03 2008

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I"m looking for a mechanic that is interested in knowing that someone has perfected a min-computer that links to the ECU and "convinces" it not to go into default when the engine has run TOO efficiently for TOO long a time. 50% increase in MPG guaranteed. More info at www.BoostYourMilesPerGallon.com

TennMustangPerf 02:17:28 PM May 01 2008

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TennMustangPerf 02:12:00 PM May 01 2008

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I am a reputable Hot Rod builder and have a reputation for honest service, but I realize there are some mechanics out there who will try to get more than an honest paycheck for a job. Here are a few tips to make sure that you do not get taken advantage of. First, ask around. Make sure to get some recommendations from trusted friends. You rely on your car, why trust it to a shop that may be closest or cheapest. Second, don't trust the big chains. Most of the time you will be treated fair by smaller shops. They depend on each and every customer in order to make their business and want to keep you coming back. As far as MCody's comment, yes, I remember hearing something about Sears getting into a lot of hot water for unauthorized repairs and price jacking. National Tire and Battery actually promotes this practice (I used to work for NTB many years ago and know this for a fact!) Thirdly, know the symptoms clearly. If a mechanic has to probe into the car on a wild goose chase, it

PATTYC916 11:20:53 PM Apr 30 2008

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when you do call around for part pricing make sure you are getting the price for a quality part . The price may be cheaper somewhere else but is it really if the same part fails a short time later and you have to pay the labor again. You can buy cheap parts that dont last . Make sure when you get that estimate you are comparing apples to apples

Mcodyg52 09:58:31 AM Apr 29 2008

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I have been in the auto repair business for 35 years, own two large shops, employ ASE certified and master techs two with master degrees in other areas. Most of the scare tactics and dishonest repairs are made by the major chain repair shops. As far as used parts being installed instead of new is in my opinion a very rare occurance. I may be wrong but I remember several years ago California was going to close down sears for auto repair fraud? I dont think Max is for real.

ShlYell 07:16:38 AM Apr 22 2008

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I have to say, I'm one not to trust a mechanic. So I've learned alot on my own. My buddy went to a "chain garage" for a tune up... plugs, wires ect. 1 yr later he asked me if I could do the same job. Tune ups should last alot longer than a 1 yr. Well,out of 6 spark plugs, they only changed 4. Hmmm! Have to say... not cool. Other stories you hear... like, went to get oil change.... they stripped the plug to the oil pan.... gotta be kidding! I have been in the poor house and thats how I got started in learning some mechanics,... now I can save myself tons of money.

MORTIMER NOGAMO 01:40:38 AM Apr 21 2008

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Whem will people start saying auto technician instead of mechanic. I was looked down on too, dirty job at times, but I laughted all the way to the bank, lots of those white collars made less than I. Also I shingled my own roof really not too technical.