Top 10 Auto Repair Scams – And How To Avoid Them (Continued)
Left: Christian and Tonya Porter, owners of Everest AutoWorks & AutoSpa, with their four children –
Zachary, Madison, Elijah, and Ezekiel.
This month I am concluding my list of Top 10 Auto Repair Scams and How to Avoid Them. Last month I talked about the bottom 5 scams. These scams talked about avoiding changing your air filter too often, “free” alignment checks, the real cost of extended 7,500-15,000 mile oil drain intervals, “lifetime transmission fluid”, and “lifetime” brake pad warranties.
If you have ever felt scammed by a dishonest car dealer or auto repair shop, or you feel taken advantage of every time you go in for service, or you are unsure if you are actually getting what you pay for after a car repair, then it is my hope that this article will save you a lot of time, money, and frustration when it comes to taking good care of your vehicle. It is my hope that all the women reading this article already have a trustworthy mechanic where these issues just don’t happen. For those that haven’t found a good trustworthy mechanic I trust you will be a little more prepared the next time you go in for service.
5.“Fuel Injection Service every 15,000 miles.”
Fuel injectors can last the life of a vehicle if a good quality fuel is used each time the gas tank is filled up. Name brand gasolines include detergents that keep fuel injectors clean. There are times when a vehicle will not run well due to clogged injectors but that is the only real time someone should incur the expense of a fuel injector service. Most of the vehicles I work on have well over 100,000 miles and have never needed a fuel injector service. I find the most common cause of clogged injectors is an overly dirty fuel filter or regular use of inexpensive fuel from smaller non-franchised gas stations. The extra penny or two spent on quality gas more than makes up for a regular $99 fuel injection service.
4.“$15.95 Oil Change Special.”
The one primary reason why an auto service business will offer a lowball oil change special – get people into the shop to up-sell very profitable and very often unnecessary work. The only way to profitably offer a super cheap oil change is to make for an initial loss in profit by selling other work. Often times these oil changes include the lowest quality oil and oil filters being installed by inexperienced and low paid workers. This is not the way an oil change should be performed because all these factors combine to result in a lot more money being spent down the road for issues related to poor lubrication and dirty oil. A quality oil change cannot be offered at a low ball price!
3.“New Parts Sold but Used Parts Installed.”
There are countless reasons why this tactic is used in many unscrupulous repair shops. The basic reason is increasing profit for a job. It is quite easy to ward this scam off – simply ask to see the part that was installed on the vehicle. If the parts looks worn, dirty, and/or has grease pen writing anywhere on the part then chances are very good that a used part was installed on your vehicle. If a shop is hesitant about showing you the part then warning flags should pop up in your mind and I recommend having the vehicle inspected by a reputable shop as soon as you can.
“Parts Sold but Never Installed.”
This is a similar tactic to scam number 3 but is even more dishonest. Always ask to see your old part after completion of a job if you have any suspicions about the shop you are dealing with. This request should be made from the very beginning before any work is performed on your vehicle.
2. “Your New Tires Replaced with Used Tires Without Your Knowledge.
This scam is tragic and tends to happen most often when visiting a shady shop while your vehicle still has good tread left on your tires. Usually, these shops have no visible access for customers to see their vehicle being worked on. Not having a clear view into a garage is inexcusable and leaves people open for all kinds of scams. Usually this problem occurs at repair shops that sell used tires. It is a good idea to always check your tires to be sure they are the same ones you came into the shop with. Always go with your gut.
1. “Axle Boots Cut Prior to Selling Axle Work.”
Very common tactic. The way the scam works is a technician will take a knife and cut a rubber axle boot and bring the customer back to show the customer the damage. It is quite easy to tell if an axle boot has been cut or has worn out on its own – if the cut in the boot is very clean and straight and looks fresh with no signs of grease outside the axle then you may be getting played. If however the boot has a jagged and worn cut with some signs of axle grease around the boot, then it is probably a legitimate concern. Always ask to see the damage before agreeing to any work being performed.
I hope this list has raised your awareness on how to avoid some long held and common scams in the car repair industry. I share these insights with you because women everywhere need to know that while most repair shops are honest and dependable, there are times when women and their pocketbooks will be targeted unfairly by very bad people.
Everest AutoWorks & AutoSpa is Delaware’s only full service auto repair shop that caters its services to the unique needs of women. For more information about the Everest approach to car care, please contact us at: 690 Kirkwood Hwy, Newark, DE 19711, 302-737-8424, or www.everestautoworks.com.
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