Customers Beware! A List Of The Most Common Mechanic Scams

Upselling isn’t a scam, but getting asked to sign off on additional work to your car is far more costly than adding a muffin to your morning coffee order. The truth is unless your car manufacturer explicitly says so, nonsynthetic oil is just fine, and your transmission probably doesn’t need a fluid change, and no, your fuel injectors probably aren’t gummed up. Mechanics will try to sell you on these costly upgrades and added work by telling you the manufacturer recommended product is inferior, but you should trust your car’s manual and maker - they know your vehicle better than anyone. If your mechanic keeps suggesting more expensive options, maybe consider finding a new garage.

Continue reading for even more unnecessary work you could be getting scammed into paying for.

Tune Ups Are A Joke

There was a time when cars had to go in for tune-ups, kind of like how a musician tuned their instrument. The mechanic would reset tensioners, calibrate certain parts and tweak others for maximum performance. The cars of today are finely tuned monsters with sensors and systems to keep them running at peak functionality. Outside of regular maintenance, there isn’t much “tuning” to be done under the hood anymore. Yes, you should have your car inspected when you have it in the shop for oil changes or basic repairs, but the days of taking the ol’ jalopy in for a tune-up are gone.