“Everyone does it.”
Some mechanics have more than just the ability to fix broken vehicles—they have a sense of righteous fairness. And those are the experts you hope are working on your vehicle. Not only will they do good work; they’ll make sure you don’t pay for unnecessary repairs. Unfortunately, mechanics who pad the bill are out there, and they are probably more common than you might think.
TikToker Brad (@ontrackwithbrad), a mechanic himself, does not mince words when discussing mechanics who take advantage of customers. He says these mechanics have given all mechanics a bad reputation, which recently impacted him when he was trying to work with a customer.
“If you gotta lie for your hours, you’re not a mechanic. You’re a thief with a toolbox,” he says.
Then, he squares up with the camera and doubles down on his opinion, saying, “Some of y’all are gonna get real defensive. But if you’re the type of person who’s quoting $3,000 of [work] that a car doesn’t need, you’re a … thief.”
Brad’s position is crystal clear. He says, “You’re not a hustler. You’re not a flat-rate killer; you’re a thief.”
“‘Everyone does it’ might be the worst excuse known to .. man,” he says. “You are the reason why this industry gets a bad rap.”
Then he shares how this has had an impact on the honest work he does by creating distrust among customers. “I send a $3,000 quote because it honestly needs it, and then the customer automatically thinks that they are getting f—— over—because of you,” he says.
He encourages these mechanics to leave the industry.
In a TikTok message exchange, Brad told Motor1 that he thinks over-quoting a job happens up to 50% of the time. He says he’s seen other techs do it.
As a measure of protection for non-experts, he advises customers not to be afraid to ask for a second opinion. He adds, “Look for a shop that you can trust.”
To find a reputable shop, the experts at Car Talk recommend looking for an ASE-certified mechanic. ASE stands for Automotive Service Excellence, and it’s the gold standard for mechanics, issued by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
“Think of this the way you would view a state-licensed physician who is board-certified,” Car Talk suggests. Like a doctor, the ASE designation has an ethical as well as technical component.
However, parsing the repair estimate can still be confusing and overwhelming for the average vehicle owner.
The takeaway? Ask questions, and ask for the order of importance for the recommended work—from most pressing to most optional.
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– The Motor1.com Team