Top 7 Ways Mechanics Rip Off Consumers - Lehto's Law Ep. 2.32

Consumers need to be aware of the most common ways in which mechanics rip them off when performing automobile repairs. Here the top 7 ways I have come across in my 24+ years of practicing consumer protection law.
www.lehtoslaw.com
@stevelehto

[@blackmithjohn]

My wife was working out of town and noticed steam coming out from under her hood. The tow truck driver "accidentally" took the car to Susan Shein Chrysler in Pelham, AL instead of the garage down the street that I found. The service writer came up with a bill of over $2,000 to fix the car including water pump, hoses, oil change, plugs and wires and on and on. After I finished cursing them out, I drove up with a trailer and brought the car home to work on it. Final diagnosis was a bad radiator cap for $12. And this was not even on their inflated list.

[@scottpowers6668]

I have been a mechanic for 20 years the only time I ever did something like this the customers car was leaking fuel on to the tail pipe. He did not wan’t to fix the car. I told ok no problem but you should really have it towed to another shop because its a fire hazard. He then got really angry accusing me of trying to scam him. So I called NH DOT to come and look at the car. He was so pissed that I was dragging my feet and I kept telling him “ It will just be another minute. You took up so much of my time I have to get these other customers out the door” and that pissed him off even more. About an hour and a half later the trooper finally showed up, and this guy was all but foaming at the mouth and started yelling at the cop. The cop was telling him he could leave but he wasn’t listening to anything anymore. The cop finally had enough and told the guy now you can’t drive it you have no choice but to have it towed. The cop came to me and asked for a screw driver and proceeded to take the plates off the car as it wasn’t road worthy. When the customer saw he was taking the plates off he finally realized he lost and called a tow truck. That was hands down the greatest revenge against an a-hole customer of my carrier.

[@thebonesaw..4634]

I used to be a Service Adviser for a dealership. I took my car to one of those quick lube places to get my oil changed and a new Inspection Sticker. I had NEVER had any issue with them trying to up-sell me on anything prior to this: During the inspection portion, the mechanic (who, I should point out is an early 20-something kid) comes over with that solemn look... _"I've got bad news. Your brakes aren't going to pass inspection and they need to be replaced."_ I can see my car across the bay, still on the lift with no tires on it... *"Okay," I said... "Show me".* _"What"?_ *"Show... me the brakes."* _"Uhhh..."_ *"What's the problem?"* He looks and acts like he can't figure out what to say, like I've tripped him up somehow, and I honestly wasn't suspicious of anything to begin with (I had assumed he was telling the truth), but now I'm suspicious as all hell. We walk over... he points to the brakes and says, _"So, as you can see, the disks and pads on these are really worn."_ *"Hmmm... The don't look that worn."* _"Well, they're..."_ *"What's the minimum thickness allowed for the pads?"* _"Uhhh... 3 millimeters..."_ *"And for the rotors?"* _"19 millimeters"_ *"Okay... put your micrometer on them and let's see where they are"* At this point I see this look of complete defeat on his face, I'm assuming because I knew what a micrometer was... so, he probably thinks I'm also a mechanic. He measures them. _"So... 5 millimeters on the pads"_ (it was closer to 6, but okay) _"... and 23 millimeters on the rotors..."_ I then had him measure the opposite wheels, which were virtually the same. *"Huh...those all seem to be within spec..."* At this point, instead of getting mad that he was trying to rip me off, I let him off the hook and gave him an out. *"Do you think maybe you confused my car with someone else's?"* _"Yeah... maybe..."_ ... And that was that. I got my inspection sticker and went on my merry way... From that day forward, I got my major service from the dealership but continued to use that same quick lube place for oil changes and inspection stickers... and I even requested that same kid do them. He's not there anymore, but he did my work for about 5 or 6 years.

[@shaggydogg3786]

Hopefully he gained a valuable lesson.

[@TheGuruStud]

This was ordered by the manager/owner. Stop giving them money. Report to whoever you want and oust them on every platform.

[@djc2152]

You were a service advisor? You guys are the best. I especially love the 300% mark-up on OEM parts.

[@davidcooper1201]

@@djc2152 That is business.

[@johnw8578]

I once took my mother's car in for a leaking fuel line. She had had it "replaced" at a shop for $1200 the year before. The mechanic at the new shop showed me how it had been "replaced" -- the other shop had placed some neoprene and a couple of hose clamps around the leak and had charged her $1200 for total replacement. It was a good thing that that initial shop was out-of-business or I would have taken legal action. Some shops take advantage of seniors.

[@PhilipHousel]

When I worked at a shop, I specialized in electrical problems. It was very challenging to be certain how long it would take to diagnose and repair some of the weird problems. I always tried to be as upfront and honest as possible. I was very successful with my care for my customers and their cars.

[@Osillius]

"...I might even own several of your children, if I want them." Haha! Love it!

[@j0hnnykn0xv1lle]

steve's comedy is spot on, much better than Doug Demuro.

[@paulcollyer801]

Crack on, I never liked the brats anyway.... 😂😂 Jk

[@paulstaf]

A co-worker of mine years ago dropped his $600 Toyota Tercel off at a brake place and they called him around lunch time to tell him that his whole brake system was trashed and that it was going to cost $1200 to get it fixed. He said he couldn't afford that much money and that he only paid $600 for the car and they said that they could probably get it into a "derivable" state for $800. He said he couldn't afford that either, (This brake place ran advertisements on TV/Radio for $99 brake jobs). He told them he would come pick it up at lunch and they told him that they couldn't let him take the car because it was unsafe and that it would be unlawful for them to let him drive it away like that and at this point he was stressing out and was trying to figure out how he was going to come up with the $800. I heard him talking about his troubles that day and I had him call the brake shop and give me the phone. I told them that they had better have his car put back together and ready to go by lunch time and that we would be by to pick it up and if it wasn't ready, we would be calling the police. They kept insisting they couldn't let the car go off unrepaired, and said that they could probably patch it enough for about $600. I told them no, and that we would be there to get it at noon. They kept protesting and I warned them it better be ready to go at noon, without charge, and I hung up on them. It was ready when I took him by there at noon to pick it up. I helped him find a reputable mechanic who ended up doing the whole job for about $200.

[@gadsdenjim8785]

Yeah, If they haven't done any work they have no liability. If the brakes are jacked up and like say....it needs pads and there's a leak in a line and you say you only want them to do the pads. They can't do that because then they would have liability because they worked on the brakes. They have to fix it all or nothing. That's crazy that so many mechanics think that's some law. It's got to be because the greedy shop owners are telling them that and they just believe it. That's why I do all my work myself on my cars. Unless it's something crazy I can't do or requires a special tool/machine I don't have, but I always know exactly what I'm bring it in for if I do and I'm telling them what I need done not asking them and I check about what it should cost before hand. You save ALOT of money doing work yourself if you can do it. Most work on cars the vast majority of the bill is labor. Like to do brake pads and rotors, $300 per axle.... $90 (sometimes less depending on the car) in parts.

[@consaka1]

@@gadsdenjim8785 I do all my own work for the same reasons. However the older I get the less entertaining I find the work. lol

[@jeromemckenna7102]

Many years ago my wife was a teller at a bank and brought her 1972 Chevy Vega to the dealer for service. It ended up being over 300 dollars and not the 150-180 or so it should have been. My wife's boss, the branch manager called the dealer, who was a bank customer, and got the price dropped to something more reasonable. That branch manager was very popular with his employees.

[@helomech1973]

I am a helicopter mechanic been doing it since 1991. It is impossible to diagnose a problem that is intermittent and not messing up when we look at it. It happens very often, until we can see the problem happen, we can't do anything except try changing the most likely thing that can cause it, or tell you to come back when it is messing up.

[@jmf12b]

I run a mobile repair service as a side job. I tell my customers that I quote 125% of the book rate because not being in an actual shop, without a lift and everything handy, it can take longer. That being said, I usually charge less than the book rate, I’ll charge straight hourly labor if the cost would save them some money. I also take before and after pics of the inside and out, of my toughbook screen with the codes and live data, and old and new parts. I ask the customer if they want to see the old parts, and it they want to keep them. When something I find is unsafe, and they don’t want to have it fixed, I notate it on the invoice they sign so it proves I told them, so liability can’t come back to me. I also have no problem declining a vehicle if it would be unsafe for me to fix in the field, or would be better for a specialist to work on. I may not make as much with my practices, but I also get most of my customers from word of mouth. I do lots of CYA because there’s crooked people out there, but I take pride in my work. The things you talked about are my peeves as a customer, and I am not going to be like that.

[@alexb5275]

I love when I go to a tire place or brake place and they give the ole “oh we have to replace all of xxx because we’ll be liable if we don’t”

[@Bandbtucker]

On the opposite end, in '93 I dropped off my '89 Plymouth Voyager at Paul's in Suffolk, VA with a new timing belt laying on the seat. They said they would verify it was the right belt and install it, or get the right part and do so. I go to pick up the car and they tell me it's $45! I replied, I hate to say this but you got the wrong bill. Nope, they checked the part and installed it in 1 hr at $40/hr + tax = $45! Told all my friends in Norfolk and VA Beach to make the drive. God bless every honest mechanic.

[@mph5896]

Great story. The only person that ripped you off is the tax man. HA

[@greatnortherntroll6841]

Thank you! I was a professional mechanic/shop owner for just over 30 yrs, and I took great pride in treating my customers as if they were my family and/or best friend. Many, many of my customers became my close friends, and it wasn't uncommon for my brother and I to serve 3 generations of the same family. We also regularly serviced the vehicles of many of the professors and administrative staff, as well as a large percentage of the students of a local college. When I finally retired in 2006, I actually had people crying at the announcement! One of my customers actually had an extremely intermittent problem with his family car, and when he and his family went on a cruise ship to the Netherlands, he dropped off the key and told me to drive the heck out of his car until the problem manifested itself, then fix it! Period. He didn't care about the cost, because he trusted me to treat him right. I had to drive that car for almost 300 miles before it glitched and bucked and ran like poop. If memory serves, it was an ignition coil breakdown under high humidity conditions... and I think his repair bill was about $60.00 So again, thank you for recognizing that some of the folks fixing cars are honorable, skilled, human beings, and that we're not all a bunch of "shade tree" swindlers!

[@dixiechampagne2892]

Kinda dig the vertical law books and the backlit mikes. Had a customer come in when I was writing service many moons ago with an "unusual noise" under the hood. That was the only thing I ever removed from a customer's car and kept: a tiny, scared orphaned kitten

[@JeffKubel]

Funny you mentioned the guy seeing his car in the Taco Bell drive thru, I have dashcam footage of a certain dealership in Southfield taking my car out on a joy ride. From what I can tell he drove to McDonalds, placed an order, ate his lunch in my car, then drove somewhere to pick up someone. This all happened in my all-electric Nissan LEAF in the winter, so his joyride along with sitting in my car eating his lunch with the heater running drained my battery. When I got the car back it was nearly empty. I don't know why he would do this because at the time I was using a dashcam that audibly announced, "Blackvue for your safe driving, starting normal recording" anytime the car is started.

[@e_d_v_a_u_s]

It's not very loud though. Maybe the radio was turned up? That would be enough to drown out the startup message.

[@mef9327]

I was a victim of the "I can't let you leave" horse hockey. Almost identical as described in the video. I dropped off my truck. They called me later that day with the supposed work that needed to be done. I told them put it back together, tell me what I owe you and I'll take it somewhere else to see if they agree with your diagnosis. That's when they pulled the ol' "we can't let you leave" routine. To this day, I get pissed at myself for falling for it.

[@kiellivingston7100]

I know I'm commenting on an old video, I have to mention the time that my wife was told she needed her timing belt changed when she brought her old car in for an oil change. She was driving a 1999 Chevy Cavalier at the time, and they don't have timing belts.

[@bobfincher1767]

Love your videos. I took my car in for an oil change while I was waiting the manager tells me I need a air filter mine is really dirty . I walk up to the counter and pull a receipt from my pocket and ask him to look at it . It was for a air filter from the day before I asked him I bought a filter yesterday and it is really dirty the next day. He stuttered a little bit and said we go by mileage I told him he's ripping customers off he tried arguing with me but he lost the argument

[@johnnysechrist6313]

The level you help folks gets you a 10 Steve......thanks.

[@webbie1891]

26 sleazy mechanic disapproved this message 😂

[@dominickbadia4501]

I've been enjoying your videos but this one I just could not let pass without comment! I put my small pick up in for service. Dropped it off Friday afternoon after work. I forgot some paperwork in the truck behind the seat. Drove back, the garage was still open. My truck was gone. They gave it to tech to take home for the weekend. I freaked out. Come Monday I got a call castistroghfic engine failure. I said that's it I am taking my truck in the morning. Got another phone call someone stole all 4 wheels and tires during the night. This is a true story. I found out that as a "perk" the mechanics we're allowed to take vehicles home for the weekend. Only they never told the owner of those vehicles. I was in my 20's and not smart enough to deal with it so I got rolled over the Barrel. In later years I wondered what if they had an accident? What if they killed someone while behind the wheel of my truck? Who would be responsible for all of that. Worse what if they had been drinking. The darn fool took my truck out of town for the weekend! You can't make this stuff up. Anyway I enjoy your videos. Even though I'm not in your state you have a lot of good common sense content. Thank you, D Badia

[@allnightkid]

You said "...probably have to bring in a priest and have him bless the car afterwards." Now that's just downright funny!! Thanks.

[@CoreyDavis01]

Hahaha the "gonkulator." You and Scotty Kilmer need to meet up (or at least video conference) and do a joint video! That would be epic

[@tomadkins2866]

Actually, the Gonkulator predates Scotty Kilmer by about 45 years. It's a fictional device from an episode of the 60's sitcom Hogan's Heroes. I only know this because I saw it when it aired originally, and then afterwords in reruns, LOL. hh.fandom.com/wiki/Gonculator

[@waterbottle4782]

Rev up your engines!

[@angrycat3525]

This happened so long ago, but I remember that day/evening well. At the time, I was a total idiot regarding car repairs, and went to get my brake shoes replaced (I told you it was a long time ago!). Over the course of the afternoon which evolved into evening, I was baited into a crapload of additional work which proceeded to drain my wallet down to nearly nothing. It was impossible to have the car taken off the lift to drive it away when you have no wheels (or brakes) on that sucker. And after the work was "done" and all those parts were on the car, it didn't stop much better than it did when I drove it in there. I definitely felt like a complete moron after that experience. I remember that day all too well - it was August 8, 1974, and while stuck in the waiting room I got to watch Richard Nixon resign from office. Exactly a month later, in the morning while driving to buy tickets for the closed-circuit TV broadcast of Evel Knievel's attempt to jump over the Snake River Canyon, I turned on the radio just in time to hear Gerald Ford granting Nixon a pardon. Yeah, that car was trouble from the get-go.

[@veralenora7368]

Steve, I've been in "similar" situations, but all it took was for me to sign a statement that the shop was not liable. Then I took my car to another repair business! Michigan / US

[@Dennster2005]

I've been listening to your videos for 5 hours. I want to go to law school now.

[@OhSoCheesy]

I'm so glad I found your channel. I'm really enjoying the information in a non-dry way. Thanks!

[@workingshlub8861]

when at a shop especially the dealer when the guy with the dress shirt and tie comes out with the clipboard....you know you are getting screwed...the "service advisor" aka the up seller.

[@calbob750]

My experience is if you go to a tire store (Firestone for example) for anything but tires be prepared to be ripped off big time. I went to a Firestone based on a coupon for coolant flush and fill. When I got the call on the estimate of coolant change with add ons the bill would have been $300+. I’ve been buying tires for years from Conrad’s a local tire store. Beware of the free tire rotation and inspection. They estimated $900 in repairs for my wife’s 10 year old vibe. My local mechanic fixed what was necessary for $200. It’s a shame you don’t do rants on investment advisors.

[@consaka1]

My daughter wanted to use our new(used but new to us) 2009 Subaru XT for Getaround. Getaround sends it to a shop. $3500.00 was their estimate based on the inspection they charged Getaround $300 for. 4 things. Timing belt, because it didnt have a sticker that said it had been changed. They didn't even pull the access cover and look. Spark Plugs, Again they never checked but said they couldn't find a record of it so they needed changed. Rack and Pinion steering assembly because it was leaking. Transmission flush and pan drop to check for metal because they detected some on the dipstick. The dealer claimed it was inspected and found the belt to be good. I inspected it by removing the cover and found the belt to be brand new. Actually a genuine Subaru belt. No wear or even shiny spots anywhere on it. I haven't inspected the plugs yet but so far they are working. Checking them is kinda a pain in a Subaru XT. Bottom of the boots were dampish but not near either end. Nothing dripping, no transfer to a paper towel. The passenger side only half of it was damp and no where near either end where you would expect a leak. The rest of it was clean enough to eat off of. I figure it might be residue from a wash job from stuff washing down from above or picked up from an oil mud puddle. Transmission was actually the only thing they got right. I did a flush and there is metal bits beg enough you can feel with your finger. The fluid was very brown as well. Transmission seems to work well with no noise or other abnormalities. I put a magnet on the drain plug and plan to change oil in the pan with the oil changes for a while and see what happens. I did a flush and got the old stuff out but suspect the needle bearings in a planetary set are coming apart. Thing drives well and goes like stink if you push the skinny pedal to the floor. But it sure gets lousy gas mileage even if you baby it. I can get 18 on moderate drives around town. Which blows my mind because I can get that with my 8,000lb 6.5 diesel van with twice the number of cylinders. 18 is not that much better than what I get with an old suburban powered by a tired out old 350. Which is still double the weight and double the cylinders.

[@toms641]

I had a VW CC (sporty Passat) Bought it new, from the VW dealer. Had all the oil changes (every 5K) done at the dealer. I had never touched the oil drain plug. When the car got up to about 100K (20 oil changes) the service manager announces to me that the oil drain plug threads were "worn out". (since found out that means over-tightened with air tools). So, I ask "how difficult is it to fix the threads on the oil drain plug??" He responds "We have to change the oil pan". I ask "How difficult is that?" He responds "We have to take the engine out". Obviously I never had the work done, and filed complaints to VW. They just yawned. Never buy another VW again. *** Use only local mechanics that you know.

[@toms641]

I now have two new Hondas. Both come with free oil changes. But I never get the free oil changes from Honda. I rather pay fair rate from the local guys ($75). Sleep better.

[@paulverizzo6199]

Too late, of course, but drain plugs can rather easily repaired. There are car specific kits for this. Once upon a time there were also rubber plugs that when tightened, they would clamp in hard. Like a rubber bottle cap.

[@Xenon0009]

They also make slightly oversized plugs so you can rethread the pan.

[@PhilipHousel]

Another item of interest is coincidental failure of a car while in the care on a shop. I had an RX7 (later model twin turbo type) that drove in, we installed a lojack, and the car wouldn't start to pull out of the garage. Clearly wer did something wrong, right? To make it more interesting, the car had an aftermarket ecm, so the oe ecm was available. Put the oe in and it starts but since it's using larger injectors that was just a test. Clearly we must have ruined his aftermarket ecm, right? The car was towed an hour away to a tuner shop that is going to put a replacement aftermarket ecm in, but it still wouldn't work. So I get to work diagnosing the issue. Turns out the crank angle sensor wiring had a short to chassis (ground). The aftermarket ecm referenced +5v on that wire, the oe ecm referenced 0v so it allowed the car to start. In the end, who should be financially liable for such an odd situation? The car owner had me replace the defective engine harness and was a very loyal customer afterwards. I think this was because we didn't give up and solved the problem.

[@alvaroakatico9188]

As usual, very informative and to the point Mr Lehto. We need more legal counsels like you here in Florida.

[@mackiek8058]

You sir have deserved a Sub. Ive seen countless of TV shows, and even had friends that have been told by a mechanic that they will go to prison etc etc and its a total scam. Thank you for sharing this.

[@NWAAII]

I WASN'T THE ONLY sharp one, apparently. I replayed 30 seconds and sure enough you said, "gonculator". Hogan's Heroes: Season 4, Episode 2, "Klink vs. The Gonculator." Good one. Great information here and other blog posts of yours. Won't carry cash in the USA, even if my cash is Canadian! Cheers! God bless.

[@Xershade]

My co-worker went to get their changed on time. They were told they needed a new cabin air filter. The punchline, the last time they were at that exact same shop the shop changed it. The shop back pedaled REAL hard after their reminded them that THE SHOP just changed their air filter a few months ago.

[@j0hnnykn0xv1lle]

Steve, I am loving your channel man, you are hilarious and informative. I can only imagine how fun you are at Cars and Coffee.

[@engineclinic]

Steve, I think you should do auto mechanics for 2 years. I think it would give you a new perspective. I once did a $300 brake job for $1800 and ate the labor. It went south when I discovered that it wasn't only the axle seal that was bad but the entire axle shaft was grooved so deeply a new seal wouldn't fix it. Sometimes things simply don't go as planned. I've been in the repair field for about 40 years and I've worked with the best. There's been many a time when I've seen a job go south. That's just reality.

[@denisk4074]

I'm a mechanic and it's just sad that people do these things, give us a bad rep. Can I just chime in on something, I have seen this on multiple occasions where people come back and say we caused damage to their vehicle and they do this to get stuff fixed for free. The thing they forget is we take pictures around the whole car and when we show them that it was there before, then they have a different tune. Work at a big dealership so we have a company that does just that.

[@stevelehto]

It's like any profession. It only takes a few bad ones to give 'em all a bad rep (this, from an attorney).

[@e_d_v_a_u_s]

I take a video of my car before I hand it over. Part of the video also includes a day/time stamp - one that can't be faked, like something off a TV broadcast or channel guide showing the date/time - and then I proceed out the door without stopping the recording and video my car's condition. That way no one can claim the dent was there when I brought it in.

[@sandylake304]

But the kids can actually damage your car at the dealership as happened to me recently. They of course told me “it was like that when you brought it in”! So I’m supposed to take pictures of the gear shift lever before I brought it in? Rediculous!

[@xenaguy01]

7:30 Most States give the shop a 10% leeway on estimates, over 10% more must be authorized by consumer. 18:00 Also, if the mechanic says to the COP _"He won't pay for the inspection fee,"_ the proper response is, "The inspection was advertised as being *FREE.* "

[@stevecooper2873]

One of my "favorites" involved a Bronco II that we would return [many miles] to the dealer to insure it was covered under warranty as it was our first actual new vehicle. After a tune up, Wife looks at the bill and asks where the 2 extra spark plugs were put. Snarky guy at the desk whips out a work guide for a BRONCO, with a V8. She turns and points to the fender logo with the {OPTIONAL!} V6 logo on the fender. They deducted the price of the 2 plugs....but not the labor for installation ! grrrr. Found out a couple years later that the passenger side rear plug had NEVER been changed, as it was a royal pain to access [contacts burned completely away]. This place also crunched the rear lift gate [which they repaired] and 'test drove' the truck thru the "mudder track" at the rear of their property. Wish I knew then, what I know now.

[@thomastoups3451]

As a fine point of the law, mechanics cannot hold your car due to defective or unsafe equipment. However, according to no less an authority than Werner Klemperer, they certainly can impound it for a defective gonkulator!

[@eyesea123]

Notes: FIX FAIL REPEAT - Misdiagnosing a problem (British 4X4 Mission Viejo) Time & Parts Guide for overcharging - Motor Vehicles Service and Repair Act that require mechanic to give you a written repair estimate before the work starts. Garage keeper liability for damage to your vehicle while being in the shop. Got it. Thank you so much! I can't let you leave, ok got it. Gunkulator...lol

[@denniscoz6228]

Steve, I recently took my car to the dealer for an oil change. They do a twenty point inspection every time I go in. Obviously to find other things to fix. They showed me a badly worn tie rod, I agreed was worn to the point of being dangerous. They did ask me sign a release stating they where not liable if it failed. They said it was just their policy in these situations. Repaired it a few days later by my own private mechanic that I always use and trust.

[@tomadkins2866]

As Steve mentioned, the repair facility has no liability unless they perform a related repair on the vehicle. However, there have been cases where that tie rod has failed after the customer declined the repair. Litigation followed and money was paid out. That is the reason for the waiver. A former employer (the company) and myself were named in just such a lawsuit in 1984. The claim was that nobody stressed to the customer how badly the tie rod end was actually worn. The repair was just "suggested", as though there was only "some" wear. A few days later, the joint broke causing him to drive through some bushes and a light fence. IIRC, the payout was about $8K from my employers insurance company.

[@randypurtteman1183]

While I was living in Louisville a few years ago, I came across a shop then when you would take your car in for,say, replacement of head gaskets or whatever, would type in their computer the specifics of your car along with the repair need and out popped the entire cost of the repair including taxes, itemizes. Naturally this worked better if they knew before hand what the problem was. However, either way, with a road test before hand, they were never far off. I took my little red S-10 there on several occasions and was never surprised or disappointed. Besides they had this really cool and rare black Vulcan Cradle Snatcher for a tow truck. Immaculate condition.

[@thisisnightshop2037]

Steve, this is really great if you're having your regular car serviced, but if you're having a car restored it simply does not apply. However there's a fine line between restoration work and mechanical work, sometimes. I'd love to see a video on the legalities of automobile restoration. I think there are some pretty significant differences between the way a normal repair shop operates and the way restoration shop operates

[@billarroo1]

When I was a certified school bus mechanic I worked for a private transportation co. I had all the wheels off of a Ford van, the brake drums were scored to deep for grinding, I ordered new drums , they weren't going to come in for about 2 or 3 days so I Redtaged the van, the company owner told me to put it back together so it can be used till the parts come in, I told him " I can't do that, the brake drums are worn past the legal limit", he said, this is costing me $500. a day. I ended up quitting 6 months later as it was made to rough to work there. But this Redtag was legal. Thanks William

[@AndrewMerts]

@@chrisj197438Not in this case. In probably every state there are laws on the books that make it illegal to operate an unsafe vehicle. There's laws about the minimum tread depth on a tire, minimum thickness of rotors and drums, laws about not having part of the car dragging on the road or driving on rims, etc. Steve was right that a shop has no right to try and enforce those laws, but in tons of cases cars get driven into shops in conditions where it really is illegal to drive them on public roads like that. In this case the owner of the vehicle was the same company that was fixing it but the point here is that there are plenty of laws about unsafe cars but it's not up to a repair shop to try to enforce those, even if what the customer is doing is blatantly against the law.

[@latachia_2981]

I had the brake scam pulled on me.....I told him to go rightahead & call the cops, He didn't & I left & took the car to a more reasonably priced place to have it fixed,

[@somenygaard]

After I finished a 15 month automotive mechanic school I never perused the career due to the instructors stories of how things work. There was a ton of examples and basically instructions oh how to maximize your pay checks most of them outright dishonest, unnecessary recommendations many bordering on theft. This was just last year I finished so it’s definitely still a big problem.

[@ccpperrett7522]

Thank you. Love your videos.

[@opb7749]

Love this video! Thank you! Please post more videos on how to avoid big truck repair shops scams and how to fight back . Also warranty scams on modern emmisions diesel engine scams. If there is a fuel injection warramty up to 100k then why wouldnt warranty cover second and third time for the same repairs and truck is still under 100k miles?

[@coldtool2850]

Thanks for the great videos! You are a national ttreasure!

[@snookoed]

When I worked as an apprentice mechanic at a dealership it was likely the shop Forman messing with the prices, not the mechanic. I was just given a work order by him to follow. (And it was he who did the road tests). I was given the majority of tune ups -I could do a major tune up in less than 45 minutes including the perks of washing the engine and the car windows for the owner. The time-price guide was always quite liberal and probably read at least 2 hours for what I did, and did well in half the time.

[@ole88bluegmc]

Most insurance companies won't cover damage to your car if it was caused by a shop because there is no coverage for bailee.

[@_morningglory196]

OMG. This happened to me decades ago at a Muffler shop before cellphones. I asked if I could call my husband and they said no phone for employee use only. They said I couldn't leave because it was against the law. They wouldn't even show me the area that needed repair. $1000.00 later they were done for a whole new exhaust on a car that was under a year old. 1977

[@sarahjackson6714]

I like the laughs to. Thanks Steve

[@billiards0518]

You missed one... I had a mechanic quote me $50 labor plus cost on parts to change an alternator ($160). He said that he was getting the alternator from NAPA and they were charging him $160 for it. So, I called NAPA. They quoted me $160 which INCLUDES a $50 core charge. So, the cost of the alternator was actually $110. I would have been fine with him charging me $100 labor and $110 for the part. But, since he quoted "cost" I believed I was entitled to the $50 core charge. Mechanics steal the core charge on parts ALL THE TIME. If the mechanic charges you for the core charge as well as the cost of the part itself, either the old part belongs to you or the money does.

[@paulh2981]

A core charge is what you get charged if you DON'T give them the part you're replacing, right?

[@trikebum5]

Mechanics get a heavy discount from the suppliers. They do not pay list price but charge full price on their work invoice. Much of their profit is made this way.

[@kerrymti1151]

That's why, if they refuse to give me the core cost back, I make them give me my old part back. If I am not going to get that money, they aren't either.

[@phlaelym]

Tire shops will also try the, "I can't, by law, let you drive your car as is." line on customers. I had one try it on me about 10 years ago.

[@andrews3642]

Well thank you for that. I've been a sucker for the brake scam. Good to know for future reference though.

[@catslove3884]

One repair shop did something to my truck everytime it was in there so we had to bring it back. At another place, after a seasonal tire switch the mechanic would come out with the inspection paper which would always say I needed work done that would run around $1500. Told him I wanted another estimate. He got mad and stomped off. Found another place who told me the work didn't need to be done at all. They are now my mechanics.

[@joshuabaker5712]

As a mechanic, I can 100% tell you that those manuals for time and parts are total bullshit. Dont believe me come do our job for a month. Lots of things come into play. Some examples I can name off hand. Rust, hardware breaking durring tear down are just a few. Sure on a brand new vehicle things come apart easy but not after a couple years on Michigan roads.

[@1Bolduc]

Learn your job son. Those manuals are job rated at 1 and 1/2 times the ACTUAL rate of labor involved. Read the front of any flat rate manual!!

[@leinie6683]

I got charged 3/4 hour to change a belt and tensioner.. The truck was in and out of the door in 20 minutes- piss off

[@Xenon0009]

Flat rate is flat rate. If they can do the correct job in less time than flat rate, it's their bonus. If they can't do the job in the time the flat rate manual says, they still get the flat rate, discount for you. There are some exceptions for overages, but they have to get your ok for them. Always get the old parts back. It keeps them honest, you can make sure the parts actually go on your car and they don't get to use your parts on the next guy.

[@cchamilton1985]

A friend got a quote for a barely out of warranty alternator replacement, $960 for the alternator and $250 labor, they told him the alternator was new and computerized. I was able to find a new alternator from LKQ out of a same make, model, and year that had rolled off of a car carrier for $50, replaced it the next evening after work in exchange for dinner.

[@Professional_ProCraftinator]

I took my 99 Silverado to a mechanic shop to have them diagnose my 3 brakelights that failed suddenly. Told shop we had already checked all the bulbs, fuses, etc and replaced the brake light switch near the pedal. We hadn't ruled out the turn signal switch on the steering column, but asked the shop to save that for last and rule out shorts in wiring towards the back of the truck first, by using a jumper wire to bypass the switch, (like another mechanic suggested we have them do.) But, instead doing what I asked, the mechanic took my truck around back where I couldn't watch him work. 2hrs later he comes out telling me we were right, it wasn't the stuff we had checked , he had spent 2hrs checking everything we already told him we had checked. Then they asked for me to give my 'ok' for another couple more hours of labor to investigate further, and planned to finally start checking the things I originally requested that he check. Told me it was probably going to be the turn signal switch. And gave me a huge estimate. I was so pissed. They totally charged me for 2 hrs already to CHECK ALL THE SAME CRAP I TOLD THEM we already checked!! Doubt they would try to pull this crap on a guy!! And I was fairly certain that the switch wasn't going to be the problem!! So, I wasn't wasting any more money and told him I'd just like to take my truck home, without getting more repairs. But, they said I still had to wait about 20 minutes more, since they needed to put my steering wheel back together first!! Can you believe them? Why did they have it taken apart already? Jumping the gun a bit, weren't they? So finally they got my steering wheel put back together and brought my truck around and I left. My mechanic friend later tried that jumper wire test. Just as I suspected, it wasn't the turn signal switch causing the brake lights not to work. Turned out to be a very easy fix... the junction box just needed to be replaced. This incident occured mid 2020 pandemic, which meant we were in lockdown and rarely went on trips out of town. So, it wasn't until 2 months after they tore apart my steering wheel that I finally drove my truck on the freeway..That is when I realized... my cruise control was NO LONGER WORKING!! I am 100% CERTAIN my cruise control WAS working PERFECTLY that day I took my truck to that stupid shop to be checked out. I was using my cruise control that day when I realized my brake lights were out. So what an ODD coincidence how mechanic took my steering column apart and the next time I attempt to use cruise control, IT NO LONGER WORKS!! I made appt with the shop to tell them what happened. Thought they would be glad to fix something they had broken. At first appt the guy was a no show. I showed up again for the second appt and instead of looking at my truck, he told me the mechanic says he never took that steering column apart. So, they wouldn't even check it out. That doesn't explain why the hell he told me I had to wait to leave that day...until until he finished putting my steering back together! He literally had me come down there twice and wouldn't even look at the problem in my truck. Said they never took it apart! HA!! Then he continued to insult me and insinuate I was lying, by telling me he couldn't be certain my cruise control was ever working to begin with!! I have multiple friends that travel with me on a regular basis and can confirm I HAD A WORKING CRUISE CONTROL THE DAY I WENT TO THAT SHOP! IT MAKES ME SO MAD THAT THEY THINK THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH THIS VINDICTIVE CRAP! I STILL WANT TO REPORT THIS SHOP BADLY! WHERE DOES ONE REPORT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN CALIFORNIA?

[@mikemarkley8906]

My Daughter had a Cavalier that would die if it idled for awhile. I took it in and paid $170 and it still did the same thing....I took in the next day and they gave me another bill for $500 ....I protested to the manager that I gave them my work number , and they should have called me before replacing $700 worth of parts on a car I paid $500 for and it just idled bad . He agreed to take all of the parts off , but charged me the first $170 because they had thrown that part out. Later I found out the mechanic had broken the part removing it. Anyway , Cassie just learned to drive it by giving it gas with the clutch in. A year later I took it in because exhaust was loud. They welded up a hole behind the Cat that was sending false signals to the computer and making the car idle bad. Cost me less than 20 bucks , where the official GM Dealership wanted to charge me $700 for parts including an oxygen sensor and computer , and neither were defective....It was Exhaust Pros that fixed it ....I will Never take my cars into an Official car dealership again.

[@jpmaurice00]

Just started watching your channel. Love the content. you mentioned items missing from your vehicle after a service. I recently took my truck in for two service warnings about my brakes but they couldn't find anything wrong with only 8k miles. Different story but behind the service counter was a sign that said the dealership is not responsible for missing or stolen items. Just because they have a sign, does it make it true?

[@usernameandpasswrd]

I had two of these instances happen..... 1. Routine state inspection failed due to a air riser pipe to the converter had rusted a hole through. Told him to take it off the list and I’ll take it home and fix it. He says I can’t drive the car off the lot. I drove the car off the lot. 2. Mother in laws truck went in for an engine miss. Mechanic had over $1000 worth of parta in it and still didn’t fix it. Wanted to charge her for everything they did even though they didn’t fix it. I called in with two options: he could remove all the brand new stuff and put the old back on, or he could leave the new and not charge her. He opted for the latter, and if they had been paying attention, they’d have noticed the distributor shaft was worn out. I noticed it fiddling with the truck for 5m.

[@kerrymti1151]

Yeah, 2019 here...I had one try the last, "I can't let you leave" trick fairly recently (within the last year). So it is still being used, I guess the word hasn't gotten out about it. I told him two things: 1. I did NOT have the money he said it would cost (I did, but I thought it might make him give up this scam); and, 2. I was calling the police if he did not deliver my car back in front of me, put back together correctly, in 10 minutes...and I am going to watch (at that point, I was afraid they would do something to my brakes). Of course, he gave in, gave it back and I watched them put the tires back on and I will never go to that shop again.

[@michaelhozz]

Excellent.

[@NateDogMXtv]

It is great to know there are laws to protect consumers from faulty diagnosis and failed repairs as well as overcharging. Please do a video about other times professionals fail in the Doctor and Lawyer field and overcharge the consumer. The antidote for a scorpion bite will cost you about $100 in Mexico. In the U.S., it is around $80,000. Please cover something like this in your next video. I still do mechanical work and do honest work. I often run into customers that complain about cost or work performed. I never asked them for the work to begin with and invite them to come get there problem out of my shop after paying for my time. Remember it is YOUR problem when you take your car somewhere or when YOU go to a doctor or a lawyer. Customer refused repairs is all you have to do to release a vehicle. Be sure to sign that Steve. Why do doctors and lawyers get to call it "practice" while a mechanic is held to a result?

[@Rwoodwin]

Thank you!

[@Angelofdarkness48]

The I can’t let you leave one happened to me in North Carolina at this place called NTB National Tire and Battery. I drove into the lot with severely malfunctioning brakes and they wanted to charge something about 950$ to replace a bunch of parts, I didn’t feel safe driving the vehicle as the pedal would go to the floor and the tires would lock very easily. I ended up talking the guy into phoning a different location of the same chain to have it towed there, and the second place was much more accommodating even paying for the tow and discounting the work down to about 500$ because of the inconvenience and all the scare tactics the other shop was doing. I think he even reported that other shop to the corporation and the original shop was closed by the end of the month. Overall I found out then and there there was no law about that, it’s just a scare tactic to get more money out of you and milk you for every dollar you have.

[@MrMrmetro]

I've been in the business for 40 years and the last point you mention is 100% true. Mechanics are not enforcers of the law. Once you tell a customer the condition of their car and put it in writing, you are off the hook if they crash. Some of your other points however are just a half bubble off level. Time guides are for estimating jobs and legally you are allowed a certain percent above that estimate. Especially in states with a lot of rust issues. Also, you can charge actual hours instead of book hours, it just needs to be posted in your office so the consumer knows. The other thing you should know as a lawyer is the "guarantee" of outcome/misdiagnosis line of reasoning. As a lawyer I'm sure (having hired a lawyer myself) you do not guarantee any specific outcome. You take your best shot with experience and skill, but sometimes it just falls apart. Auto repair is not an exact science and even the best techs can get it wrong just like lawyers get it wrong. I've never been able to tell my lawyer that I wasn't paying because they didn't get it right. Obviously, I'm not talking about blatant wrong repairs done on purpose. I'll stop here but the underlying reason this is a bit off is a lack of understanding of the repair process. But I do agree that many shops take undue liberties and consumers need to be wary. It makes it harder for those of us that try to do things right.

[@terryheaton31]

Mechanics are not the only ones that “fix” something but still have the problem. Had an HVAC company do the same thing,

[@jpol3808]

Love the Lemon Law. I once had a girlfriend meticulously document all of the time, trips, towing and expenses of taking her new used car that she bought from a dealer, back in for repairs, because it would shut off at random while driving. It was a $2000 car and once the repairs got to almost $500 we put together a claim for the Bureau of Automotive Regulations in Michigan. We detailed, charted and itemized every second they had the car and every repair that was done to try to fix it and how they would even hold the car hostage, until we paid for repairs that didn't fix the vehicle yet. A few weeks went by and then we called the Bureau late on a Friday afternoon. Angry that we hadn't heard back on what we considered a cut and dry case, we spoke to the manager asking him why? He said he would find out and called back an hour later and we were astonished with what he told us. He said that we had documented the case so well, it was the most complete complaint filling he had ever seen and that there was actually nothing left for his agent to do but give it to him for approval. What happened was, we sent her So much paperwork that she became confused as to what she needed to do to prepare it for him, so she just buried it in a pile on a shelf in her office. The manager told us he reprimanded that agent and then said to hang on while he called the dealer on a third party call. We listened and quietly cheered, hearing his every word, as he proceeded to expertly chew the dealership manager a new behind for endangering the lives of my girlfriend and her child, not to mention his bad and unlawful business practices. Then he asked us if we could take the car to the dealership in half an hour, we answered yes. Then the best part was when he told the dealer he was going to write a check for the full price of the car and that we would be there in half an hour to sell the car back to him at full price. He told him that if he didn't do it, he would personally padlock every door at the dealership that weekend and they would all be standing out on Telegraph road Monday morning without a job. When we got to the dealers office, the look on the dealers face was absolutely priceless, because we had talked to him three times prior about buying back that lemon and he wouldn't budge. No buy back or compensation in any manner whatsoever. So there we stood, smiling away, check in hand, with him glaring at us, knowing that we had heard the great chewing out that the bureau manager had given him. That extremely satisfying win in itself almost propelled me to become a lawyer if I have had a way to afford tuition. So be it. Jpol. When you know your right, keep up the good fight and never ever back down!

[@darkstorminc]

Odd considering Lemon Law does NOT apply to used vehicles.

[@idontreallycare5743]

That was a good dream you had that night. Must have been the burritos that let you dream in such BS detail. Lemon law doesn't apply to used vehicles. Blow your hot air elsewhere. :)

[@RatEatingChetto]

I’ve had service deport. At dealer put my dash cam in glove box. When I drove for Uber every year we have to have our car inspected and pass. Just costs $15, last time I had a bad radiator leak and I end up limping it to heis shop since I was out of water as I was over heating. I asked if he could fill it up. He said yes that they offer everyone comp. fluid top off. He goes do that and the inspection, 15-20 min. Later comes back. Says I passed and he topped all fluid off. I didn’t tell him it was bone dry so I jump in the car and before I get out of the parking lot I start to over heat. ... I popped the hood, radiators still dry windshield is low, if he didn’t bother topping my fluids and claiming he did, then why would he actually inspect my vehicle to be safe. He took my money disappeared came back with a pass! That’s how people are able to use questionably unsafe cars for ride share!

[@terryhair6434]

On the last issue of "I can't let you leave...." I agree that if the car needs service and the customer refuses it, you cannot tell them they can't leave. However, as a former Service Writer at Pep Boys, I have had a few (not many) cars come in with "brake noise", and upon removal of the wheel, had brake pads and pieces of rotor/caliper fall out on the shop floor. Telling the customer that the car must be repaired before it can be driven was necessary here, because the car could not be reassembled safely. I have no idea how the car made it to us; some angel was sitting on this person's shoulder. I never told them they must have US service the car, only that they must park it until it can be repaired. In one case, I (the service writer) had to call the police to prevent this unsafe car from leaving the premises. The officer that came, in this case a Virginia State Trooper, inspected the vehicle on the lift, saw the condition of the brakes, and told us to put the wheel back on the car and lower it. He then got into the car, scraped the state inspection sticker from the windshield, and told the customer that if they drive the car without repairs or inspection, they would be cited. This is legal in Virginia since the State Police over see the state inspection program. I was not trying to solicit work from this customer as she was free to take her car anywhere else for service, but that car would not have made it past the first intersection in the state it was in.

[@terryhair6434]

The car in question had no inner brake pad or backer remaining; it had ground itself off against the rotor, leaving the caliper piston acting as the brake pad against the rotor. The caliper piston ground thru the center section of the vented rotor, causing the outer ring of the inner section of the rotor to separate from the remaining rotor. This was "floating" inside the wheel. When the wheel was removed, it fell out onto the floor and shattered (it was THAT thin). This person knew they needed brakes long before they came to us, but only when the brakes started to fail did they come in to have it checked out. So as far as reassembling it was concerned, without some kind of new parts, that wasn't going to happen. At no time did I tell anyone they were screwed. At no time did I tell them they had to pay anything for service, as brake inspections are free at Pep Boys. I only told her the car was unsafe to drive and that she would not b able to drive out of there with the car in its current condition. She was adamant to do that, and to avoid legal liability, I did what was necessary to protect her, myself, and Pep Boys. I did not make that vehicle unsafe, it came in the door that way. The problem was, she needed front brakes pads, a rotor, and a new caliper on that side based on the damage to the existing one. The price I quoted her was quite reasonable; our basic brake service was $79.99, the rotor was about $25.00 (cheapo), and the caliper about $30.00. Since Pep Boys sells their own parts, we, unlike most shops, do not have to buy our parts from other jobbers and then mark the, up 250-300%. Our parts we put on the car cost the same to the shop customer as for the customer buying the part over the counter in the store. Her quoted estimate was about $150.00 for the service (not a ripoff by any means), but she had no money (or so she said) and I was not authorized to perform the work for free. And as far as driving with only rear brakes is concerned, please let me know what you drive so I never find myself near you. I agree that since newer cars have split brake master cylinders total loss of brake fluid is unlikely, but you must agree that anyone who would let their brakes get that far gone probably doesn't maintain their car very well. Rear brakes on her car were of the drum variety; they often will get out of adjustment due to poor maintenance, putting extra strain on the front brakes. We've all seen those cars that the parking brake won't hold the car on a hill; this is usually due to he self-adjusting mechanism in the rear drum brakes being defective. I would never drive on rear brakes alone, and I wouldn't recommend anyone else to do so either.

[@doug960]

I was fixing a seized e-brake star wheel adjuster myself one time and the whole phenolic piston came out in about 10 pieces when I took the caliper off. It had fractured from age and once I compressed the piston with a clamp, it finally let go. Not anyone's fault really, but now there's air in the brake system and the brake pedal goes right to the floor. What do you tell a stubborn customer that insists on trying to drive that vehicle away? I get that you can't force them to pay you to fix it, but why can't you say "tow it or leave it?" It's a breakdown. Most insurance covers a tow for that kind of thing.

[@paulk8io445]

My wife had her brand new Camry at a body shop for hail damage in downtown Littleton co. It was in there for weeks, the damage was extensive! They had it so long the insurance company didn’t want to pay anymore for the rental she had, it had been that long. Finally got it back and she realized it had over 1000 miles extra on it. We couldn’t prove anything but the face on the people at the shop told us all we needed to know. I think they took it on vacation or something.

[@josephcivita1450]

The microphone 2nd from the left is a Astatic D-104 CB power mic. I think you can still buy that one new if you would like one.

[@joesoundguy]

When did you start doing videos in ‘the construct’ of the Matrix? Great content! Solid advice.

[@kevindenczek584]

An attempt to "bar your progress" in an attempt to leave the repair shop (I can't you leave because your car is unsafe) in California is a form of kidnapping.

[@BrianSmith-lo3mj]

I have learned over the years that the only way not to get ripped off by a mechanic is to just do the work yourself. A big reason that there is so many dis-honest crooked mechanics is that the automotive engineers that design these engines, transmissions and accessories make things very hard to work on because things are so hard to get to with normal size hands. I think Ford is the worst for making things difficult to work on.

[@SteveSmekar-ll6ln]

I had exactly what he described in #7 happen to me. Only thing was, I was young and let the brakes go and they were right that I needed the brake job. The mechanic said "If I let this vehicle out of here, you must sign this paper that says you understand that it is a road hazard... and anything bad that might happen would be on me. Cost a buttload of money, but there you have it.

[@observantowl5568]

My wife took in a car of ours to a Firestone dealer that had a really bad right rear brake about two months ago and was grinding metal on metal. We couldn’t afford their estimate and they told her that they couldn’t let her drive it home. They did the right thing though and had a tow truck tow it to our apartment at their expense. The fact that she was crying buckets in the store might have helped. LOL.

[@pavpo1333]

Referring to theft of items in a vehicle, does garage keeper liability or an equivalent law apply to a parked car in a structure or lot?

[@simonjohnson1381]

Took my truck to a mechanic to install a used transmission. He installed it but it wouldn’t work right so he recommended I take it to a ford dealer to see if they could figure it out since he thought it was something to do with the computer, so I did. They dropped the pan and then refilled the fluid, cost: $454. So I took it back to the mechanic and he mysteriously figured out he could order a new computer for it for another $300, so now I’m almost $800 into this thing on top of the used transmission plus installation ($1800) So now the truck is running like new, fast forward 11 months and I’m driving down the road and something just isn’t right so I pull over and there’s fluid squirting out from the front of the transmission (sounded like gears were grinding as well). So I get it towed home and I decide to pull the pan and what I discovered was one of those mechanics did not install the filter, there was no filter! Thanks guys I really appreciate you caring for my work truck that I depend on for my business, so I’m out that money plus I just shelled out another couple grand for yet another transmission but in the meantime I had to buy another truck to use while this one was getting fixed. Not happy with mechanics.

[@jeffprice6421]

Joy riding- Someone left their landrover at Landrover Alexandria in Virginia. Over he weekend, the car went through a speed camera trap in North Carolina going well in excess of the speed limit. So, NC police call Virginia police who show up at the guys house asking him if he has been driving his landrover in NC.... Owner was not amused. Apparently the dealership let mechanics take the cars home sometimes so they could test drive them a bit.

[@JamesDean-nx2nq]

My mother drove my first car to a shop in wv. She called me and said after telling her they would inspect it for free. They said it was unsafe and they wouldn't let her leave without it being fixed or towed. We have other vehicles so she argued with them and I went there later and did the same .we came up with the idea to take the keys and leave it. We got a call 3 days later saying to come pick it up no charge. (Only after several threatening calls trying to scam us out of hundred of dollars)

[@waterbottle4782]

It might just be me but I do not mind a mechanic doing a quick stop at taco bell as part of the test drive. My main concern is work is done right and on time.

[@Kingcharlestheone]

The taco bell incident was in montebello Chevrolet in california i use to work across the street at the bodyshop

[@Amy-zb6ph]

That brake bullshit happened to me at PepBoys a long time ago. I got my car back when I threatened to call the police and this was before I even had a cell phone so I would have had to walk to a payphone. I had no idea what the law was but I knew that the car belonged to me and that meant I got to choose who fixed it, plus I had just replaced the part he said was so dangerous. It turns out, I got a little debris between the pad and the rotor so it wasn't squeaking when I got my car back. It's stuff like that that made me fix whatever I possibly could myself.

[@hillie47]

My wife was charged $77 and change for changing the cabin air filter in her little Hyundai. Also, obviously, another $15 for the cheapest filter they could find. I told her that next time I'll do most of that myself, as replacing the cabin air filter takes 2 minutes (mostly wasted on chucking out all the crap she keeps in there) and a new filter which is less than $10 for a good one.

[@djc2152]

Hey Steve...is 300% a fair mark-up on parts available at chain auto parts stores? Here in California dealerships and small shops charge that much on average. For instance, I was charged almost $100 for an aftermarket belt that sells for about $25.

[@lerp85]

Hey does this law in Michigan apply to oil change? Cause most quick oil change places( all of them I have gone to which isn’t many as I tend to do it myself) don’t give a written estimate before doing the oil change.

[@K.Kelly87]

I had a Chrysler dealer try that "I can't let you drive that car" crap on me. I looked her, the service writer, right in the eye, snapped my fingers, put out my hand, palm up, and said: "Give me my keys, or I'm calling the cops", very, very calmly. Never breaking eye contact. I drove that car for another 6 months then junked it. I paid $125 for it. Drove it for about 18-19 months. It had a semi blown head gasket, it blew oil all over the trans. It was a manual shift, no power steering, no A/C, no radio and the engine fan had to be wired to a toggle switch. It NEEDED front brakes. Cheapest estimate was $800. THAT was NOT gonna happen. I drove that car until it wouldn't go due to the brakes seizing up. I got $100 at the scrap yard for it. It owed me nothing. I do miss that death trap a little though... It got 41MPG!!! It was a 1991 Dodge Colt made by Mitsubishi. EDIT: BTW... I live in NY State.

[@jimhunter4999]

I once gave my sister a three year old car after having the brakes renewed, oil changed, and so on. Two months later she brought the car into a nationally known tire store for tires. They agreed on the tires, then the service writer told her that her brakes "were worn, blah blah". She called me, I went down there with the old pads - showed them to the writer, looked at the brakes myself, and calmed the writer down. The manager gave her a discount on the tires.

[@mostlypeacefulmisterputin]

Trust me Steve, the line between “test-driving” and “Joyriding” is much thinner than you could possibly imagine

[@bengee1040]

Back in 08 I took my than 1 year old highlander hybrid to the dealer where I purchased it from for an oil change as I didn't know how to reset the oil monitor at the time. I dropped of my car and had to attend a bunch of meetings all day. When I went to pick up my car i was charged in addition to the oil change which I had a coupon for, a set of all terrain tires and wheel alignment. The oem tires were low resistant, all season suv tires design for wear and high mileage. in that year of ownership we've driven just over 8k miles. We had just driven to and back from vacation the month prior and I had personally taken the car down to my local gas station to fix a flat as I had rolled over a nail. I can confidently say the tires had at least 4 years and another 40k to 50k miles on it. I ask the tech why he replaced my tires and he told me he because the tires I had on originally were completely worn. He than showed my the "old" tires and they were completely tore up, near zero tread left, gouges in the sidewall, steal cable showing thru, basically someone's else's worn old tires. On top of all that, my alignment was not off. Total scam

[@marcusrobinson1778]

I got a 99 wrangler back from a clutch job. Had dairy queen trash left in it. I was pissed no shame didn't even try to hide it.

[@Snakefinger1000]

Steve you're great, have you ever considered emigrating to Australia ? We need you we really do.

[@CajunShrek]

Many shops will have you sign a paper stating that you refuse work when they document their findings so if something DOES happen the customer can't comeback at the shop

[@bbaaspencer1]

They have signs everywhere stating, “not responsible for theft or damage”