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Do dishonest mechanics have "tells" that indicate they're not telling the truth about vehicle repairs?

Posted - February 1, 2018
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Responses


  • 52953


    5. Their shop is open and they're on duty. 

    4. When they quote a price or give an estimate. 

    3.  Using technical lingo that no normal human being can understand. 

    2.  If you ask how much it will cost and the first words you hear are, "Well, that's kind of hard to say . . . "

    1.  The brochure for a new boat or for their vacation on the French Riviera is hanging out of their back pocket. 

    ~
      February 1, 2018 8:58 AM MST
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  • 234
    How can you tell a mechanic is lying??? 

    His lips are moving.....
      February 1, 2018 10:15 AM MST
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  • 13395
    He tells you or implies that he is the only mechanic who knows how to fix the problem properly. 
      February 1, 2018 10:35 AM MST
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  • 17404
    From experience, if there are two of them talking to you watch their eye contact with each other.    
      February 2, 2018 9:51 AM MST
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  • 22891
    they might
      February 11, 2018 4:49 PM MST
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  • Unless it's something that can be immediately seen, they'll usually say something like: "Well I won't know until I open it up"

    Best thing to do is ask them for the old parts back, as evidence that they were replaced.

    I'm glad I learnt about cars from a young age, and perform pretty much all repairs on my cars myself. I not only save a stack og cash, I also get to miss out on the bs mechanics spill.
      February 17, 2018 2:13 PM MST
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  • 32700
    I like that but know that you will be charged extra for parts because they will not get the core back on the parts you take.
      February 17, 2018 2:40 PM MST
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  • True. What I meant was you seeing the parts they replaced. After that, they can do whatever they like with them :)
      February 17, 2018 2:45 PM MST
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  • 32700
    Fair enough. But still would require you actually knowing what they were. But I again it would be a good tactic....they don't know what you do or don't know.
      February 17, 2018 2:48 PM MST
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  • Exactly!!
      February 17, 2018 2:52 PM MST
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  • 32700
    I have a mechanic in my family. He is not dishonest. But sometimes if an issue is complicated, they are sort of guessing (educated guessing) and may end up replacing something that was not needed to be replaced or they find much bigger problems after they get into the project.
    Now a good mechanic will stop and call you first to get the okay to continue.

     I have run into this twice. Once one was looking at my tie rods and called the other over who did not miss even a step in his stride. "Oh, yeah, that baby is loose, it is gonna fall off" Then I got the story about I cannot pass it for inspection because you got kids and this is a safety issue. I told him I would have to talk to me husband.  We took it somewhere else and it passed just fine. I should have took it to the highway patrol and had them look at it. 

    Another was repairing the front end and called saying they were having a hard time finding the parts. But the did and they were higher. OK. Then they called and said they couldn't get those but they found some at a junk yard and would it be ok to use them. I said fine.  So we go to pick it up and the price it even higher than before. I asked about the used parts and the guy looked funny. He pressed some keys and the camera down to half what they were gonna charge. 
    We never went back to either. 
    If possible you should call around and get quotes. And check their feedback. Ask neighbors for where they go, and once you find a good honest one stay with them.
      February 17, 2018 3:05 PM MST
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