I’ve switched gears once again! Today, we’re talking about Automobile Repair Shops! Puny – I know…
When I was growing up and still to this day, my daddy did most of the repairs and maintenance to the household vehicles. There were somethings he chose not to do, like the fuel pump, partially due to the fact it was time consuming, but also because he didn’t have an engine jack. He had three trusted mechanics that he’d go to depending on the vehicle and they’d always tell him exactly what was wrong and how much each thing was going to be before fixing it.
He tried hard to teach all his daughters to be wary of repair shops, especially due to the fact we’re girls, and guys in these shops feel like it is an easy way to make loads of coin off clueless girls. I’ve sadly seen a few of my girlfriends be taken advantage of, and to those of you mechanics out there who do this, shame on you!
Whenever I find myself needing to go to one of these shops, I find great pleasure in allowing them to go through their spiel, then responding with information that shocks them. No I do not want all this extra things done to my car, I want an oil change. No, do not sneak in anything extra, or I won’t pay for it. Oh, also, btw, I right Google reviews – a lot – so if I’m happy with this service, you’ll get a glowing review! If not – Well…..
Now, this article I found, shows a new type of scammers I’ve never had the displeasure to run across thankfully! However, these poor souls who took their beloved vehicles to Curtis Customs Radical Garage either walked away with damaged cars – or in some cases – NO CAR at all!!
The main victim in this article brought his 2005 Lincoln pickup to fix some rust and holes, and was told either a 6000 dollar fix, patches and such like, or a 30,000 fix which would basically result in a brand new vehicle. He agreed to the 30,000 and then spent the next 6 years fighting to get his truck back!
I encourage you to read the rest of the article here, so you can be aware as to what low levels people can stoop. My suggestion to protect yourself is to research exactly what you want done so you know the terminology they should be using. Then, either find a mechanic by word of mouth, and check the Google Reviews, or search for one via Google reviews. Once you’ve chosen, make sure you lay out exactly what you want done, make sure you get it in writing, and if it is a long job, constantly check up on the status of your repairs/maintenance, until you can trust who you’re going to.
Stay safe out there friends!!! – SarahTonin
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