I helped my friend buy a car like that once. It does come with risks for the mechanic doing this though. In Ottawa, Canada, some person complained to the newspaper when the car had the same issues as listed when sold to her. Obviously the article was written in such a way to tell people to pay attention when purchasing a vehicle, but she could have just as easily sued them and cost them legal fees
LOL, as a mechanic, be carful, we don't take very good car of our own vehicles much less a leaned vehicle. Meaning, we don't check shit else. Might be a great deal if you are mechanically included. The repair here might be more then the car was worth.
@@s14sr240silvia Which makes no sense to me why people do this. If you need the repair done and have gone in to get a quote and approve the quote, logic tells you they have the money to pay for it. Whether it's 0% or 50% now or the remaining 50% or even 100% in a few days after the repair, what difference does it make? Either way, you'll be paying the full amount within days of dropping it off. God people are insufferable sometimes.
I had an 09 wth the 3.5 in it I drive for years most dependable car I ever had I sold it last year for 4k with 290k miles on it the lady is still driving it.
@youtubebannedme4207 depends probably the one in the video has a cvt transmissions. The autos I heard aren't too bad. Probably wouldn't touch one tho unless I had no choice.
@@justcallmeeddie1 My mechanic started to do that as well. If its something like an engine job or transmission you pay for the part before its ordered. It feels like no one has any money right now, but in this country you need a car. My mechanic is always backed up with jobs and I constantly recommend him.
@@justcallmeeddie1 You have to be very clear about EXACT cost of repair One time a mechanic told me it is going to $35 cost to fix some minor issue when I went to pick it up he had made the bill for $300 ( I did pay it but some mechanics use trick to get approval with lower amount and then bill higher after they are done)
When you are fortunate enough to have an excellent auto mechanic, you should treat that mechanic really well. I often offered to pay for expensive parts upfront and didn't wait to be asked. I respected his schedule and his time. I always paid promptly upon picking up my vehicle. As a result, my mechanic even came to my work address to fix something minor and sometimes for small things said "no charge." You are blessed if you have a good relationship with your auto mechanic.
My 13 sentra only has 115,000km on it and the tranny is fucked. Never beat it up and did proper scheduled maintenance . Nissan refuses to recall these CVT only extended warranty to 84 months and I didn't start have these problems till after the time limit... this shouldn't be a warranty issue it should be a full recall
you must be ignorant and not know mechanics make good money by overcharging... they will also get their money back by selling the cars so it isnt like they are going to lose money.
@@celitacantrill10 it’s not hard at all. Not with the right tools. And most mechanics have a tool addiction. It’s actually a really chill job. I was a mechanic for 5 years before going into manufacturing.
I went to auto tech school for a semester, didn't finish the 2nd because of covid but just dropped it and been 3 yrs as a cable guy its been much better as well as pays better than any shop can.
@@chrisd5758fr I’m about done. Even at an exotic car shop I’m getting 30$ and the information to fix these cars is locked at the manufacturer vaults. So im always looking stupid makes me mad. And they expect you to do it all no issues like you guys don’t even have equipment. And dealers that do have terrible pay. It’s atrocious. Dying for sure. And robots can’t take those jobs. Everything is maintained by mechanics. Who’s building roads and buildings with bad equipment. No one. So they should pay mechanics more than even the operators of the machines since operators can’t function without a proper mechanic.
I don't know how car mechanics can even do all these complicated repairs. I have great respect for a good mechanic and will always treat them well and pay them well for their services.
this is exactly why i gor rid of ny 2014 ford and bought a 2005 GMC sierra for my business. That truck is absolutely solid. Never had any mechanical issues, or transmission, or any problem outside of regular wear and tear.
They also lie about that stuff though. I had a jeep Cherokee that was the limited edition that had all the fancy electronic crap and the thermostat went out and they tried to say it’s be 600 bucks and I couldn’t do it myself because without their fancy guy to reprogram it. It would never recognize the new part, they were full of shit. I bought the part from the store for $45 bucks and had the old one off and new one on in 3 hrs and when I turned on the car the check engine light went away immediately and everything was fine. And I’m not a car guy just watched a RUclips video how to do it. Most these guys are scam artists.
@@lukewalken1316 Thats because you do not want to be charged a markup on the part. You do not realize that the labor is going to be more. When you nickle and dime a person many times, the job is nickle and dimed.
My husband is a master mechanic and got out because of the pay issue, he could fix anything but his boss didnt want to pay him what he was worth and treated him like he was replaceable. He fixes private planes now, gets a very nice paycheck and his boss loves him. People that want their planes repaired never skip the bill and certainly don't leave them to collect dust.
Former Service Advisor here. I’m in Canada so laws could be different but always collect the name, phone number and address at first contact with the customer so you have the ability to send it to a collection agency if they don’t return. Selling the car works too but with older vehicles they’re usually not worth as much as the work that was put into them in my experience. Also for big jobs just do a 25% deposit before work on the vehicle begins.
Its rare to find a good mechanic. Had a suv that needed heavy work, i told him i couldn't afford it, he said he'll fix it for me if i pay for the parts and pay his labor in payments. I paid him all i owed in two weeks. We didn't do any financing or sign any paperwork for the payment plan, he just trusted me and had faith. He trated me right when i needed it, least i cam so if pay him for his work.
I agree is rare. I had a great mechanic and a friend (RIP) that was also an engineer and he loved his work and sport cars. He always tested his repairs, he once told me his favorite car to work on was an Audi A3 (or A4) sportback. Like next year or so, he lost his life testing that same car. He was a great driver. I can’t see one of those cars without feeling angry because I know the car didn’t do something it was supposed to do that day.
Very true. Guys down the street for me are the only mechanics I've ever trusted. My mom tried a different shop down the road just to see how they are. Told her she'd need a whole new oil pan since the current one is beyond repair and would be 5-600. She took it to the mechanics I go to and shit you not, they said, "what did they say?...how much!?.. ma'am, you had a loose drain plug and the filter wasn't on tight enough so it leaked. We gave you an oil change. 50 bucks." My mother, nor I, have ever gone anywhere else.
All of mine are earlier than 2008 and not insurmountable to work on. Any car after that has to get stupid things like having the transmission "programmed" to work.
I remember my dad talk to me when in 1974, I started looking for a car. He worked on cars when they were cars and trucks and not plastic on a computer. today I am glad he is not alive to see the junk they are creating now.
I have had the same mechanic for 10 years! He does great work. My truck is still on the road. I bought it brand new 18 years ago. He keeps it like it's brand new. I would never think not to pay him. I love what he does!
Some of the shops around me ran into a similar issue but they were pretty smart about it they fixed up the cars of the customers that never came to pay and retrieve and they actually use them as rental cars now for their other customers if they have to leave their car in their shop for longer than a day a customer can pay to rent one of those cars to drive until their car is fixed.
I hope they filed and received mechanic liens and registered/insured them in their name, otherwise they have opened a liability big enough to lose their business and send them to the poorhouse.
@@anzaca1 no they don't lol.. my 72 chevy truck with BUILT 350 got 14 mpg just like a new truck , new cars dump fuel to keep the catalytic converter hot at idle and partial throttle,
Honestly I would much rather buy a car from a mechanic than anyone else. My mechanic I trust with my life, he’s so honest and has been a life saver to my family during the really dark and impoverished days. Total respect to mechanics esp those who are honorable and don’t try and get one over on their customers.
I hate to tell you mechanics never work on their own cars. coming from personal experience we always end up fixing everybody else’s stuff and not our own
@tucanoguy4719 true. Im a mechanic and bought a brand new hyundai. Not bc i think they are super reliable or nice, but they have a great warranty, and the last thing i want to do is work on my own damn car. Other than oil changes/fluid changes and tires, havent touched it.
Nah man. My friend bought a car that was an owner forfeiture from a mechanic. Well the car was not fixed properly. Plus, the mechanic shop never filed the paperwork correctly, so she never could get the title in her name. Car broke down on the side of the road, then got towed, and she never saw it again.
You are doing car repairs that cost more than the vehicle is worth. When the owner realizes what’s happening they ditch the car. I’m sure you know this
Sometimes I've paid for repairs "worth more than the car" because the rest of it is fine and has had so many parts replaced its worth far more than I would get for it at a garage sale. And still 70,000 cheaper than a new one
They want 7 to 10 thousand for a job like this you can buy a Altima with 190k for 2 to 3k that runs and drives fine all cvts are junk why would you by the time you go through 3 Altimas that pos will need another 7 to 10k transmission job
Yeah if your shop is having this happen frequently your advisors might be on dirt. Honest advisors make sure a customer understands and has thought thru what’s going on before they replace a motor/transmission. You want to advise service that is honest, sensible, and smart. Idk the details but I kinda doubt they truly thought it was sensible to be replacing that Altima transmission.
As a 20 year master mechanic. I remind people the 90s were about the mechanical engine. Now the 21st century it’s all cheap electronic garbage. Pre Obsolescence. All the auto manufacturers are guilty.
That's why I drive old vehicles I pay cash for. even with getting work done on them it's still way cheaper than financing. A lot of the repairs I can do myself with a Haynes manual lol 😊❤
@@pigalottafattenton5003it too bad that parts for a lot of vehicles are getting harder and harder to find, or the laws restricting what you can do to the vehicle are getting stricter and stricter.
Mechanics are like lawyers, you can’t blindly trust mechanics. Sone throw the parts cannon at everything. some mechanics read a single diagnostic code and then tell the customer they need a $10,000 repair
I paid $1900 cash for an 06 altima with 150k or so miles on it a year ago. Still driving it atm. In this economy, I'll take driving what seems to be the shittiest car on the internet for a good price. The dealership wanted 14k for a 2013 ford focus with 130k miles that was falling apart when I test drove it it felt like. It had one of those new cheap transmissions in it. I'll take an altima over the overpriced clapped ford focus from a dealership. Cars can always be worse than an altima, and others definitely better xD.
But isn't he actually kinda can gain more money from it,ya their is the headache to sell the car but he got a free car,he can just sell it and make money on top of the transmission money
Years ago I bought a nice car at the repair shop. I bought it for the cost of the repair and got the title from the shop too. It was cheap and reliable.
@hiroshi138 it's called a lien, like he said. Basically by law if you ask somebody to do a job, like mechanic, and you don't pay, it isn't okay to just say oh well they don't get paid. There is legal solutions for him to declare the car no longer the property of the person who skipped out. The mechanic shop can be given the title to the car in order to sell so the shop can get paid. Exactly what he said in the video is legally true.
@GSPirosaki yes they do. My husband had one of the first Maximas that came out with the CVT. One month later, brand new car stalled in the middle of an intersection of a busy road. 3 months later we have it back with a brand new transmission.
Blame Carlos 'the thief' Ghosn. He started putting Renault parts into Nissans, in the late 90s, which coincidentally is about the same time as Nissan started to go downhill and also stopped honouring their warranties, he then mixed in some Russian shatboxes, started blending it with Mitsubishi and GM. Next, he falsely over reported profits in Nissan, under reported his wages, and transferred personal debt to Nissan, transferred funds from Nissan into a Saudi Arabian trust fund he had in cahoots with a Saudi sheik, stole some more money from a Nissan Mitsubishi alliance, stole money from Renault, set up a dodgy bank account to transfer money from Yen to US dollars, got fined by the US stock exchange for not declaring the $140m that he had stolen, was released on bail, escaped house arrest, fled to Lebanon on a Turkish plane. And that is why people don't want to buy those brands of vehicles, people don't want to be mechanics to work on them, and people are generally disappointed with the whole car industry and are going to take many decades to trust Electric Vehicles if this is what has happened to vehicles that have been manufactured almost unchanged for 100 years, how could they ever trust the new technology..
@@robert5235 never a question is considered stupid , as to the why ? A significant percentage of Altima owners are minorities on the low income range , taking the car to the mechanic for a transmission rebuild will cost more that what they paid for the car , hence why the owner never came back to claim her vehicle .
I was asking 50% paid in advance before I started any big job. And that was 45 years ago. By doing that, I managed to end that BS. It's not a new problem in the business.
Guaranteed told my boss one day what a mechanic quoted me and he said ain't no way your paying that much told me to bring it to his house a hour later gas tank is changed and I saved 670 bucks minus the 30 bucks for the gas tank
My problem is more like charging you 3 hours of labor for something that should quite easily be done in less than 1, especially considering the tools and equipment in the shop
@@procrastinator6902the 3 hours pays for the tools, equipment, and skill to get it done in 1. Not a single one of those things is cheap. You can always pick up a wrench and try it yourself.
sadly, those are becoming more and more obsolete. Definitely tougher to find these days, especially working ones. The main issue is some of them, having to find parts that are no longer made for that particular year. Had to get rid of my 93 Oldsmobile cause the brake line was out and apparently, those weren't made anymore. It would have cost way more to get one than get a new car.
@CasualVideoGamer My current one is a 2000 Tahoe. Fortunately, you can still get parts for it, but some repairs are definitely challenging to do in your driveway without a lift.
@ryancole6098 Yeah, it's sad that most older cars have been destroyed. I miss the 60s through early 80s cars. They started going downhill in the 80s with the "brain boxes" and fuel injectors.
It is being purposely done by these corporations so that you can't get a mechanic to fix them. They will only be able to be fixed through the dealership so they can charge you an arm and a leg.
woudl that nto go by the value of the car. i mean if i need 5 k worth of stuff for my 2k car i see you point but if a 50k car and need 5 k worth of stuf you be happy if did nto pay you make more money
if the car i getting fix is worth 2k and i get 5 k worth of work on it, i make them pay first. if my car is worth 50k and only get 5 k worth of work they can pay when they pick it up becous i could make a lot selling the car if they DONT pick up
This checks out. I really wanted to become a car mechanic a couple of years back. I was fully motivated to take that path. Byt then I found out that some customers don't pick up their cars, so I decided against that career.
I've known my guy for 51 years. But then I am that guy. But I've only been working on my own stuff for about 36 years. I do have a garage for those repairs I don't want to do, or when I just don't have time to do it myself.
My local shop doesn't require a deposit from me for some more expensive work. Granted I have been using them for years and they know where I live, so...
Wtf. I worked at firestone as a service manager. Every day we have $1,500+ repairs being done. Just a phone call approval and parts are on the way. Yall are crazy af
I bought a Subaru from a guy. His mechanic said it needed a new catalytic convertor and a new air conditioning compressor. I replaced the air conditioning fuse and ran fuel injector cleaner through the gas tank. Both items work fine now.
It's a CVT transmission and you have to mate the transmission to the TCM. They program the shift points to match the engine. CVTs don't actually shift gears.
That's what the "right to repair" bill is about. BUT... If it passes, you can count on manufacturers coming up with new fastener sizes and shapes so you'll have to buy their tools. Instead of OBD2 ports, we'll have proprietary connectors requiring different scanners. And nobody will manufacture a vehicle capable of lasting longer than 2 years.
You can't just put parts in like the old days. This isn't 1982. Everything has computer chips & things like Transmissions or engine computers have to be programmed.
If the car isn't an economical repair (fixed value > scrap value + job cost) you should advise the customer not to bother. If they still want it done, it's payment upfront.
Foe repairs we really should substitute fixed value for replacement cost. A car may be only worth 4k retail or 2k trade...maybe 2800 private sale, so a 2000$ repair seems too high But if a newer car similar is 8k after taxes and searching....then that 2000 repair is still less than you'll spend to drive. If you go buy a 2000 car, that's not worth the effort because it will have a big repair cost in a month or two.
Facts. I've had multiple cars come through and I just told them listen it's time for a new car. 90% of the time they say 'I was thinking that too, thanks for your honesty'. Then I usually end up helping them find a new car that isn't a shitbox
Yup, I would have advised buying a more reliable used car with trans money and labor you are well above a 2014 Toyota camry or Honda crv that will be far better bang for buck.
Do you keep up with maintenance on your car? Or do you drive it 150k miles, only do oil changes, then when someone breaks and you’ve never done any maintenance, complain how there are no honest mechanics because of a 5k estimate from stuff you never worked on?
@@aaron_a1on950 ask yourself if you would recommend that 5k bill on a 3k car. I mean since you want to change the subject with an irrelevant question.
@@joshuaromani4241 ask around with your friends and coworkers, im sure one of em have a good local mechanic to recommend. thats how i found my mechanic, who is also now a great friend who tends to never let me pay full price anymore
@@joshuaromani4241yeah it makes life so so much better. Not having to call an Uber and spend more money because of distance. My mechanic is 2 mins away walking. Such a convenience.
I once picked up a 2004 Audi A4 Ultra Sport for $1k. Somebody had the timing belt, water pump, struts, and a bunch of other stuff, left it at a mechanic shop. Never came back for it, and I got after it sat for 7 years. Only had 123k miles and was in perfect condition.
or at least state the repair cost estimate before working, charge an upfront inspection fee and give them the quote before proceeding, much less likely to get ghosted that way
@@dimitriosmalatches5522no the shops that don't take money half down for transmissions engine big jobs are the ones that don't stay in business because they got stuck with everything if someone doesn't have the money it's better for that person to walk away because then the shop is not losing any money at all they're not even wasting their time with someone that doesn't have the money to pay That's how you keep people who are freeloaders and leeches away
It's like everything else. Nobody wants to pay what it cost for quality professional work. That, and manufacturers don't want to pay a fair rate for doing warranty work to fix lackluster thrown together vehicles. I know a couple of dozen senior master technicians that have left the automotive industry after decades of skilled repair because micro management types don't want to pay the cost for an expert experienced technician. They think that they can hire people off the street at an hourly rate but still collect for a professional job
That's why I left the mechanic world. I work as an electrician now and love life so much more for it. Working on cars is a severely undervalued skill and every average Joe thinks they know better.
I needed my struts replaced on my 2011 Sienna They had to take most of the bottom of the car apart and the quote was 700 and the guy told me what he needed to remove. He didn't know it was going to be that difficult. I bought the struts and brought them, which they were 300 my cost. And I have been going to this mechanic each year. He was nice and honored his quote. It is rare to find a mechanic who will do this. He owns the shop. He used to be about a week out. Now he is 3 weeks to get an appointment. He is really honest and the word of mouth is spreading that he is good. I am happy for him. I referred people to him. I want to see him get a lot of business.
I have a mechanic like this... word spread and he turns down work all the time.. basically has so much business he only works on a few brands he likes now
That’s great that he’s honest and trustworthy. BUT: He’s booked THREE WEEKS out now…who’s got three weeks to wait on a repair?? That’s rather unfortunate in a way but of course, wonderful for him. Proves that we reap what we sew in this life. But again, when my car breaks down, I need a mechanic RIGHT NOW!! As in: TODAY!!
Mechanics / shops need to get at least all the money for parts up front and maybe for some of the labor. If the customer balks at this, sent them on their way.
Oh gosh, I’ve had so many car problems in the last year and a half, I pay for them all to be fixed. I can’t imagine going without my car long-term. I was getting rides from my brother or borrowing his car for two months while I waited for a replacement engine to arrive for my Acura, and have it installed. That was a long two months! And an expensive repair! Then I had the alternator replaced… the windshield… the radiator… not to mention the timing belt I had put on a month BEFORE the original engine seized up for all time… these repairs are suckin’ me dry but I pay the mechanics because I need my car. Thank you to the mechanics for all that you do! (And also the autoglass technicians!)
Facts. That repair cost more then the value of the car. Same with that cadi and mercury that was also left there. 5,000$+ for repair a car valued at 3,500$
@@Gen10civicget the customer to make a $1K down payment for a new transmission. If they won’t do that, then you know they won’t have the $$ to pay for the complete repairs. Hand the car back.
@@paulsz6194 Shoot, more than that. Make them pay your total cost of parts. That way you are not totally screwed. You may still end up selling it but just to cover the labour. If they won't go that they were going to dump it anyway.
I had a wire get chewed through on my Honda and the first place I took it wanted to swap the transmission, took it to the dealer and they repaired the wire and we were good!
That is rare for the dealer to be honest. You're lucky they didn't tell you needed to replace the whole car! A car dealership is the last place I'd take my car to get repaired....
For me I don't trust mechanics because I've been ripped off before so basically I do it myself. When it was just a simple drain of the transmission he didn't do anything he just gave me an empty bottle in 15 minutes and the next time I did my transmission the guy told me it was never changed. This is just one of the complaints. I have many more
Most of the time they just don't want to pay. Dealerships can't just do whatever they want. Every brand is different, but most have certain standards that have to be followed. Either way, if you don't do the job right, it will come back.
My buggies home and it only cost me a small fortune not the house. They couldn't find the reason for my and 3A's original complaint but found other things (little pull to the side, little leak, etc). Like I said it's old and I knew age was wearing things out. At least my tires passed muster for inspection.
You also begin to lose parts support from the OEM after 10 years. It's not all parts, but there are important ones that start being hard to find and on "national backorder with no ETA".
I’m sorry to say there are more deadbeat and unethical mechanics, ( who lie and don’t do the work properly), then there are people who are not willing to pay for their repairs!! True facts and said!
Yea this guy in the video I wouldn't trust if my life depended on it.. I paid over 7k for a transmission from a shop.. it was to be new or remanufactured.. it didn't have 5th gear.. spray paint all over the front drive shaft.. ended up having to go to a different shop to warranty the transmission and pay another few grand. On top of the first shop not doing the exhaust correctly making me breathe the fumes in the winter inside the cab..
I feel you. My story is I paid but I experienced the same oil leaking which was presented initially. Oh, no, now it's other leaks per the mechanic shop that ripped me off.
Not really an overall Economic statement. It says more about how trash cars are now. They depreciate so rapidly and are such a pain in the ass to repair that they aren't worth it most of the time. This video is proof. If cars were built to last and maintained their value, repairing would be the choice.
Obvious trump cult member. The economy is booming, that's what saved so many people when inflation hit hard. They could demand and get raises because unemployment is so low. Of course you want to play pretend inflation IS the economy when they are two different things.
The unemployment numbers are funny right now. Less people are in the workforce providing services at companies or manufacturing products but more people are getting monitised on social media, selling stuff on Etsy or marketplace or just doing stuff like door dash or Uber. These people aren't showing up in employment numbers but they're leaving jobs unfilled. I don't think our current way of calculating employment numbers properly factor them in. Most importantly with them not being in the work force and filling much needed jobs I think companies need to figure out a way to fill those positions. We'll fail as a nation if most of our citizens are working these jobs.
And if you drive on the road and you notice what type of car always cuts you off or does something stupid or runs a red light and almost kills you it’ll be a Nissan Nissan drivers are assholes !
Thanks for letting me know but I kind of figured out something's wrong when Nissan right now is not making any money they're incentivizing so hard they're even trying to get the salesman's to push those things they're paying the sales people just thousands of dollars not even including the incentives that they're pushing
Good thing as a semi-retired mechanic, I am able to repair pretty much any issue my own cars/motorcycles have. If I can't, my best friend/family member can. All free labor too.
People don’t want to be mechanics of any kind because the shops require you to spend THOUSANDS on tools and expect you to work a 10 hour day for the same wage as a Burger King employee
@@brettevans5890 Where? WHERE? average is BELOW 30% of door and thats at a really decent shop here. It USED to be 33% but owners have used the last couple recessions and immigration to push wages down.
Lol, not sure what shops you've worked at but I make about 4 times what a Burger King employee does per hour, but I'm flat rate. Work 8 hours a day, flag 12-15 and watch my wife and kids spend all my money, lol.
Yep, on their own time, do the extra diagnostic, deal with rust , broken bolts, poor previous repairs and by the time they learn the hard way, they already invested too much tools and time to start over again.
Still doesn't offset the amount of times people were told something had to be replaced, simply because the mechanic didn't think he wast going to make enough off labor and needed to stick a part in their bulk-up the bill.
Not true, transmissions have “learned” to adapt to driving styles and adapt for fuel efficiency and maximum power output. This takes tuning. Just like an engine.
@OhNo4Sho I work for an oem. They design everything so that not only can you not work on it but neither can a 3rd party tech. It's outrageous and cars back in 2009 didn't require this non sense. Whatever they can do to squeeze ya
@OhNo4Sho : Haha, most nonsense thing I heard. Ofcours you don't program "driving behaviour" into a gearbox. What are you, a kid playing with your transformers? 😂
You at least seem like an honest mechanic, I learned how to do a lot on my cars from family and RUclips. It’s hard to find reputable mechanics at times.
you heard what he said. the shop charges 200 and he gets 20. But Ive never had a good experience at a mechanic shop other than exhaust work. I hate doing that but I do the rest myself for 40 years. All shops are ripoffs, I try and get diagnosis and they are totally incompetent and want to throw parts at it for no reason
@@jonathannagela2130 and I’m aware of what he said, and I agree for the work that I cannot do I have an honest mechanic I go to. It’s best to get a diagnosis, that’s what I always do is get a diagnosis first myself. But that’s with anything though, Even if a doctor gives you a diagnosis it’s best to get a second or third opinion. Even with plumbers etc. most professionals take advantage of ignorance. That’s why I do some work myself just to save money and for big jobs the mechanic I have is reasonable and doesn’t mess your car up so you have to bring it right back. Plus he lets me watch so I learn along the way and ask questions. you are blessed to be able to do all of your work on your car however, I can not do everything on my car but I do some work on it.
Modern vehicles ARE THE PROBLEM!!! Just look at the recalls for Chevy & Ford on their 10 spd transmissions, for example. Plagued with problems from the get-go. Same with the 5.7 liter "hemi" engine. Anyone who has one & has had issues knows what I am talking about. When I was a mechanic before all this high tech stuff, we were taught that the simplest & most efficient path from point A to point B was a straight line. Now, it's anything but!!!
Sorry that happened to you. I am from a family of mechanics. Luckily Dad had good honest and appreciative customers . They returned consistently through the years. Dad was a great mechanic too. Have people leave a deposit. I would say half of the cost for a big job like that.Even if they don’t return you still have something . Don’t quit your skills are needed. 🥰
Yeah, I do tree work and I always ask for half down and if you really have an issue with people paying you write up a paper if it’s a big big job and your fridge you’re gonna get stiffed right up a paper that they owe you five or 10%or something out of the original payment if they cancel the job cause I’ve had people wait till the day we’re about to pull in. We gotta pull in and they canceled the job when we get there.
The customers are always the worst part you either going to have a customer that's really respectful, when it comes to working on someone's vehicle in any capacity you always have a chance of dealing with a guy that knows everything, or just a jerk which tends to be the majority unfortunately
I’d rather work on a shitty car myself than pay a shitty mechanic who f’a the job up for $200 a hour labor. Working on cars is not rocket science. Reevaluate your servicw
YUP. I quit the industry altogether because I was sick and tired of imbecile customers waddling into the shop area (which they're NOT supposed to do) and telling me; an accredited mechanic with years of experience and training; how to do my job or that I wasn't doing something the way they wanted. It just drove me up the wall after a while. Now, I do it for fun. I have multiple trophy-winning vintage cars that I've restored; and I have a small fleet of people who both trust me to work on their stuff and I trust not to be dildos about it. Not to mention, the whole system is messed up. Spend thousands of dollars on training, TENS of thousands of dollars in tools.... to start out at minimum wage. I can totally understand why the younger folks don't want to work on cars. I still get the occasional unsolicited offer for work but when I ask what their offering me for a wage, I just laugh and politely decline. You want a mechanic with over 25 years experience? You pay that man for his knowledge and experience.
My poor daddy was the towns only mechanic from 1969 to 2005 when he passed..he worked daylight to dark,felt bad for people & let them pay for repairs jn installments ..its is a mess working with the public but it fed us well & i was taught what REAL hard work is😮
I’m a lawyer, and this is the same reason I am not in private practice -too many clients do not pay their bills even though they agree to the fees. I feel your frustration .
Yet as a lawyer you have the ability to put a lean on their accounts leans on their pay checks or any of their property. And you will still get paid. Or change areas of law and work as a civil lawyer working for a percentage of settlements. That way your always paid.
The problem with mechanics is they quote you one price then suddenly bump it by a couple hundred when it comes time to pay like people have that kind of money just floating about.
A quote, or estimate, is just that, an estimate. Techs don't have x-ray vision. You never know what else you'll find after it comes apart. Of course, if you do find something that's going to add to the price, you call the customer 1st to keep them informed AND so there's no surprises when it comes time to pay the bill. The ultimate goal however, is to come in under estimate and give them a bill lower than the quote.b I was a tech for 40 years and saw vehicles get worse and worse as time went on. So glad to have been able to retire from it all last year(!)
I ran into the scenario where people would get an estimate from you, and then they would go somewhere else and have it repaired and then complain about your estimate because it was too high. Meanwhile some of the items on your estimate were there because you suspected they were going to be required when you did the repair, but the shop that actually did the repair either found they were needed or just didn't replace them. You can't win it doesn't matter which way, if you quote a little higher to cover incidentals then you're ripping people off but if you quote low and end up needing those incidentals you're ripping people off. I used to ask people if they knew the other place was going to do better and why did they come to me to begin with
A simple job can turn into an expensive job....I went to do rear brake pads on a car the other day, a simple 20 min job...no. Calipers were seized solid internally and on the slides and needed replaced.....brake line fittings were seized solid into the caliper.... brake hoses were seized solid where they connect to the steel brake lines and virtually impossible to access due to location beside petrol tank. A 20 min job took 4 hours and an overnight wait on parts. A £60-£70 (I'm very cheap😂) job unfortunately turned into a £260 job.....£180 of that was for new parts.
Exactly, a shop I worked for had a sign at the front desk that said "Due to unforseen circumstances estimates are not exact quotes" you never know what you will find or have break when you start taking something apart, especially the older it is or in places like the Midwest where everything is completely rusted solid.
Yup now I only work on cars as a side hustle and I am a certified mechanic as well and I'm grateful that I do all the repairs on my own vehicles but I don't like to work on other people's vehicles
I hate repairing other people's cars. I always get myself out of doing it somehow, someway, but there are occasions when I will cause it just feels wrong of me not to for some people.
Serpentine belt replacement $1000 4 rotors/4 pads. $1000 4 tires. $1500 Oil change. $ 150 And you wonder why people are always pissed when they see you
My dad did this and went to jail for grand theft auto they ripped his whole business from him. He was on trial for 5 years lost everything they seized all his cars and tools . He ended up getting acquitted after a 5 year trial. Thank you to that one jury person who didn’t think my dad was guilty you are amazing. Was a hung jury.
My mechanic loves me. I always pay 75% up front. I've had plenty of times where they finished my bikes on the same day when I scheduled it for the upcoming. It also helps that I can show my wife the second bill, which is only 25% of the total. 😅
Next time Im looking for a car Ill look for a mechanic instead of a salesman.
You're more likely gonna get the truth on problem cars and what engines or transmission are bad and to stay away from.
And it will be a recently fixed automobile 😂
Makes sense 🤔 I have pointed my friends in the right direction for years.
I helped my friend buy a car like that once. It does come with risks for the mechanic doing this though. In Ottawa, Canada, some person complained to the newspaper when the car had the same issues as listed when sold to her. Obviously the article was written in such a way to tell people to pay attention when purchasing a vehicle, but she could have just as easily sued them and cost them legal fees
LOL, as a mechanic, be carful, we don't take very good car of our own vehicles much less a leaned vehicle. Meaning, we don't check shit else. Might be a great deal if you are mechanically included. The repair here might be more then the car was worth.
My father owns a shop which I’ve been working at for 5 years. If there’s a repair over $4000 we have the customer pay half up front. Really helps.
Should be common business practice
You’re saying it’s common for people to ditch their cars.
When I was doing side work, I started doing same thing. Half up front and the rest upon completion.
Everytime I tell a customer they have to pay atleast 50% upfront they get angry and insulted. Blows my mind
@@s14sr240silvia Which makes no sense to me why people do this. If you need the repair done and have gone in to get a quote and approve the quote, logic tells you they have the money to pay for it. Whether it's 0% or 50% now or the remaining 50% or even 100% in a few days after the repair, what difference does it make? Either way, you'll be paying the full amount within days of dropping it off. God people are insufferable sometimes.
The moment you said "Nissan Altima" I knew where this was headed.😂😂
Big Altima energy
😂😂😂
I had an 09 wth the 3.5 in it I drive for years most dependable car I ever had I sold it last year for 4k with 290k miles on it the lady is still driving it.
Black women….
@youtubebannedme4207 depends probably the one in the video has a cvt transmissions. The autos I heard aren't too bad. Probably wouldn't touch one tho unless I had no choice.
We always ask for a deposit for anything over a certain amount of money.
Reminds me of the old Army saying,
"CYA (Cover You Arse)."
I’ll deposit these balls 😂 and be on my way to the next shop.
My work started doing that for tires and other parts.
Bro that's an old ass Nissan. The repair cost more than the car. Your spidey senses should've been tingling
Deposit for gearbox has to be paid upfront. If no payment is made, work is declined. Simple as that.
You’re still out a good bout of money
@@adamdelorenzo5407 most people with deposits down won't abandon because they skin in the game.
@@adamdelorenzo5407 not.if you can legally sell the car.😂
*Yes probably pay BEFORE the job is best.*
Right!! Who does whole job first without deposit or contract signed
Imagine waking up 15 years from now and suddenly remembering that you never picked your car up from the mechanic
Gotta have a case of amnesia for that to be possible bro 😂 a vehicle is a pretty large item to go missing and not notice for years hahaha
@@yaboihuck6145Yeah, for the larger part of the population, and or organizations which get cars to run development work on them, government stuff.
And realizing you've been walking 40 miles to work every day
I have dreams like that where I'll buy trucks and forget where they are.
You might wanna go see a Doctor if you forgetting cars...
This is why you get some kind of chunky deposit for a big job.
Exactly. We started doing that recently after these cars were left here.
@@justcallmeeddie1 My mechanic started to do that as well. If its something like an engine job or transmission you pay for the part before its ordered.
It feels like no one has any money right now, but in this country you need a car. My mechanic is always backed up with jobs and I constantly recommend him.
@@justcallmeeddie1 You have to be very clear about EXACT cost of repair
One time a mechanic told me it is going to $35 cost to fix some minor issue
when I went to pick it up he had made the bill for $300
( I did pay it but some mechanics use trick to get approval with lower amount and then bill higher after they are done)
@@txt4rthat's sketchy as hell.
@@Greeko_Poloz yes - most mechanics are honest about that but sometimes you get people like that who give bad name to all the other mechanics
When you are fortunate enough to have an excellent auto mechanic, you should treat that mechanic really well. I often offered to pay for expensive parts upfront and didn't wait to be asked. I respected his schedule and his time. I always paid promptly upon picking up my vehicle. As a result, my mechanic even came to my work address to fix something minor and sometimes for small things said "no charge." You are blessed if you have a good relationship with your auto mechanic.
Sounds as if a lot of favors were performed…😳
Nissan Altima and Transmission in same sentence... story checks out!
Nissan & Hyundai/KIA suck IMO
My 2010 Altima has 261,000 miles and no problems with the CVT transmission. I change the fluid every few years and I don't drive it like a lunatic.
Lmfao yep 🤣
It literally has 183k miles, and based on the story, this lady dont sound like the kind of lady who keeps up with the maintenance
My 13 sentra only has 115,000km on it and the tranny is fucked. Never beat it up and did proper scheduled maintenance . Nissan refuses to recall these CVT only extended warranty to 84 months and I didn't start have these problems till after the time limit... this shouldn't be a warranty issue it should be a full recall
You're so right, no one knows how hard a good mechanic's job really is
Other mechanics know... anyone who's ever tried to fix a car themselves knows... plenty of people know. There's just way more who dont.. 😅
you must be ignorant and not know mechanics make good money by overcharging... they will also get their money back by selling the cars so it isnt like they are going to lose money.
@@temujinkhan6326bud, they need to make a living they have families to feed? Lmfao
@@celitacantrill10 it’s not hard at all. Not with the right tools. And most mechanics have a tool addiction. It’s actually a really chill job. I was a mechanic for 5 years before going into manufacturing.
@austinquick6285 depends on what kind of mechanics your referring about. Automotive sure.
I worked as a mechanic for 7 years, changed careers to IT. Different set of headaches but never missed a paycheck.
IT? Computers and all that?
I went to auto tech school for a semester, didn't finish the 2nd because of covid but just dropped it and been 3 yrs as a cable guy its been much better as well as pays better than any shop can.
Before covid I went to community college and almost finished all the auto tech classes but not sure if I want to finish it now.
@@chrisd5758fr I’m about done. Even at an exotic car shop I’m getting 30$ and the information to fix these cars is locked at the manufacturer vaults. So im always looking stupid makes me mad. And they expect you to do it all no issues like you guys don’t even have equipment. And dealers that do have terrible pay. It’s atrocious. Dying for sure. And robots can’t take those jobs. Everything is maintained by mechanics. Who’s building roads and buildings with bad equipment. No one. So they should pay mechanics more than even the operators of the machines since operators can’t function without a proper mechanic.
@@swimers100 I can't freaking believe that shit.
So sorry that happens. Mechanics are needed!
Most mechanics are thugs and over charge anyways
I don't know how car mechanics can even do all these complicated repairs. I have great respect for a good mechanic and will always treat them well and pay them well for their services.
I hate that everything has to be "programmed" and "updated" and "smart".
Dumb and expensive
this is exactly why i gor rid of ny 2014 ford and bought a 2005 GMC sierra for my business. That truck is absolutely solid. Never had any mechanical issues, or transmission, or any problem outside of regular wear and tear.
I had to replace my car recently and I couldn't find anything near me that doesn't need all the extra crap.
They also lie about that stuff though. I had a jeep Cherokee that was the limited edition that had all the fancy electronic crap and the thermostat went out and they tried to say it’s be 600 bucks and I couldn’t do it myself because without their fancy guy to reprogram it. It would never recognize the new part, they were full of shit. I bought the part from the store for $45 bucks and had the old one off and new one on in 3 hrs and when I turned on the car the check engine light went away immediately and everything was fine. And I’m not a car guy just watched a RUclips video how to do it. Most these guys are scam artists.
Old head, get with the times
This is why a lot of guys make you pay for the parts before they even order them.
Prefer ordering the part myself
@@lukewalken1316Either way. It shows that the customer is gonna pony up the cash for the repair.
@@shelfcloud487if she is willing to leave a car behind then a few hundred bucks wont make a difference
@@lukewalken1316didn't ask, but cool
@@lukewalken1316 Thats because you do not want to be charged a markup on the part. You do not realize that the labor is going to be more. When you nickle and dime a person many times, the job is nickle and dimed.
My husband is a master mechanic and got out because of the pay issue, he could fix anything but his boss didnt want to pay him what he was worth and treated him like he was replaceable. He fixes private planes now, gets a very nice paycheck and his boss loves him. People that want their planes repaired never skip the bill and certainly don't leave them to collect dust.
Oooo those people must be of the higher highest class huh!?
It's always great when you finally get the respect that you deserve.
@@John-ro2ir Yes, quite...🤴
was the old boss able to replace him?
Anybody is replaceable but I agree with what you’re trying to say.
Former Service Advisor here. I’m in Canada so laws could be different but always collect the name, phone number and address at first contact with the customer so you have the ability to send it to a collection agency if they don’t return. Selling the car works too but with older vehicles they’re usually not worth as much as the work that was put into them in my experience. Also for big jobs just do a 25% deposit before work on the vehicle begins.
Its rare to find a good mechanic.
Had a suv that needed heavy work, i told him i couldn't afford it, he said he'll fix it for me if i pay for the parts and pay his labor in payments.
I paid him all i owed in two weeks.
We didn't do any financing or sign any paperwork for the payment plan, he just trusted me and had faith. He trated me right when i needed it, least i cam so if pay him for his work.
I agree is rare. I had a great mechanic and a friend (RIP) that was also an engineer and he loved his work and sport cars. He always tested his repairs, he once told me his favorite car to work on was an Audi A3 (or A4) sportback. Like next year or so, he lost his life testing that same car. He was a great driver. I can’t see one of those cars without feeling angry because I know the car didn’t do something it was supposed to do that day.
Fair enough man but not all motor/mechanic business models can work this way unfortunately.
Very true. Guys down the street for me are the only mechanics I've ever trusted.
My mom tried a different shop down the road just to see how they are. Told her she'd need a whole new oil pan since the current one is beyond repair and would be 5-600.
She took it to the mechanics I go to and shit you not, they said, "what did they say?...how much!?.. ma'am, you had a loose drain plug and the filter wasn't on tight enough so it leaked. We gave you an oil change. 50 bucks."
My mother, nor I, have ever gone anywhere else.
Did the same to a guy 3 years ago,he told me he had to provide for his kids...he changed his phone nr and im still waiting for my 500 euros
It's rare to find a good contractor, plumber, painter, whoever. Most of them are f.g greedy idiots.
My neighbor is a great mechanic, but he said all new cars are overpriced junk.YES,ALL!!!!!
All of mine are earlier than 2008 and not insurmountable to work on. Any car after that has to get stupid things like having the transmission "programmed" to work.
Yep, all.
They are ALL called "planned obsolescence "
You guys can thank me later 😅
I remember my dad talk to me when in 1974, I started looking for a car. He worked on cars when they were cars and trucks and not plastic on a computer. today I am glad he is not alive to see the junk they are creating now.
Highly replaceable junk. Costly i should add. This goes beyond cars/trucks. Nothing is made to last anymore.
I have had the same mechanic for 10 years! He does great work. My truck is still on the road. I bought it brand new 18 years ago. He keeps it like it's brand new. I would never think not to pay him. I love what he does!
Where is he located?
And you always pay him. I am the same way.
@@doc4ladyhope we get the location
@@doc4ladyRight
Take him on a date
Sounds like if I want a new car for a great price, I should hit up the mechanics. Thanks for the info, you're a great guy.
Some of the shops around me ran into a similar issue but they were pretty smart about it they fixed up the cars of the customers that never came to pay and retrieve and they actually use them as rental cars now for their other customers if they have to leave their car in their shop for longer than a day a customer can pay to rent one of those cars to drive until their car is fixed.
Now that is a smart shop owner.
That's smart as fuck
Very good idea
I hope they filed and received mechanic liens and registered/insured them in their name, otherwise they have opened a liability big enough to lose their business and send them to the poorhouse.
Waa Waa Waa.
Respect to you mechanics. Computerized components of cars make repairs SO MUCH more EXPENSIVE!
Yes, but they also make cars easier to drive and use less fuel.
@@anzaca1but still expensive
He only needs to recoup the transmission and labor though. He'll make a pretty penny asking for blue book.
@jandoel He’ll recoup, but not a pretty penny. Those vehicles with common faults sell pretty cheap
@@anzaca1 no they don't lol..
my 72 chevy truck with BUILT 350 got 14 mpg just like a new truck , new cars dump fuel to keep the catalytic converter hot at idle and partial throttle,
Honestly I would much rather buy a car from a mechanic than anyone else. My mechanic I trust with my life, he’s so honest and has been a life saver to my family during the really dark and impoverished days. Total respect to mechanics esp those who are honorable and don’t try and get one over on their customers.
I hate to tell you mechanics never work on their own cars. coming from personal experience we always end up fixing everybody else’s stuff and not our own
I have the exact same trust in my mechanic. I bought from him an old Honda Odyssey with high mileage. He took care of it very well and it runs great.
@tucanoguy4719 true. Im a mechanic and bought a brand new hyundai. Not bc i think they are super reliable or nice, but they have a great warranty, and the last thing i want to do is work on my own damn car. Other than oil changes/fluid changes and tires, havent touched it.
Same here. Couldnt have said it better
Nah man. My friend bought a car that was an owner forfeiture from a mechanic. Well the car was not fixed properly. Plus, the mechanic shop never filed the paperwork correctly, so she never could get the title in her name. Car broke down on the side of the road, then got towed, and she never saw it again.
Dude you're so blessed!!!! You have a profession, a good job and on top of that you get free cars!!!!!!
Did you watch the video? Wow 😂
You are doing car repairs that cost more than the vehicle is worth. When the owner realizes what’s happening they ditch the car. I’m sure you know this
Sometimes I've paid for repairs "worth more than the car" because the rest of it is fine and has had so many parts replaced its worth far more than I would get for it at a garage sale. And still 70,000 cheaper than a new one
They want 7 to 10 thousand for a job like this you can buy a Altima with 190k for 2 to 3k that runs and drives fine all cvts are junk why would you by the time you go through 3 Altimas that pos will need another 7 to 10k transmission job
Yeah if your shop is having this happen frequently your advisors might be on dirt. Honest advisors make sure a customer understands and has thought thru what’s going on before they replace a motor/transmission.
You want to advise service that is honest, sensible, and smart. Idk the details but I kinda doubt they truly thought it was sensible to be replacing that Altima transmission.
@@ThisTimeTheWorld Altima costs $70,000 now? Not yet
@@ThisTimeTheWorld You are one in several hundred thousand. good for you though.
As a 20 year master mechanic. I remind people the 90s were about the mechanical engine. Now the 21st century it’s all cheap electronic garbage. Pre Obsolescence. All the auto manufacturers are guilty.
Right
Interference motors
wtf!?!
Need one manufacturer (or a new one) to start making them reliable to make the others shape up or go out of business.
My uncle refuses to drive anything made after 1985. He keeps his beaters running himself with some parts he may have to get rebuilt.
That's why I drive old vehicles I pay cash for. even with getting work done on them it's still way cheaper than financing. A lot of the repairs I can do myself with a Haynes manual lol 😊❤
@@pigalottafattenton5003it too bad that parts for a lot of vehicles are getting harder and harder to find, or the laws restricting what you can do to the vehicle are getting stricter and stricter.
Mechanics are like lawyers, you can’t blindly trust mechanics. Sone throw the parts cannon at everything. some mechanics read a single diagnostic code and then tell the customer they need a $10,000 repair
Some dont even do any real work
Some.. Just like in your profession. Many lazy crooks there i bet..
My mechanic loves me and I love and respect him and his services❤❤❤❤
Honey, I'll be a little late, I'm getting some service from my mechanic. 🤔😯😂
Well “Nissan Altima”was your First clue.
Have them pay 60% FIRST
Guess the race! Lol
This car plus the other two cars solidified it beautifully.
I paid $1900 cash for an 06 altima with 150k or so miles on it a year ago. Still driving it atm. In this economy, I'll take driving what seems to be the shittiest car on the internet for a good price. The dealership wanted 14k for a 2013 ford focus with 130k miles that was falling apart when I test drove it it felt like. It had one of those new cheap transmissions in it.
I'll take an altima over the overpriced clapped ford focus from a dealership. Cars can always be worse than an altima, and others definitely better xD.
Nissan always loses!
But isn't he actually kinda can gain more money from it,ya their is the headache to sell the car but he got a free car,he can just sell it and make money on top of the transmission money
Years ago I bought a nice car at the repair shop. I bought it for the cost of the repair and got the title from the shop too. It was cheap and reliable.
Were YOU cheap and reliable or was your car (I'm guessing the later)?
How did they have the title?
@@Apletree_Musictalk to an attorney. They can explain it better than most.
Why would the shop have the title?
@hiroshi138 it's called a lien, like he said. Basically by law if you ask somebody to do a job, like mechanic, and you don't pay, it isn't okay to just say oh well they don't get paid. There is legal solutions for him to declare the car no longer the property of the person who skipped out. The mechanic shop can be given the title to the car in order to sell so the shop can get paid. Exactly what he said in the video is legally true.
Nissan needs to be made accountable for their junk cvts that have had the same problems for more than 10 years !
Nissan doesn't make cvts.
@@GSPirosakithey most definitely do. Just Google Nissan cvt problems.
@GSPirosaki yes they do. My husband had one of the first Maximas that came out with the CVT. One month later, brand new car stalled in the middle of an intersection of a busy road. 3 months later we have it back with a brand new transmission.
Blame Carlos 'the thief' Ghosn.
He started putting Renault parts into Nissans, in the late 90s, which coincidentally is about the same time as Nissan started to go downhill and also stopped honouring their warranties, he then mixed in some Russian shatboxes, started blending it with Mitsubishi and GM.
Next, he falsely over reported profits in Nissan, under reported his wages, and transferred personal debt to Nissan, transferred funds from Nissan into a Saudi Arabian trust fund he had in cahoots with a Saudi sheik, stole some more money from a Nissan Mitsubishi alliance, stole money from Renault, set up a dodgy bank account to transfer money from Yen to US dollars, got fined by the US stock exchange for not declaring the $140m that he had stolen, was released on bail, escaped house arrest, fled to Lebanon on a Turkish plane.
And that is why people don't want to buy those brands of vehicles, people don't want to be mechanics to work on them, and people are generally disappointed with the whole car industry and are going to take many decades to trust Electric Vehicles if this is what has happened to vehicles that have been manufactured almost unchanged for 100 years, how could they ever trust the new technology..
it had 189K miles....
Turo them now. They yours now homie , got you a blessing
With major repairs especially those with high end parts costs always take a deposit prior to starting the work.
Exactly. How tf have they done business this long without that being the default practice...
Shoot. During my radiator repair, I had to put down a $200 deposit before they ordered the part and started on the repair.
When he said Altima , I knew the owner will never came back for the car 😂
This is a stupid question but why?
@@robert5235iykyk, if you don’t know…just move along 😂
@@robert5235 never a question is considered stupid , as to the why ? A significant percentage of Altima owners are minorities on the low income range , taking the car to the mechanic for a transmission rebuild will cost more that what they paid for the car , hence why the owner never came back to claim her vehicle .
Did she pay for the car or did baby daddy jump it for her and she been driving it around till she killed it
@@robert5235dey blikk fo sho
I was asking 50% paid in advance before I started any big job. And that was 45 years ago. By doing that, I managed to end that BS. It's not a new problem in the business.
A mechanic is no better than a used car salesman
Thats the only way to do this job.
@@sherbstonecorrect
Car repair was not as outrageous priced back then
Had an upholstery business for 25 years, no work without a deposit.
I was about to suggest the same thing, it will cure the problem.
Never been happier since giving up being a mechanic and only using my knowledge for myself. I ain't helping these terrible people no more.
2013 Nissan Altima said it all....
Thinking the same thing
I gotta 2010
Although this one still has it front bumper and didn’t look like it sideswiped a semi.
Get a deposit.
The damn car isn't even worth the cost of the transmission replacement.
Something like that should require a card to be on file.
They for sure mentioned it to someone and that someone said “thats a rip off just go get a used for car for that price”
Yup and I've never heard of a transmission having to be programed
Guaranteed told my boss one day what a mechanic quoted me and he said ain't no way your paying that much told me to bring it to his house a hour later gas tank is changed and I saved 670 bucks minus the 30 bucks for the gas tank
Yup. it's almost never worth the cost to replace a transmission on an older car.
you can find a good used one at the mechanics shop usually. 🙃
Might also have something to do with shops charging $200/hr for labor and paying the dude doing the actual work $20/hr
It's almost like garages have to pay rent or taxes on the property. Good luck repairing a car without a garage.
My problem is more like charging you 3 hours of labor for something that should quite easily be done in less than 1, especially considering the tools and equipment in the shop
@@procrastinator6902the 3 hours pays for the tools, equipment, and skill to get it done in 1. Not a single one of those things is cheap. You can always pick up a wrench and try it yourself.
I say BS
That's BS
Dude, we need more good mechanics like you! I hope you stsy in the trade and make a lot of money!!
Good honest mechanics are worth their weight in gold
Yet very rare
If you can find one, it's like a unicorn.
Ain't found one yet....
Had a really good one. Didn't hear from him for a while. Turns out he got locked up for kiddy korn. 🤮
@@g-mode5047 - that’s insane, guess you never know what people do behind closed doors. 🤮 is right
If u think you’ve found one…let know.
This is why I like old cars. None of this complicated crap, you can do most of the repairs for yourself.
sadly, those are becoming more and more obsolete. Definitely tougher to find these days, especially working ones.
The main issue is some of them, having to find parts that are no longer made for that particular year.
Had to get rid of my 93 Oldsmobile cause the brake line was out and apparently, those weren't made anymore. It would have cost way more to get one than get a new car.
Cash for clunkers destroyed alot of the older vehicles.
@CasualVideoGamer My current one is a 2000 Tahoe. Fortunately, you can still get parts for it, but some repairs are definitely challenging to do in your driveway without a lift.
@ryancole6098 Yeah, it's sad that most older cars have been destroyed. I miss the 60s through early 80s cars. They started going downhill in the 80s with the "brain boxes" and fuel injectors.
It is being purposely done by these corporations so that you can't get a mechanic to fix them. They will only be able to be fixed through the dealership so they can charge you an arm and a leg.
We ask customers to pay in advance (at least 70% of the material price) if the estimated price is beyond a certain limit. It's a must.
We were going for 60% just to get evenish ... and people were still complaining. If they can't afford 60% chances are they won't afford 100%
woudl that nto go by the value of the car.
i mean if i need 5 k worth of stuff for my 2k car i see you point
but if a 50k car and need 5 k worth of stuf you be happy if did nto pay you make more money
@@stevemyopinion423speak English wtf
if the car i getting fix is worth 2k and i get 5 k worth of work on it, i make them pay first.
if my car is worth 50k and only get 5 k worth of work they can pay when they pick it up becous i could make a lot selling the car if they DONT pick up
That's what I did, parts up front, I wouldn't even let them take it for a test drive until paid in full
This checks out. I really wanted to become a car mechanic a couple of years back. I was fully motivated to take that path. Byt then I found out that some customers don't pick up their cars, so I decided against that career.
I had the best mechanic in the world. They doubled his rent so he became a mobile mechanic in a bigger city.😢
I had a great mechanic and he moved to Texas during our states lock down. I wish I knew where, I might follow him.
Most mechanics will go the way bank tellers went. My 7 years old Nissan Leaf haven't seen mechanic even once .
@@xperyskop2475 Mechanic profession is right up there with being a professional poker player. You might win...There's a lot of moving parts.
This is why you establish a relationship with a mechanic you trust. The guy I go to I’ve known for decades.
I've known my guy for 51 years. But then I am that guy. But I've only been working on my own stuff for about 36 years. I do have a garage for those repairs I don't want to do, or when I just don't have time to do it myself.
Any repair over 1500 bucks required a parts deposit and labor deposit back at the garage I worked in during high school.
My local shop doesn't require a deposit from me for some more expensive work. Granted I have been using them for years and they know where I live, so...
only $1,500???
Oh hell NO!
Better be getting at least the total cost of the parts up front, plus the cost of dealership programming!
Where can I buy it ?
Wtf. I worked at firestone as a service manager. Every day we have $1,500+ repairs being done. Just a phone call approval and parts are on the way. Yall are crazy af
@@mikehenson819 Yeah, good luck with that. You'll be sitting your shop doing nothing because ZERO customers will pay up-front.
Finding an honest mechanic guy/shop is one of my top 10 lifelong dreams, close behind buying my own house, and retiring peacefully.
I bought a Subaru from a guy. His mechanic said it needed a new catalytic convertor and a new air conditioning compressor. I replaced the air conditioning fuse and ran fuel injector cleaner through the gas tank. Both items work fine now.
It is absolutely disgusting that you have to take it to the dealer to get it "programmed". Crap like that should be illegal.
It's a CVT transmission and you have to mate the transmission to the TCM. They program the shift points to match the engine. CVTs don't actually shift gears.
That's what the "right to repair" bill is about.
BUT...
If it passes, you can count on manufacturers coming up with new fastener sizes and shapes so you'll have to buy their tools. Instead of OBD2 ports, we'll have proprietary connectors requiring different scanners. And nobody will manufacture a vehicle capable of lasting longer than 2 years.
You can't just put parts in like the old days. This isn't 1982. Everything has computer chips & things like Transmissions or engine computers have to be programmed.
@@Zaakro If only dynos and computers were a thing mechanic shops could have...
This could have been done with a professional scan tool but of course the "mating" procedure has to propietary.
If the car isn't an economical repair (fixed value > scrap value + job cost) you should advise the customer not to bother. If they still want it done, it's payment upfront.
Exactly ...
Foe repairs we really should substitute fixed value for replacement cost.
A car may be only worth 4k retail or 2k trade...maybe 2800 private sale, so a 2000$ repair seems too high
But if a newer car similar is 8k after taxes and searching....then that 2000 repair is still less than you'll spend to drive.
If you go buy a 2000 car, that's not worth the effort because it will have a big repair cost in a month or two.
That is right
For real.
Who takes a job like this when it's not even worth preparing
Facts. I've had multiple cars come through and I just told them listen it's time for a new car. 90% of the time they say 'I was thinking that too, thanks for your honesty'. Then I usually end up helping them find a new car that isn't a shitbox
Man oh man. This dude is the truth
That Altima had 189,000 miles on it. A new transmission basically totals out the car at that point.
Exactly. From the way it sounds, this was probably at least a $6k job. An Altima that age isn’t worth that sort of repair.
Yup, I would have advised buying a more reliable used car with trans money and labor you are well above a 2014 Toyota camry or Honda crv that will be far better bang for buck.
189000 on a Nissan, I’d consider I’ve gotten my moneys worth and junk it.
Jap Crap, these are throw away cars. They are certainly not collector cars.
@@stephen1991 hard to believe what happened to Nissan. I had an 86 300ZX, that I traded in with 270000 miles, and it was still running good.
This has been going on since the beginning of cars
An honest mechanic is a very rare find.
Do you keep up with maintenance on your car? Or do you drive it 150k miles, only do oil changes, then when someone breaks and you’ve never done any maintenance, complain how there are no honest mechanics because of a 5k estimate from stuff you never worked on?
And a ripe affordable avocado is hard to find too...
The only person more deceitful than a politician, is a mechanic.
mechanics are the most untrustworthy people@@aaron_a1on950
@@aaron_a1on950 ask yourself if you would recommend that 5k bill on a 3k car. I mean since you want to change the subject with an irrelevant question.
😂 This is why I own a 1965 Ford Mustang, 1970 VW bus, 1982 Ford F100. Parts are cheap and I can do all repairs myself 😊
I'm so glad I have a good relationship with my local, walkable mechanic. Being within a 10 minute walk of a reliable mechanic is awesome.
Woopty fkn doo.
I’m jealous been looking for a local mechanic where I’m at haven’t had much luck…
@@joshuaromani4241 ask around with your friends and coworkers, im sure one of em have a good local mechanic to recommend. thats how i found my mechanic, who is also now a great friend who tends to never let me pay full price anymore
@@joshuaromani4241yeah it makes life so so much better. Not having to call an Uber and spend more money because of distance. My mechanic is 2 mins away walking. Such a convenience.
Just finding a reliable mechanic is a miracle
I once picked up a 2004 Audi A4 Ultra Sport for $1k. Somebody had the timing belt, water pump, struts, and a bunch of other stuff, left it at a mechanic shop. Never came back for it, and I got after it sat for 7 years. Only had 123k miles and was in perfect condition.
how many miles now?
Require 50% of repair before starting.
They wouldn’t be in business then….
Require COST of materials up front so and half labor. They will walk if don’t have money but will sprint to your shop with remainder
or at least state the repair cost estimate before working, charge an upfront inspection fee and give them the quote before proceeding, much less likely to get ghosted that way
Ask for a 50% deposit before proceeding with the repairs.
@@dimitriosmalatches5522no the shops that don't take money half down for transmissions engine big jobs are the ones that don't stay in business because they got stuck with everything if someone doesn't have the money it's better for that person to walk away because then the shop is not losing any money at all they're not even wasting their time with someone that doesn't have the money to pay That's how you keep people who are freeloaders and leeches away
I didn't know.... Wow. Thank you for sharing.
Hardest part is finding an actual mechanic 🎉
That's sort of correct.
Mechanics or so-called mechanics aren't hard to find.
What's needed and it's hard to find is an automotive technician.
It's like everything else.
Nobody wants to pay what it
cost for quality professional
work.
That, and manufacturers don't
want to pay a fair rate for doing
warranty work to fix lackluster
thrown together vehicles.
I know a couple of dozen senior
master technicians that have
left the automotive industry
after decades of skilled repair
because micro management
types don't want to pay the
cost for an expert experienced
technician. They think that they
can hire people off the street
at an hourly rate but still collect
for a professional job
@@roadrunner40 plenty of "techs" not enough mechanics
@@brandonmacon3317 they only call themselves techs. A mechanic can be a parts changer.
A technician is never a parts changer.
@@maxpinson5002it doesn’t help with this inflation
That's why I left the mechanic world. I work as an electrician now and love life so much more for it. Working on cars is a severely undervalued skill and every average Joe thinks they know better.
I needed my struts replaced on my 2011 Sienna
They had to take most of the bottom of the car apart and the quote was 700 and the guy told me what he needed to remove. He didn't know it was going to be that difficult. I bought the struts and brought them, which they were 300 my cost. And I have been going to this mechanic each year. He was nice and honored his quote. It is rare to find a mechanic who will do this. He owns the shop. He used to be about a week out. Now he is 3 weeks to get an appointment. He is really honest and the word of mouth is spreading that he is good. I am happy for him. I referred people to him. I want to see him get a lot of business.
That good God bless from my part.
Where is he located?
Bots
I have a mechanic like this... word spread and he turns down work all the time.. basically has so much business he only works on a few brands he likes now
That’s great that he’s honest and trustworthy. BUT: He’s booked THREE WEEKS out now…who’s got three weeks to wait on a repair?? That’s rather unfortunate in a way but of course, wonderful for him. Proves that we reap what we sew in this life. But again, when my car breaks down, I need a mechanic RIGHT NOW!! As in: TODAY!!
last time I took my car to get fixed, they almost burnt it down, melted all the wiring in the rear end, and ruined exhaust and more.
My Dad is 58 and he deals with this stuff all the time. It's sad and Pathetic. Respect man.
Cool story
Mechanics / shops need to get at least all the money for parts up front and maybe for some of the labor. If the customer balks at this, sent them on their way.
Oh gosh, I’ve had so many car problems in the last year and a half, I pay for them all to be fixed. I can’t imagine going without my car long-term. I was getting rides from my brother or borrowing his car for two months while I waited for a replacement engine to arrive for my Acura, and have it installed. That was a long two months! And an expensive repair! Then I had the alternator replaced… the windshield… the radiator… not to mention the timing belt I had put on a month BEFORE the original engine seized up for all time… these repairs are suckin’ me dry but I pay the mechanics because I need my car. Thank you to the mechanics for all that you do! (And also the autoglass technicians!)
No all can ,but my acquaintance has 2 cars for this reason.one out of service ,the others inin action
When He said Altima. I knew they was Broke
Facts. That repair cost more then the value of the car. Same with that cadi and mercury that was also left there. 5,000$+ for repair a car valued at 3,500$
@@Gen10civicget the customer to make a $1K down payment for a new transmission. If they won’t do that, then you know they won’t have the $$ to pay for the complete repairs. Hand the car back.
@@paulsz6194 Shoot, more than that. Make them pay your total cost of parts. That way you are not totally screwed. You may still end up selling it but just to cover the labour. If they won't go that they were going to dump it anyway.
"they was broke" ? I think you meant "they is broke".
OOOO that white mercury looks beautiful
As soon as you said Altima, it explained so much
Nissan had to personally program the transmission? Who do they think they are, Apple?
Yeah, altima owners are broke
I had a wire get chewed through on my Honda and the first place I took it wanted to swap the transmission, took it to the dealer and they repaired the wire and we were good!
This is also why mechanics are a dying breed
That is rare for the dealer to be honest. You're lucky they didn't tell you needed to replace the whole car! A car dealership is the last place I'd take my car to get repaired....
Nice to see that it looks like you’re an honest mechanic… sadly your profession is filled with nothing but crooks.
there are just a couple of cars out back...out of thousands hes repaired....his hands are clean
That’s total BS. For every crooked mechanic there is a crooked customer waiting for him.
Far more crooked customers than there are crooked mechanics.. if you know you know.
@@danielhammond3218sike
@@COBRO98lies
For me I don't trust mechanics because I've been ripped off before so basically I do it myself. When it was just a simple drain of the transmission he didn't do anything he just gave me an empty bottle in 15 minutes and the next time I did my transmission the guy told me it was never changed. This is just one of the complaints. I have many more
One reason why stealerships say no to 10+year old cars in the shop
Mine's three decades old, in the shop over a week now waiting on parts - guess they trust me.
Most of the time they just don't want to pay. Dealerships can't just do whatever they want. Every brand is different, but most have certain standards that have to be followed. Either way, if you don't do the job right, it will come back.
My buggies home and it only cost me a small fortune not the house. They couldn't find the reason for my and 3A's original complaint but found other things (little pull to the side, little leak, etc). Like I said it's old and I knew age was wearing things out. At least my tires passed muster for inspection.
You also begin to lose parts support from the OEM after 10 years. It's not all parts, but there are important ones that start being hard to find and on "national backorder with no ETA".
@@JeffDuncan-q4p BMW is amazing for parts though for older cars
Nothing good was going to come after you said "2013 Nissan Altima ".
Melanated customers
@@m1chi13lwilling to bet everyone of those customers were pig colored
And that limo tint Cadillac CTS.
LOL, that's a good one and it's true !
I’m sorry to say there are more deadbeat and unethical mechanics, ( who lie and don’t do the work properly), then there are people who are not willing to pay for their repairs!! True facts and said!
💯
1000000000%.. mechanics just like to complain when they get hit 1/100 times but they’ll never talk about how sleezy they are
@@chaimchalouh1 yes sir! 💯
Yea this guy in the video I wouldn't trust if my life depended on it.. I paid over 7k for a transmission from a shop.. it was to be new or remanufactured.. it didn't have 5th gear.. spray paint all over the front drive shaft.. ended up having to go to a different shop to warranty the transmission and pay another few grand. On top of the first shop not doing the exhaust correctly making me breathe the fumes in the winter inside the cab..
@@jacksparrow3490 Wow! Terrible treatment!
I feel you. My story is I paid but I experienced the same oil leaking which was presented initially.
Oh, no, now it's other leaks per the mechanic shop that ripped me off.
A sign of the hard Economic times. Unemployment is higher than they say it is.
Not really an overall Economic statement. It says more about how trash cars are now. They depreciate so rapidly and are such a pain in the ass to repair that they aren't worth it most of the time. This video is proof.
If cars were built to last and maintained their value, repairing would be the choice.
Obvious trump cult member. The economy is booming, that's what saved so many people when inflation hit hard. They could demand and get raises because unemployment is so low. Of course you want to play pretend inflation IS the economy when they are two different things.
President Kamala will fix the trump recession
The unemployment numbers are funny right now. Less people are in the workforce providing services at companies or manufacturing products but more people are getting monitised on social media, selling stuff on Etsy or marketplace or just doing stuff like door dash or Uber. These people aren't showing up in employment numbers but they're leaving jobs unfilled. I don't think our current way of calculating employment numbers properly factor them in.
Most importantly with them not being in the work force and filling much needed jobs I think companies need to figure out a way to fill those positions. We'll fail as a nation if most of our citizens are working these jobs.
@@ScottCleve33they got 12 million immigrants for their jobs.
We reserve the right to refuse Altima repairs.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Love it!! 🤣🤣
I was a used car dealer for 15 years. Never buy a Nissan. If you are a Mechanic, never work on a Nissan that cost more than an oil change
And if you drive on the road and you notice what type of car always cuts you off or does something stupid or runs a red light and almost kills you it’ll be a Nissan Nissan drivers are assholes !
Thanks for letting me know but I kind of figured out something's wrong when Nissan right now is not making any money they're incentivizing so hard they're even trying to get the salesman's to push those things they're paying the sales people just thousands of dollars not even including the incentives that they're pushing
Nissan = junk
The CVT transmissions in Nissans are crap.
Still driving my 33 year old Nissan
It's a JDM diesel Terrano SUV (USA Pathfinder)....
all mechanical injection, turbo etc.
Had it 23 years......
Good thing as a semi-retired mechanic, I am able to repair pretty much any issue my own cars/motorcycles have. If I can't, my best friend/family member can. All free labor too.
Nissan transmission failed? Who would've thought.
People don’t want to be mechanics of any kind because the shops require you to spend THOUSANDS on tools and expect you to work a 10 hour day for the same wage as a Burger King employee
You mean tens of thousands on tools.
But wage is about 50% of shop labor rate
@@brettevans5890
Where?
WHERE?
average is BELOW 30% of door and thats at a really decent shop here.
It USED to be 33% but owners have used the last couple recessions and immigration to push wages down.
Lol, not sure what shops you've worked at but I make about 4 times what a Burger King employee does per hour, but I'm flat rate. Work 8 hours a day, flag 12-15 and watch my wife and kids spend all my money, lol.
Yep, on their own time, do the extra diagnostic, deal with rust , broken bolts, poor previous repairs and by the time they learn the hard way, they already invested too much tools and time to start over again.
Best advertisement for vehicles for sale lol
Gonna have to get $ Up-Front
Thats why I have my 1995 Mercedes Diesel. It is a tank and easy to fix, no inspection needed, just safety check.
Still doesn't offset the amount of times people were told something had to be replaced, simply because the mechanic didn't think he wast going to make enough off labor and needed to stick a part in their bulk-up the bill.
180k ?
Transmissions should not need to be programmed. More unnecessary automation and computerization.
I was like the hell?
Not true, transmissions have “learned” to adapt to driving styles and adapt for fuel efficiency and maximum power output. This takes tuning. Just like an engine.
@@OhNo4Sho I doubt the added fuel efficiency is worth the extra cost to buy and repair.
@OhNo4Sho I work for an oem. They design everything so that not only can you not work on it but neither can a 3rd party tech. It's outrageous and cars back in 2009 didn't require this non sense. Whatever they can do to squeeze ya
@OhNo4Sho : Haha, most nonsense thing I heard. Ofcours you don't program "driving behaviour" into a gearbox. What are you, a kid playing with your transformers? 😂
You at least seem like an honest mechanic, I learned how to do a lot on my cars from family and RUclips. It’s hard to find reputable mechanics at times.
That's true a lot of the chains and even some indys are just liars. Oh they need MAF cleaned? Parts cannon it and quote them $3k
you heard what he said. the shop charges 200 and he gets 20. But Ive never had a good experience at a mechanic shop other than exhaust work. I hate doing that but I do the rest myself for 40 years. All shops are ripoffs, I try and get diagnosis and they are totally incompetent and want to throw parts at it for no reason
@@jonathannagela2130 and I’m aware of what he said, and I agree for the work that I cannot do I have an honest mechanic I go to. It’s best to get a diagnosis, that’s what I always do is get a diagnosis first myself. But that’s with anything though, Even if a doctor gives you a diagnosis it’s best to get a second or third opinion. Even with plumbers etc. most professionals take advantage of ignorance. That’s why I do some work myself just to save money and for big jobs the mechanic I have is reasonable and doesn’t mess your car up so you have to bring it right back. Plus he lets me watch so I learn along the way and ask questions. you are blessed to be able to do all of your work on your car however, I can not do everything on my car but I do some work on it.
@@jonathannagela2130This is why you go electric. Happy Tesla owner here!
@@KingDavidPraiseYHWHliterally the worst advice I've seen in a comment section anywhere in years.
Modern vehicles ARE THE PROBLEM!!! Just look at the recalls for Chevy & Ford on their 10 spd transmissions, for example. Plagued with problems from the get-go. Same with the 5.7 liter "hemi" engine. Anyone who has one & has had issues knows what I am talking about. When I was a mechanic before all this high tech stuff, we were taught that the simplest & most efficient path from point A to point B was a straight line. Now, it's anything but!!!
As has been said I'll say it again...TAKE DEPOSITS!!!!!!!!
Sorry that happened to you. I am from a family of mechanics. Luckily Dad had good honest and appreciative customers . They returned consistently through the years. Dad was a great mechanic too. Have people leave a deposit. I would say half of the cost for a big job like that.Even if they don’t return you still have something . Don’t quit your skills are needed. 🥰
No one's quitting, it's just a video
Yeah, I do tree work and I always ask for half down and if you really have an issue with people paying you write up a paper if it’s a big big job and your fridge you’re gonna get stiffed right up a paper that they owe you five or 10%or something out of the original payment if they cancel the job cause I’ve had people wait till the day we’re about to pull in. We gotta pull in and they canceled the job when we get there.
Been doing this for 15 years and I've always said I'd rather work on any car than deal with shitty people/customers
The customers are always the worst part you either going to have a customer that's really respectful, when it comes to working on someone's vehicle in any capacity you always have a chance of dealing with a guy that knows everything, or just a jerk which tends to be the majority unfortunately
I’d rather work on a shitty car myself than pay a shitty mechanic who f’a the job up for $200 a hour labor. Working on cars is not rocket science. Reevaluate your servicw
@@thekingofnoobs8362 tell me about it. A lot of "I saw it on RUclips, I know it's a simple fix" is all I hear.
@josemagana3372 it's like do it yourself then
YUP. I quit the industry altogether because I was sick and tired of imbecile customers waddling into the shop area (which they're NOT supposed to do) and telling me; an accredited mechanic with years of experience and training; how to do my job or that I wasn't doing something the way they wanted. It just drove me up the wall after a while.
Now, I do it for fun. I have multiple trophy-winning vintage cars that I've restored; and I have a small fleet of people who both trust me to work on their stuff and I trust not to be dildos about it.
Not to mention, the whole system is messed up. Spend thousands of dollars on training, TENS of thousands of dollars in tools.... to start out at minimum wage. I can totally understand why the younger folks don't want to work on cars.
I still get the occasional unsolicited offer for work but when I ask what their offering me for a wage, I just laugh and politely decline. You want a mechanic with over 25 years experience? You pay that man for his knowledge and experience.
My poor daddy was the towns only mechanic from 1969 to 2005 when he passed..he worked daylight to dark,felt bad for people & let them pay for repairs jn installments ..its is a mess working with the public but it fed us well & i was taught what REAL hard work is😮
I’m a lawyer, and this is the same reason I am not in private practice -too many clients do not pay their bills even though they agree to the fees.
I feel your frustration .
😒
Yet as a lawyer you have the ability to put a lean on their accounts leans on their pay checks or any of their property. And you will still get paid. Or change areas of law and work as a civil lawyer working for a percentage of settlements. That way your always paid.
You are a lawyer you of all people can sue them and you don't even need to spend money on a lawyer 😂
yall screw more people than people screw yall!
My divorce attorney required me to put $3500 down before they would take the case
The problem with mechanics is they quote you one price then suddenly bump it by a couple hundred when it comes time to pay like people have that kind of money just floating about.
It can happen. You drop the trans and find the flywheel is cracked. That often adds up to the figure you stated.
A quote, or estimate, is just that, an estimate. Techs don't have x-ray vision. You never know what else you'll find after it comes apart. Of course, if you do find something that's going to add to the price, you call the customer 1st to keep them informed AND so there's no surprises when it comes time to pay the bill. The ultimate goal however, is to come in under estimate and give them a bill lower than the quote.b
I was a tech for 40 years and saw vehicles get worse and worse as time went on. So glad to have been able to retire from it all last year(!)
I ran into the scenario where people would get an estimate from you, and then they would go somewhere else and have it repaired and then complain about your estimate because it was too high. Meanwhile some of the items on your estimate were there because you suspected they were going to be required when you did the repair, but the shop that actually did the repair either found they were needed or just didn't replace them. You can't win it doesn't matter which way, if you quote a little higher to cover incidentals then you're ripping people off but if you quote low and end up needing those incidentals you're ripping people off. I used to ask people if they knew the other place was going to do better and why did they come to me to begin with
A simple job can turn into an expensive job....I went to do rear brake pads on a car the other day, a simple 20 min job...no.
Calipers were seized solid internally and on the slides and needed replaced.....brake line fittings were seized solid into the caliper.... brake hoses were seized solid where they connect to the steel brake lines and virtually impossible to access due to location beside petrol tank. A 20 min job took 4 hours and an overnight wait on parts. A £60-£70 (I'm very cheap😂) job unfortunately turned into a £260 job.....£180 of that was for new parts.
Exactly, a shop I worked for had a sign at the front desk that said "Due to unforseen circumstances estimates are not exact quotes" you never know what you will find or have break when you start taking something apart, especially the older it is or in places like the Midwest where everything is completely rusted solid.
Yup now I only work on cars as a side hustle and I am a certified mechanic as well and I'm grateful that I do all the repairs on my own vehicles but I don't like to work on other people's vehicles
Yes. Its a double-edged sword when YOU are the warranty.
I hate repairing other people's cars. I always get myself out of doing it somehow, someway, but there are occasions when I will cause it just feels wrong of me not to for some people.
Serpentine belt replacement $1000
4 rotors/4 pads. $1000
4 tires. $1500
Oil change. $ 150
And you wonder why people are always pissed when they see you
My first car cost less than the new tires on my truck
Almost $4000 repairs on a car worth $4000. That's the problem
My dad did this and went to jail for grand theft auto they ripped his whole business from him. He was on trial for 5 years lost everything they seized all his cars and tools . He ended up getting acquitted after a 5 year trial. Thank you to that one jury person who didn’t think my dad was guilty you are amazing. Was a hung jury.
no need to bring the jury's genitals into this....
That's shitty overall. Did he recover financially after?
You're supposed to take people to court if they don't pick up their repair and pay for it
How big were they?
Kind of missing details …and maybe relevance.
My mechanic loves me. I always pay 75% up front. I've had plenty of times where they finished my bikes on the same day when I scheduled it for the upcoming.
It also helps that I can show my wife the second bill, which is only 25% of the total. 😅
smart man 😂
Good for u for getting approval. My husband worked for a place that would fix it then tell the customer. He always refused to do that and has quit.
I think that's illegal ain't it?
Request half the moneyup front. Especially cars that are over 5 or 10 years old.