2 weeks Ago By Rebecca Lee
A DRIVER has shared details about a frustrating incident in which she says an mechanic charged her more than their quote disclosed. The car owner recently went to Facebook to vent about the unfortunate situation. Natasha Powers compared what she endured from the auto tech to a trip to a store .
"If I go into Target and they have an item marked at $9.99 and I get to the checkout and it rings at $14.99," the user started.
"Target eats the loss and I get the item for $9.99 right?" That's when Powers then presented the information regarding her own situation that she was confused about. More on mechanics The user asked: "Tell me why the auto repair shop gets to quote me $5,000 for repairs and then charge me $6,400 because they didn't realize my car was the upgraded model and not the base model?" She said they even gave her an excuse for changing the price.
"To top it all off, I get told 'That's how business works,'" she explained. "NO THE F**K IT'S NOT." Most read in Motors Powers received numerous reactions to her shocking post.
"Is that legal," one person asked. "I thought if they exceed the estimate they have to stop work and get approval first-? Am I crazy?" 'KNEW BETTER THAN THAT' Drivers all over the US suffer from being unexpected jipped by auto techs. One vehicle owner went to a specific Facebook group for free legal advice regarding their situation .
Before asking her question, Jen Cole's post stated that she'd keep her inquiry simple. Motorautocar and the AARP have east-to-follow tips to avoid being scammed by a repair shop. Motorautocar suggests asking to see parts that have been replaced or to see old fluids after they were swapped.
If the shop says that's impossible or refuses, it could be a sign it wasn't done. Ask for a walkaround of the repairs that were done. Most mechanics are happy to show you what was done in the shop.
While being walked around, look for evidence of repairs like the area being cleaned off, shiny new parts, tool marks on the bolts, tools being out or nearby, etc. Before taking your car in, look at other customer reviews on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Many customers only review a company if they have negative reviews, so keep an eye out.
For costly repairs, consider getting multiple opinions. If two to three shops suggest identical repairs, it's likely to be true. Test a new shop with minor issues you're aware of to see if they add anything to the repair bill.
If applicable, bring someone to the shop who knows about cars to have them double-check or read a repair bill. Get everything on paper. Not only is it important for your repair records, but it can help protect you if legal measures are necessary.
Source: Motorautocar , AARP "Paid a friend $700 cash in April 2024 to change the heater core in my Mazda. Dropped Mazda off at his house. Was told this was a 'day or two' project," she stated.
"I knew better than that, but now over 4 months later the entire dash and steering column and heater core are taken apart and still sitting in his driveway." After pushing the mechanic to hurry with the repair job, she was told by the tech that it was "not on his priority list." She also shared that the mechanic would tell her she's "a 'greedy b***h' when she'd ask him to speed up his work.
"One month 2 days ago I offered him another $400 to finish it within one month or I was going to have it towed out," her post said. Read More on The US Sun "He never touched it that whole month." She said that she knew she could sue him for the price she paid for the repair but she wanted to know how to get even more money.
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