Why Are So Many Auto Repair Shops Dishonest?
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
United States
June 24, 2007 3:46pm CST
Last week I took my care to a reputable auto repair shop because my "check engine" light came on. It also seemed like I was loosing gas milage.
So they charged me $79.99 for a "computerized engine analysis."Here is what they said was wrong with auto.
They said the system was running lean, meaning that extra gas was being pumped into my fuel ejectors.
Here is what they said I needed.
They said they would have to remove & replace upper and lower intake manifold gaskets.
The parts would cost $139.00 and the labor would cost $281.60. I would have to leave my auto at the shop and the job would take around 4 hours.
I told them that I didn't want to spend that kind of money at this time, plus I couldn't stick around for another 4 hours.
So I got in my auto and started to drive home. I noticed that the "check engine light" was no longer on and the car was running much better.
It looks like what ever they hooked the computer engine analysis tool up to, was just loose, allowing air into the injectors causing the engine to run lean.
After they took the engine analysis tool off and reconnected everything properly, the problem was solved.
I'm positive that they knew that was the problem, but tried to scam me out of over $400 for a job I really didn't need.
I haven't said anything to them about this, but I will no longer take my car their for service.
My question is this. Why are so many auto repair shops so dishonest? Are they that desperate to make more money?By the way, the name of the auto repair service is called Firestone Complete Auto Care. They are one of the biggest and most popular auto repair shops in the United States.
What is your opinion?Lloyd
7 people like this
36 responses
@gotcho0O (1257)
• United States
24 Jun 07
Do you think we can send our complains to someone like a president or something? Because you know, my dad got scam too about $200. They even didn't touch or fixed my car. Tsk tsk. Why in the world there are bad guys like them?
@brandonknies (305)
• United States
24 Jun 07
what you need to do is go to a reputable repair shop, not some backwoods shop, and see what is going on. that way you don't get screwed
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
24 Jun 07
I don't know if this a problem of Presidential proportions, but you can always contact the BBB (Better Business Bureau) or the equivalent agency in your country if you are not in the United States.
Sorry to hear about your $200 loss.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
24 Jun 07
Even small business owners of automotive repair will try to put one over on you if they can. We are at their mercy. It irks me that they take advantage of people. We should get second opinions where repair is concerned for our autos. But, that can't guarantee that we won't get taken to the bank.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
24 Jun 07
There should be a rating like they give motels, something on the line of AAA approved.
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
24 Jun 07
I'm sure that there are some dishonest small business automobile repair shops too. I just don't understand why.
It seems as if there is enough business to go around so that you wouldn't have to scam anyone.
You are right though. We are at their mercy. Sometimes you need the work done in a hurry and don't have time for a second opinion.
Lloyd
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
24 Jun 07
Now that's an excellent idea. I wonder why no one has ever done that before.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@weemam (13372)
•
24 Jun 07
I hear of stories like this all the time , I live in Scotland and I always go to a local guy we have been going to him since he started his own place years ago , all of my family go to him and if he replaces something he wraps up the old one and leaves it in the car ,
I stopped him doing this as I really trust him . At the moment we aren't going to him as I bought a new car and the franchise garage services it fot 3 years ( the rules under the warranty( but when the 3 years are up next year I will be back to IAN ,
He is just so trustworthy and I tell everyone about him ,
He is MMV (McWatt motor vehicles)) Stirling
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
25 Jun 07
Going to the local mechanic seems to be the way to go. Having your car serviced under the rules of the warranty for 3 years is fantastic.
I like the sound of that.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@brandonknies (305)
• United States
24 Jun 07
they do that to make more money. they tried to screw me too. i asked how much to get my brake lines fixed on my car. they told me first that it would be 200. then they said 300. now they are trying to say 400. so i am going somewhere else, to try and get a better price. they think that people are stupid about cars. my dad taught me well. i know what they are talking about.
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
25 Jun 07
I can't stand when you get one quote, then they change it. But to change it twice is ridiculous.
With these modern cars, we aren't as educated about them as we used to be, so we are at their mercy.
I'm glad your dad taught you well.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
24 Jun 07
Why do they do it... the only explanation is that they don't actually do the work... and charge you for it. It is the only way that they can make some extra money out of you.
Most motor mechanics have more work than they can handle... so it would be ridiculous for them to create more work which is not required.
It is a common problem all around the world. In Australia... you need to wait several days before a mechanic will have a look at your car. Meanwhile you are off the road... and if you need your car for working... you are losing money big time.
You take your car in for service and they don't do half of the work they said they did... and charge you $500 or $700 for your trouble. It is highway robbery... but as most people know nothing about cars... we cannot do anything about it. Even the home mechanics like me who could fix their cars 25 years ago... cannot do it today because there is nothing simple under that bonnet anymore.
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
25 Jun 07
That's what I was wondering. Why woudld you try to scam someone when you have more business than you could possibly handle.
You might have hit the nail on the head when you say it's the only way they can make extra money out of you.
If that is the case, then it's truly pathetic.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@mrrtomatoe (800)
• Canada
24 Jun 07
I don't think they were dishonest, they must have just misdiagnosed your car based on what their machine told them. It is true that many auto shops are dishonest, mostly because people don't really know what is wrong with their cars so they are taken advantage of but not everyone is money hungry (even though it seems most mechanics (and lawyers) are) I'm glad to hear your car is working fine and hope you don't run into anymore car problems.
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
25 Jun 07
They may have just misdiagnosed my car based on what their machine told them, but that could have been a costly mistake for me.
They are the professionals and need to be sure that what they recommend is necessary.
Thanks. My car is working just fine now and I also hope I don't run into anymore car problems.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
25 Jun 07
I just don't know why they charge so much for so little work. They say it would take four hours but it probably doesn't. and we don't even know if we get new parts like they say we do. My mom took her car to a garage to be fixed and he said it would be a few days before it was fixed we seen his wife at the grocery store in it getting groceries. My mom ask about it and he said oh he let his wife run errands in it to test drive it. He said it be a few more days. We and others seen her in it several times throughout that few days. My mom said that if his wife could drive it then so could she and drove it to another place. After paying over 300.00 for the work. Plus his wife put on over a hundred miles on it and left it wih a empty tank. My mom told everyone how they were and they lost alot of business because of it. You can't just do that to other peoples stuff. It is a shame that they charge so much for the parts and it doesn't cost them that much they mostly get things at a discount. So thanks for the name I am sure alot of people may hav been crooked by them also.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
29 Jun 07
My mom just didn't want to deal with these people again. Some told her to do something about it but she never. I just guess it is never good to take your vechicle to a privately owned garage.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I would have told her to get out of my car and taken the keys from her. That is just unacceptable behavior.
I would have also taken her to small claims court to get back the money for the gas she used.
I can't believe they did that to you. Wow.
Lloyd
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
24 Jun 07
Hello Lloyd,
Arrggghhh! That is so frustrating. I'm really glad that it all worked out, without draining your wallet.
Generally, I tend to stick with local repair shops. Their reputation is their lifeline. If they scam folks in a small city, then word gets out, and they end up having to close their doors.
Fortunately, our local dealership has a service manager who is all about integrity. I either take my car to him, or to a local service shop, if the dealership is too busy. Both are very good, honest, and reliable.
Of course, if Mario ever left the dealership, I would probably no longer take my car there for service. I think it really depends on the individual at the helm. Which is why it's so helpful to get referrals from friends and relatives for auto service with integrity.
Thanks for the 'heads up' about Firestone. I've never been, and now will make sure to keep it that way.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Hi Lloyd,
I almost forgot to mention that you can drive into any "Autozone" and ask for a free check engine light analysis. They'll take the little tester out to your car, plug it in, and tell you what the mechanical issue is. Most automobiles use a standard coding system for check engine issues. So, the testing is pretty universal. I did this the last time my check engine light came on. It saved me the $80.00 that the dealership charges, and provided the same result that the dealership would have arrived at.
After Autozone tested the car, I called my dealership to ask if I should trust their result, and my old buddy Mario told me that they use the same gizmo to test the car as they would, at the dealership.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
24 Jun 07
You are the third person in a row saying to stick to the local repair shops. I'm definately going to look into that.
Seems as if you have a good relationship with your local dealership. That is definately a plus.
Each Firestone is basically independently operated, so I can say that all of them would try and pull a fast one like the one located near me.
Lloyd
2 people like this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
24 Jun 07
The price you paid for the test could have been done for about nothing at a parts place, darn it I cannot think of the name. Then 4 hours is not bad for all that they wished to do. Am glad it worked out, I prefer to work with a local littler guy. He knows me and that I pay and he does not have to charge me to make all his money. I drive by and see all the customers that he has. He explains things to me and answers all my questions. Also can show me parts that he has had to replace. We had Firestone for a while back when young. Find yourself a local guy that everyone says they know and suggest you try. Good luck since keeping a car in repair can be a costly enterprise.
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
24 Jun 07
Thank you very much for those valuable suggestions.
It's getting harder and harder to find that small personal mechanic because a lot of the computerized equipment needed to analyze and repair cars today is so expensive for the little guy.
I will keep an eye out for a local repair shop that have a good customer base and is honest.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@smiley20903 (495)
• United States
25 Jun 07
That is so tru...There are many auto shops out here that will pull a quick one on u if u let them..More then likely woman are perfect targets for most auto shops when it comes to mechanic scammers..I remeber when I went to Good year the tech tried to charge me 150.00 to do my breaks and that was just for the parts. But what I did was went to go buy the parts and while I was autozone there was a mechanic who does side jobs there who did both my front brakes and back brakes for 40 and he gave me his number if I needed any other work done..plus it helps that I know 2 other mechanic that can hook me up...
1 person likes this
@smiley20903 (495)
• United States
28 Jun 07
He sure was and I gave him a 20 dollar tip....Plus he complete the brake repair in a hour....I told him I would be calling when if I need other repairs done on the car....So it's a win win situation....
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
Hi Smiley. $150 to do brakes is way out of line.
I'm glad you didn't go for that deal.
GoodYear is very similar to FireStone.
I'm sure he was happy pocketing a well deserved $40.
Lloyd
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
26 Jun 07
I have no idea why they do this Lloyd. I reently had a problem with my car and had to take it 3 hours away to be fixed. They didn't take any notice when I described the problem but told me I needed a new fuel tank. Then it was a new fuel pump. Six days later i'm up for $1115.00. Driving home, I find I'm experiencing the same problem. All I needed was a new fuel cap! They charge $87 an hour for labour! HUH??!! That's extortionate to me. This place too is a supposedly reputable car dealership. I guess they do it because they get away with it.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
That is rediculous. They should have given you your money back.
Did you dispute this with the car dealership?
That is just terrible.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
30 Jun 07
I only found out about the petrol cap recently. I rang them when i arrived home to say i still had the problem they handed me over to a mechanic who said: Drop it in and we'll have a look" I explained I was 3 hours away and he put me back to the service manager who said toi take it to a local repairer and get them to ring them. They weren't prepared to listen or help, that was made very obvious. I will be advising the Head Office when I've sorted the problem.
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
24 Jun 07
i have always thought id rather go to a shade tree mechnic than the big boys all theyre after is your money!and you think they did you bad try being a woman they will roast us cause they think we dont know anything they get a surprise on that score when they talk to me!LOL
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
24 Jun 07
I heard many stories of the big boys trying to take advantage of women.
I'm glad you are able to handle yourself when it comes to dealing with auto repairs.
I just see why they feel that they have to be dishonest. There is enough auto repair business to make a decent living without ripping people off.
I'm going to have to take your suggestion and find a personal mechanic.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@huggiebear22 (2007)
• Canada
24 Jun 07
They do this cause they can get away with it no one really reports them to any one and unless you are willling to take your car for 2-3 different shops to seee if they are trying to hose ya you will never know.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
25 Jun 07
Hi Huggiebear. The problem with taking your vehicle to 2 or 3 different shops is that they now charge you that engine diagnostic engine fee even if you get the work done or not.
In my case the fee was $79.99. That can quickly add up if you take your car to 2 or 3 different places.
Lloyd
2 people like this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
They have us at there mercy.
What can we do? It's such a shame.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@huggiebear22 (2007)
• Canada
25 Jun 07
That is what i meant shops knwo this and they know you will nto do it so they play ont the fact that you need your car and you need it fixed adn they try to take the most from you before you think of getting a second opinion on it casue of the cost so they generally keep it down around $500-700
1 person likes this
@minijumbuk (514)
• Australia
25 Jun 07
i would say that is because they believe that most households people, male and female, would not know too much about cars and that is where they can make alot of money out of =.=
unfortunate for them this time that you were lucky and didn't fall for it.
i do believe that they are scamming. I guess they just cant be trusted can then!?
come to think of it, i just remembered that my mum's car got scratched with 5 big marks by someone we dont know who... dont know why they did that ...
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
Repairing cars have become so technical that it is hard for regular folks like us to know what to do.
I would just hope that they would be upfront with us and not try to rip us off.
Lloyd
@minijumbuk (514)
• Australia
28 Jun 07
yes... you wish (sarcasm)
people nowadays would do anything to get an extra penny off us, every single chance they have they will use it.
I guess it is better to leave automobile problems to your insurance guys and let them follow on from there, it is much easier when you've got a problem with your car since they probably know more than we do about car problems. But i guess if the problem on your car isnt big you wouldn't want to take it tat far....
@KrauseHome (36447)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Well, in my opinion, I am not sure they always know what is wrong with a Car always when you take one in to be fixed either. Sometimes I think they a lot of times are just guessing, and will hope someone will pay them the type of $$ that they are asking for not questioning it, and if that does not solve the problem, then they know you will be back to pay even more.
Problem is are they correct, and does the work they are suggesting fix the problem at hand? We had a Car that broke down in Montana some years back. My brother and sister recommended a Car dealer who could fix it, and offered to help pay for the repairs even. Problem is they choose the cheapest way to repair it, and it almost did not get us back home, and then our Car still never ran right until we put almost another $3000 in repairs into it.
To us, this Car was a LEMON and we should have never considered buying it, and used the $$ we paid for it to get a New one. We now own a 2006 Subaru Forrester under Warranty, so we are not too worried now about any major repairs.
But hope your problem continues to stay fixed for your car, and wishing you the best.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
I think you are right about them not knowing what's really wrong with a car when you bring it in.
You hear so many stories about people taking their car in for service, having work done on it, and not solving the problem.
In a case like that, they should be up front with the customer and tell them the truth.
Lloyd
@CHRISSY72084 (1878)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I think it's because they think we know nothing about cars so they just add in all the extras or charge what ever they feel like
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
I think if they were just honest with us and do only work that is necessary, they would gain even more business through word of mouth.
Lloyd
@venshida (4836)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Firestone has a bad reputation, I have heard horror stories about them. I am not sure why these mechanics are always ripping people off. I am usually scared to take my car to the shop. I had one guy remove the timing belt because it was the required time to change it, and he said while I am back there I should change the water pump. I had some problems and the mechanic who worked on it said he did not even remove the water pump. I guess we all have to become mechanics to avoid being ripped off.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
I really didn't know of Firestone's bad reputation until I wrote this post.
A lot of people here have had bad experiences with Firestone.
I had how they are always trying to add other services when you take your car to them.
If they was nothing wrong with your water pump, then he should have never even bought up the point of changing it.
Lloyd
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
26 Jun 07
And you're a guy! You wouldn't believe how they scam women.
By the way, I had the "check engine" light go on once. I took the car to the dealership and they told me that it would cost $149 to run a test which was not included in the warrenty. After they ran the test, they told me it didn't reveal the problem and I'd need another test for another $149. I told them to forget it and drove home. I drove with the "check engine" light on for three or four years until I traded the car and never I had a problem.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
I lot of women have mentioned how they really try to scam them.
I drove with my check engine light on for about a year until I had to take my car in for the state inspection.
In New Jersey the check engine light being on is grounds for immediate inspection failure.
It has to be the biggest scam to come along in a while.
Lloyd
1 person likes this
@jerryn (819)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Hi Lloyd,
I know exactly what you mean. I vowed years ago to never take my car to Firestone. They ripped me off once when I left my car at their place to fix my rear light panel. A few days after the problem was supposedly fix, the rear lights went out. I took the car back and they wanted to charge me all over again to fix that same problem. I took the car to another shop and got the problem solved. I had to pay again but it was a lessor charge. Glad your problem is solved.
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
3 Jul 07
I never knew Firestone had such a bad reputation until I made this post.
It's ashame you had to pay twice for the same problem.
You should have sent them the bill.
Lloyd
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
25 Jun 07
I had a similar experience with the service department at Toyota. Once they tell you that they have to hook it up to a computer to do a complete diagnosis, you can hear the cash register ringing. Of course, they told me that I would have to have over a thousand dollars worth of work done on my car. I only had it there the previous month for another problem. When I mentioned this to the assistant service manager, she said that sometimes when one thing is fixed, another thing goes wrong. I paid for the diagnostic services and took my car home. My husband brought it to a local service station and all it needed was new spark plugs. As to why this happens? My guess is that they bank on people trusting their opinion if they are a reputable service. I'm sure many people fork over the money, but when you get a high estimate like that it's worth getting a second opinion. I have other stories about it too, but as a woman I think some place see me as an easy mark and they couldn't be more wrong.
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
28 Jun 07
This thing of charging for diagnosis is new to me. When did this start?
You did the same thing that I did. You paid for the diagnostic service and took your car home.
I'm glad your husband was able to help you out.
I hope this discussion helps others out too.
Thanks.
Lloyd
