13+ Things Your Car Mechanic Won’t Tell You

 This advice is horribly general and at best wrong. That said, a general rule of thumb does emerge if one looks at all 13 tips; do your research. Knowledge is power, and this applies to any situation in which you are paying for the services of a specialist in a field about which you know little. Mechanics are certainly no exception! Thus the truth in tips 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Ask questions and get answers from multiple sources.

However, so much else is so general as to be generally false. I will give a few examples to keep this post short. 1.  “Admonitions like ‘I wouldn’t drive this another mile’ should be viewed with suspicion.” Suspicion, yes. Risky? Even more so. Failing car parts can be anything from a nuisance to imminent catastrophe. This tip says to “Watch out” for scare tactics, but tells you to go with high quality brake pads later on. What’s worse, sub par parts or failed parts driving to the next shop against the advise of a mechanic?

 5.“nuts to take a car with engine problems to a shop without a good engine analyzer and scan tool.” Only a quibble here, which won’t apply to most readers of this article: while the majority of cars on the road today do have computers which require corresponding tech tools, there are still plenty of drivers in older “classic” vehicles. Thankfully most of you know who you are and what your vehicle’s needs are. And don’t get concerned about this when you’re taking your car for new windshield wipers. The engine computers don’t track this. On the same note, tip #13. It’s not okay for your ‘check engine’ light to stay on all the time. It’s probably not ‘a loose gas cap.’ Basically, the tip is good. But loose gas caps will trigger the light. Honestly. First find a mechanic you trust, then ask him WHY the light is on, and understand his explanation, possible fix options, and probable consequences. The Check Engine light should always be in good working condition, but does not always mean your car is going to implode.

And finally, just for fun I’ll take a poke at the second half of #3. “Look for a clean garage. A floor cluttered with empty oil cans, worn tires, and dirty rags is a red flag.” Yes, in general, tidy workspaces point toward a more professional, meticulous mechanics that you want. However, I’ve seen a number of “chain” shops that are spotless only because company regs require it and a good number of their employees have few skills beyond pushing a broom. Go back to the research. Spend time getting to know your mechanic and his/her references. Quit looking at a 45 second slideshow and hoping these tips are going to actually replace any part of the actual knowledge needed to help you maintain your car, one of the most expensive, dangerous, and important investments you have in your life.

I disagree with the tire age “tip”.  The tires on the front of my car are at least 11 years old, and still hold air just fine.  However, I keep the sidewalls clean, I keep the air pressure at the proper level, and I don’t abuse them.  They are however, on their last legs.  Use a good rubber cleaner/treatment on the sidewalls a couple of times a year, it makes a difference (both sides).  Somebody just wants to sell more tires.

I look at the paper work. If they don’t have the organization to write everything down, then there not a very good shop are they? Hell, they could be hiding thing for all I know, that is why it is important to write everything down. A clean shop is a must! If you don’t clean your shop once a week, I don’t want you working on my car. (It goes double for body shops) Check your owners manual for service recommendations, as if your a penny pincher the manual reads to change oil every 7,000 miles or timing belts every 105,000, which can save you money, and in theory, without damage to your car.

If you don’t change your break fluids due to the fluids hygroscopic tendencies you will get water in the chamber and you breaks will feel spongy as the fluid boils upon breaking. It’s the same as having air in your lines. (follow your manual) Coolant builds electolights and causes corrosion in your radiator, some cars are worse than others so check you manual.

When your light comes on it is usually a bad o2 sensor. You can use the scan tool at your auto parts store to read that. The check engine light usually refers to a emissions related issue.

I don’t like this 13 things a car mechanic won’t tell you. I get angry when I have to help some one take their car to the shop. They just end up second and third guessing me. It really makes me not want to deal with the idiots that takes things like this to heart.

8. On direct injection motors cleaning injectors is a waste of time and money? There is your first outright lie, what is that based on? 

A ” Dirty Shop” is the sign of amatures and ” Shade Tree mechanics. ” They are bad for us who work hard for our trade.

Brake Shops like ” Just Brakes ” and ” Brake Check ” in Texas are Managed by Salesmen. They (the Manager/ Salesmen) know NOTHING about mechanics or automotive technology. They are SALESMEN. If they tell you ” You Need This” Don’t buy it. They only want to increase their ticket price. By the way. These places use the CHEAPEST Brake Parts on the Market.

I do disagree with the comment about ” Transmission Flushes.” I have driven my Mazda B 4000 Pickup over 300,000 miles. I did a Transmission Flush every 30,000 miles. It STILL runs and pulls great. I have NEVER had to rebuild or replace it. You can NOT get that out of a car or truck with out doing this. I am a Technician and I know this NEEDS to be done

Tires that are 3 years old are no big deal.  Wrong! About two-thirds of shelf life left with current U.S. ozone damage. Tires  must be tossed after five years exposed on the rim and are deadly on heavy trucks.  They shred like early Firestones on Ford SUV’s and will kill you and others after five years on the vehicle regardless of tire height.  Don’t drive it, what-so-ever.

Good now you and your brother are two fools… You are driving with worthless fluids and you wore out your car.  Your car is junk and you lie.

I work at a dealership. Our certified pre-owned cars are picked though by a state inspector. They write down anything that fails the ispection and write down things that are close to failing. So certified preowned cars are a good deal.
I would highly recommend OEM parts. After working with a few car lines, I’ve seen my fair share of aftermarket parts that are universal and require the mechanic to modify the part to work. With OEM, you get a part that fits your car and made just for your car.
Just ask around on who your friends take their car too and do the research on the shop. The advantage with going to the dealer is that the mechanics know your car inside and out. That’s what they are trainned to do.

This article slams “mechanics” when the real culprit to most fraud is the shop owner.  The owner is the one who will lie cheat and steal from you. The majority of techs are honest hard working and willing to do whatever they can to get your car repaired properly at the lowest cost.

I don’t know what they meant by a brake for under $100.00. If they are talking about just replacing worn brake pads, this can be done with a mechanic for under $100.00. The only exception is if you are replacing both the Front & Rear break pads then it would cost $200.00 They don’t need to be done at the same time. I think some of these break shops do fine. Each Mechanic & shop may vary on cost. I had a break shop that did all for $50.00 without any problems but he retired.  My mechanic has been around for a long time & is always busy. You got to wait a week or more to get into his shop. My mechanic garage is not horrible but it is not real clean.

The person who wrote this doesn’t know the difference between a mechanic and an automotive repair shop. A mechanic actually repairs cars. An automotive repair shop is a business that employs mechanics and has salespeople to push you into spending as much money as possible. I am an ASE Master Technician and I’ve worked for dealers, independent shops and chains. They can/will all screw you but the worst by far are the chain shops followed closely by the dealer. With independents it’s a toss up. At a good independent garage the person you will be speaking with when you walk through the door is the owner and service writer and is also a mechanic. Generally one who got sick of working for everyone else and decided to open his own garage. That is the place you want to go but good luck finding one especially if you live in the city because most people have the same mentality as the person who wrote this. People think that a big expensive building that’s spotlessly clean with a name they’ve heard on TV and people wearing white shirts standing behind a counter when they walk through the door means it’s professional therefore better. In the automotive repair industry big, expensive and professional does not equal quality and definitely doesn’t equal honesty. The best garages are generally 2-3 man operations and are very seldom clean. The good ones also almost never buy parts from places like Advanced or AutoZone. I could break down why almost every one of these are wrong by number and I may very well do so when I have the time but for now I’ll just say that if you don’t know of a good small shop then take it to the dealer because chains will screw you over and sell you stuff you don’t need every time. I love taking my own personal car somewhere to get tires installed and them telling me all the things that need to be done to my car right away. I pull out my ASE card and they go hide.

I am a master auto tecj for 29+ years and i can tell you that it is not always the mechanic who is to blame. The challenges of the industry is making the do it yourselfers obsolete. They come in telling you they did this or that only to have made it worse costing them or the friend they “helped” alot more than it should have. Everybody wants to save a buck but when you find a good mechanic stick with them and you’ll find they will take better care of you if you are loyal. Free code scans are not diagnostics folks!! Be carefull of who you are tsking advise from.

Firstly, what does it mean to “crucify” a car? What kind of nails do you use to make it stay up on the cross?

Secondly, shops, with very good reason, do not allow civilians to wander around in the garage area. They have a way of falling into grease racks and bumping their head on over-hanging obstructions, and insurance companies get tired of paying for their inattention and downright stupidity. You sound like a prime candidate for just such a mishap…

I worked for a dealership that sold factory certified used cars that were never inspected to confirm that the car qualified to be sold as certified. the general manager loves to push certified cars to get factory incentives. 

Oh the tranny flush thing is right.  You can get by just doing a tranny fliter change.  This is something you can do yourself.  usually 12 to 18 bolts on the bott of the tranny.  you drop that and you drain the fluid in a 5 gal wide bucket or one of those wide pans you can buy at walmart.  it costs usually around 15 to 50 dollars for the filter and new gasket.  Put them on and don’t use more than a dab in 4 corners on the out side if you use glue. ( i recremend you don’t.  you don’t want a valve to get clogged if some gets on the inside).  Then the gasket kit will tell ya how much fluid to buy for your car.  Get the Gallon bottles you will save some money that way.
for your radiator fluid just buy test strips and check it every time you are going to change your oil.  Then you know if it is good or bad.  Oh that 100k stuff is bad for your engine. GM just settled a lawsuit on it.  It has too low of a PH and literally eats gaskets and metal.

Oh the tranny flush thing is right.  You can get by just doing a tranny fliter change.  This is something you can do yourself.  usually 12 to 18 bolts on the bott of the tranny.  you drop that and you drain the fluid in a 5 gal wide bucket or one of those wide pans you can buy at walmart.  it costs usually around 15 to 50 dollars for the filter and new gasket.  Put them on and don’t use more than a dab in 4 corners on the out side if you use glue. ( i recremend you don’t.  you don’t want a valve to get clogged if some gets on the inside).  Then the gasket kit will tell ya how much fluid to buy for your car.  Get the Gallon bottles you will save some money that way.
for your radiator fluid just buy test strips and check it every time you are going to change your oil.  Then you know if it is good or bad.  Oh that 100k stuff is bad for your engine. GM just settled a lawsuit on it.  It has too low of a PH and literally eats gaskets and metal.

This says to always ask for old parts back, but Meineke was extremely reluctant to give my parts back unless I paid a very high fee ‘required by law’. Since I barely had the money for what I took my car in for in the first place, I definitely did NOT have the $70 required to get MY old car parts back. If there IS a fee required by law, the article should warn people that asking for one’s own car parts back will require a fee.

Actually synth oils do permit for higher changes between miles. The data is there…it’s everywhere!

This woman know very little about cars and car repair. I have to wonder why editors would even print something from someone that obviously has no experience or knowledge. Maybe the editors should be fired.

Gotta love that picture of the owner and mechanic under the lifted car. The insurance underwriter’s head must be exploding…!

Well, actually, my check engine light DOES come in with a loose gas cap in my Miata. Get a cheap OBD code reader and research the issue for yourself. I also question the “certified cars are useless” theory. Yes, if Joe from Joe’s Dealership “certifies” it, but factory certified used cars are a different story… In terms of oil changes, go by your manual. Now adays they say every 7,500 miles using standard oil. Get it done then.