In the world, where you live with both honest and dishonest people, you need to be vigilant every second. Particularly during the full-body check-up of your car in a service station. Otherwise, you’ll be surprised to see the absurd bill served up to you, along with the hidden charges. After all, car mechanics (not all but a few) are one of the biggest money-spinners.
It’s likely to get tricked by a car service station if you don’t know how they can deceive you. So, continue reading the blog and check out 5 ways in which car mechanics cheat you for money.
- Additional labour charges:
While making the final bill, many service stations add labour charges for the work that they haven’t performed. It mostly happens when you have raised no compliant for any body parts.
Let’s take an example of brake service labour charges. Mechanics generally open up the brake pads, inspect the damage, clean, repair, and re-install them. However, there may be times when this task is not performed but still added in the bill since you are not around to inspect. You may not come to know until and unless you are present in the service station to keep an eye on. It will save the mechanic’s time, allowing him to service another vehicle and make a profit out of it.
- Cleaning and replacing the fluids:
When you take your car for a routine check-up, service centre cleans the engine and replace the engine oil, brake fluid, and other additives. There are situations when the service advisor recommends the customer to clean the radiator or add some expensive engine oil to improve the mileage. But these additives are not needed during every service. Still, the advisor will market the product so intelligently that you’ll get convinced.
Sometimes, they promote the expensive brand saying that it has been authorised by the car manufacturer. These are the tricks for mooching some more money off from you to triple the profit margin of service centres on the additives.
- Dry cleaning and polishing the car:
Dry cleaning is another common way of service centre to make extra profit. Well-maintained car doesn’t need dry cleaning that frequently. But some service centres would try to manipulate you to opt-in for these services even when it is not required. They will rubdown the seats and roof-lining with an old cloth brush and a little solvent. Some only use foam and blow-dry, which you can easily do it on Sundays.
When your car becomes old, your mechanic will also advise you to either apply a wax coat or ceramic coat on the exterior part. Before nodding your head, you need to first learn what is ceramic coating and wax polishing. And then invest in some good polish that can last for years.
- Decarbonising the engine:
Car mechanic decarbonises the engine by opening the engine cylinder head and cleaning the valves and parts physically. But this process is not needed on cars that drove a minimum of 50,000 km, especially with modern cars and better fuel quality these days. You can even avoid this service by using a reliable fuel additive or injector cleaner from time to time.
- Billed for parts but not replaced:
Making a bill for the unreplaced parts is one of the famous frauds of the service centres, from which you need to be extra careful. Sometimes, car mechanics do not replace the old parts but make a bill for the replacement of that part.
For example, the mechanic makes a bill for a new AC filter, but in reality, he must have just cleaned and re-installed the old filter. Therefore, to not get into this trap, you should always ask for the older part.
Final thoughts:
Like you trust your doctor, you should also trust your car’s mechanic but not blindly. Instead of being carried away by such frauds, monitor the progress of your car service. Nowadays, several service stations have a customer lounge that faces the shop floor. Some may even allow you to be present on the shop floor to keep track of your car’s service.
Also, do spread the word (the above points) and save your friends, relatives, etc. from becoming a fool.
Yash Motors Promises that Never take extra charge you can trust me & Come atleast 1 time.
You can also Write for us Automotive. Stay Connect with us.