Is my mechanic is trying to get me?

A question we all ask at some stage …

If you aren't lucky enough to your partner or your best friend is your mechanic, so chances are that you have known at some stage to bill you received for work on the car was not entirely correct. After all, without mechanical training or experience of what it costs to replace an element or a head gasket, how do you know if you are tricked or not.

Here's a quick look at what you can do if you do not want the legitimacy of your last invoice:

Get a second opinion

An important thing to remember when you are in the oil smell of rubber coated garage who are confronted with a real quote, is that you always have the right to go away and get a second opinion. Of course, you must do this before any work has been done but if you make it in time, to get another person to review what needs to be done and give you a quote as an independent, you can decide whether you should trust the quote or not. What many people do not take into account in these situations is the cost of labour. Verify that your new gearbox cost a few hundred, but it will cost a few hundred more in time spent on the labour market to find employment.

Do it yourself

Another option you can think of if you think your mechanic is trying to get you to do the work yourself. There are plenty of books on BMW alternator units and Ford Starter motors out there that give you detailed instructions on exactly how you want to replace them, the problem with this is, however, that you may have the tools required to complete the job. The reason why we have garage is that they are full of experts who can do these jobs much faster and better than you can probably.

No reason to be

Finally, one thing that you should ask yourself is: why would this garage to receive me? The vast majority of garages is privately owned and in a competitive market could have a bad reputation would be insane. If a garage has been trying to get you, it may just be a mistake or due to a bad egg in the company. Whatever happens, remember to get a second opinion before you accept that the work going on if you are not at all.

Sam Qam is a mechanic. He owns a family run company, which specialises in repaired BMW alternator units and Ford starter motors.