“One thing about a mechanic, they’re going to say some numbers in your face.”
Sometimes costs don’t add up the way they should. Unless you’re paying close attention.
Ilhan needed a small car repair. So, like most people, she wanted to get an estimate for the work before she committed. That’s when things went wrong.
In a TikTok that’s been viewed 357,000 times, Ilhan (@ilhanstiktok) describes the confusing conversation she had with a mechanic. A caption on the post reads “mechanics will just say anything.”
Ilhan kicks off her video saying, “One thing about a mechanic, they’re going to say some numbers in your face, and hope and pray that you’re not following and not understanding what they’re saying. And that you’re just going to hand over the cash.”
She’s basing her somewhat harsh assessment on an experience she purportedly just had. A few days prior, she visited a mechanic because her rear driver’s side quarter-glass window was broken. This is somewhat visible in the video.
Her initial quote was for £140, or about $190.
Ilhan said to herself, “it’s not actually that bad.”
Then, because there’s another mechanic next door, she asked that shop for a quote. That mechanic offered to facilitate getting the part for her. He airdropped her the eBay link and it costs about £70, or $95. With install, he quoted her £100, or about $135—significantly less than the first mechanic.
Just as she’s leaving the second garage, the first mechanic from next door approached Ilhan to ask if she wanted him to do the work.
She explained to him that she’d already ordered the part, and he told her, “Perfect. If you have the part, then we’ll fit it for you.”
Then he told her the price to install: £120 ($165). This seemed odd to her, given that the same place had initially quoted her £140 for the part and labor.
There could be a reasonable explanation for the discrepancy, as pricing can reflect shop minimums, or the liability of using customer-supplied materials. It can also possibly be a little bit of a hustle.
While most of the internet was in Ilhan’s corner, a few people attempted to explain what might’ve happened.
Justinho offered a little legal perspective. “Whoever fits the part is liable for any comeback as they have deemed it fit for purpose…if there is a fault, they can’t go back to an eBay seller as they didn’t buy it, hence why garages don’t allow you [to] supply your own part,” he wrote. “When they supply the parts, they can claim back on warranty from their suppliers.”
Others offered context, “You’re paying for the tools, they’re not cheap, The years of training, the specialist equipment, ok that guy can do it for £100, but you might get a far better job done at the guy who’s charging £140,” said Ryan_s.
However, another self-proclaimed mechanic admitted, “As a mechanic… Yes yes we been doing ts [three sobbing emoji] we need money y’all,” said Ov Chipkaart.
Getting car repairs can be so stressful that there’s a real temptation to just get it over with as quickly as possible, regardless of the cost. And if you don’t have a reliable mechanic, finding one can feel daunting.
However, you can avoid getting ripped off or just feeling that you have been. HonestMechanix advises doing a little research before you go to the shop:
Car issues are stressful enough, if you go with a place you don’t feel is trustworthy, that’s just additional pressure you don’t need. And remember, a good mechanic is an expert in their field and quality often, though not always, costs more.
Motor1 reached out to Ilhan via TikTok direct message and via a comment on the video. We’ll update this if she gets back to us.
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