3 Mechanic Scams Caught Show-and-Tell

Always Ask About the Repair

Earlier we’ve learned that you have to take your car repairs with a grain of salt by making sure to ask the mechanic or service tech to show you exactly what he or she did to fix your car’s problem.

Yes, it seems a bit much; however, if the mechanic is honest about the repair, then no feelings are going to get hurt. Honest mechanics tend to take pride in their work, and I have not seen one yet who got offended just because I asked a few questions about the repair.

For example, although I do my own vehicle maintenance and almost all repairs myself, when it comes to my spouse’s car---she insists that it goes to the dealership. It’s a non-negotiable part of our marriage that oddly enough works well. However, I am allowed to take her car to the dealership and sit and wait for the service and repair…there’s usually complimentary donuts and coffee if I schedule early enough, so it’s a win-win.

But the point I am attempting to make is that there is nothing wrong with asking how a repair was done; to be shown what was done; and even ask to see the replaced part. Yes, I’ve even asked them to dig parts out of trash cans at times when they forgot my request prior to servicing.

Watch and Learn Show-and-Tell

What got me on this reminder bend is a recent Scotty Kilmer YouTube channel episode where Scotty does his own unique Show-and-Tell about three repairs of which in each case the car owner would have been better served if he or she had taken the time and the initiative to question the mechanic after each repair.

What makes this video worth watching is that it involves 3 common complaints car owners face:

• An odd sound when turning the steering wheel.
• An engine that overheats while idling but not while on the road.
• A new engine problem that develops right after a vehicle was serviced for a timing belt replacement.

Not only will you discover ways in which some mechanics do not do their repair jobs properly, but Scotty also provides some useful diagnosis explanations that can help you figure out what is going on with your car should you have a similar problem.

In the video you will learn:

• Not all steering related noises require a repair---especially on an older vehicle where you want to be judicious toward choosing your repairs.

• Why you should not take a mechanic’s word for a repair without seeing what was actually done. In this case a simple nut replacement somehow qualified as an expensive steering/suspension repair.

• How to diagnose an engine overheating problem depending on whether it overheats while idling, while driving on the highway, or both.

• Why you should be suspicious of a repair if a new problem develops afterward.

• If you have a 4-cylinder (and some 6-cylinder) car, what a balancing shaft is and how it can lead to a shaking engine after a timing belt replacement/repair.

That said, here is the video in its entirety and well worth watching the entire way through.

3 Mechanic Scams Caught on Camera

And finally…

Since timing belt replacement is one repair/replacement every car should get at some time in its life, here is a little more about balancing shafts and what they do in this excellent short video that explains how they take the shake out of an engine:

Balancing Shafts - Explained

For additional articles about car repairs, here are some selected ones chosen for your consideration:

• Repair Scams Only Another Mechanic Could Catch

• Never Say This to a Mechanic

• The Sealed Automatic Transmission Flush Deception Revealed by a Mechanic

COMING UP NEXT: Installing the Best Radio Ever Made in Your Used Car

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Pixabay