Let's face it, not everyone is as honest as we would like. What's more, those individuals who are in a position to have trust them blindly are often the ones to lie to us so boldly. Now, this isn't to say that everyone is a liar and a thief, but it pays to be cautious.
When it comes to car repairs, many new drivers or those inexperienced in dealing with garages will find the entire process frustrating and even confusing. Mechanics will often assume that drivers will know the components of their cars and how it all goes together. Doctors are often guilty of this as well. In most cases, the mechanic is not attempting to rip the vehicle owner off, to them it is common knowledge and sometimes they do forget that not everyone is as well versed as they are.
However, there is a hand full of unscrupulous repair shops that uses such talk to their advantage. When you place your car in the care of a repair shop you have no choice but to take their word as gospel concerning your car. After all, they are in a position of authority and are trained in car repair. Knowing this shady mechanics will use fast talk and technical terms to their advantage to charge you for items that you either did not need or that simply do not exist.
That is why having even a rudimentary knowledge about your car is so important. Many automobile types will have common ailments which you can easily search for online. Other car repairs are common for all types and are usually the result of the same problem. This way you can, hopefully, spot when an unscrupulous mechanic is trying to take you for a ride.
Being aware of you car's needs goes a step further when you enter that repair shop. You must be precise when dealing with a mechanic in order to avoid any miscommunication. Miscommunications do not point to rip offs, of course, but it should be avoided anyways. Many advise that you make out a detailed list of what you want repaired. This way the mechanic will fully understand what you want. In order to make sure that this list reaches the mechanics that will be working on your vehicle; you may want to tape the list on the steering wheel or the dashboard so that it is clearly visible.
Before you authorize any work, at all, you should make certain that the mechanic is certified. The mechanic can be certified through either the dealer or through a special regulatory body which can vary state to state and country to country. Find out who this regulatory body is and what they require of their mechanics before you settle on a shop.
Afterwards, check out the shop through organizations like the Better Business Bureau or some type of consumer affairs organization. If there were any complaints filed against the shop that may not necessarily mean that the shop is scamming its customers. However, if there are more then a couple and if these reports are of a severe quality then it would be wise to find another shop.
The important thing to remember as you search for a repair shop is that not everyone is a crook. In such an industry as auto repair and car service a few bad apples really does spoil the bunch. Use caution and your gut to avoid rip offs and scams.
