When we go to a tire shop, we expect to find the highest quality equipment and certified professionals with the right experience in providing services that are conscientious, honest. And we often find ourselves unprepared for situations where we are being taken advantage of.
There can be many fraudulent schemes and tricks, but they all have one goal: to get more money out of our pockets for solving non-existent problems or repairs that do not hold water. Here are a few red flags to watch out for.
1. Imposing unnecessary procedures
There is a range of services that repair shops often recommend. For example, cleaning hubs. The procedure is undoubtedly useful: the accumulated dirt can be an excellent environment for the development of corrosion and prevent the correct fit of the wheel during installation.
If there are no noticeable signs of clogging, a full deep cleaning is not necessary. In most cases, the master will brush the hubs for free, charging only for relubrication with the consent of the owner of the car.
However, some cunning mechanics include this operation in the total cost of work without prior notice to the client and in in full, and the car owner is subsequently informed that the part turned out to be damaged and required laborious special processing.
Few of the drivers will undertake to challenge such a statement. In order not to feel deceived, check in advance the list of specific services that will be included in the price list, and their cost, and also look for the opportunity to be present during any manipulations with your by car.
2. Buying a Tire vs Repairing a Flat Tire
Not all flat tires need to be replaced. As long as the puncture is not on the side wall, the product can be repaired. There are different ways to do this.
Some auto shops use a plug that does not even require removing the tire. Others will use a patch on the inside or a combination of plug and patch.
The option is selected individually, depending on the nature of the "wound" and the needs of the client. Ask the mechanic to show you the damage and let them explain convincingly why a new tire is recommended rather than a repair.
3. Used parts are issued as new
If the car owner pays for new parts, he should receive them. Do not be afraid to ask to see the original factory packaging, certificates and follow how the purchased component is installed. Make sure it hasn't been replaced with a second-hand counterpart from the workshop bins or your own refurbished part.
4. Routine Maintenance Reveals Mysterious Issues
With dishonest repair shop staff, you are more likely to fall victim to fraud or overpricing for work you didn't ask for.
For example, you bring in an absolutely “healthy” car for tire inflation, and you are found with broken parts that need to be “urgently replaced”, which will increase your bill by thousands of rubles.
For example, they say that the disk is "eight" and unsuitable for further use, and in order to demonstrate this on the stand, a small magnet is discreetly attached to its back side.
Straightening with the restoration of geometry is a long, laborious task, requiring high-precision equipment and a competent approach, and therefore quite expensive. An inexperienced motorist, having seen the beating with his own eyes, will gladly agree to its elimination and resignedly lay out a round sum.
This does not mean that the new problem is rigged in order to lure out more money. However, in such cases, it is better to do research before agreeing to any additional work. If driving is not dangerous, you can take your car to another workshop to confirm or deny the presence of defective elements (just do not point to them directly in the second car service).
5. money for air
There is an opinion that inflating tires with nitrogen prolongs the life of the wheels. In fact, this is a common marketing ploy, there is a lot of nitrogen in simple air.
But when nerves and time are dear to you, and tire fitters assure that all smart users use only nitrogen and refuel, you are unlikely to argue, and the service workers will earn an extra 3-5 hundred on this rubles. If you don’t want to overpay, look for a place where they respect requests for pumping with ordinary air and do not refuse to turn on a “regular” compressor for the sake of one client.
Warning signals: how to determine if service workers are deceiving you
1. You are not shown a problem or a broken part. When a mechanic does not want to show a problem up close, he either hides something, or does not quite understand what he is doing, or considers you an illiterate ignoramus who still does not understand.
Stay away from these car dealerships. A good mechanic will gladly guide you (if it is safe) to the service area, demonstrate the equipment, he will point out the problematic place of the car, explain in an accessible language what needs to be done, and clearly announce the price list.
2. Do not return old, damaged parts. By law, you own all the parts of your car, even if they are badly damaged beyond repair. Some quality tire shops will provide you with all removed or replaced items without asking; others will hide them for themselves or dispose of them as soon as the work is done.
Be sure to ask for the documents and packaging that came with the new components, and for any damaged parts (you decide what to do with them). Make sure they belong to your car: ask to see where it came from and what it was replaced with. If employees refuse for any reason, this should alert.
3. Your requests and questions are annoying. If you request a step-by-step description of planned or completed work, the auto service technician should not snap back.
Communication with clients is part of his profession and any kind of impolite, uncivilized or spiteful reaction should neither be justified nor tolerated.
The last thing you want is to entrust your car to an unprofessional and potentially malicious mechanic who may mistreat it.
4. Actions are taken without prior agreement. Every single repair, from a simple tire change to wheel balancing and other more complex services, must be approved by you. If a service worker is about to perform an operation that goes beyond the original estimate, he must notify you before picking up the tool.
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5. Excessively long waiting time. The reasons for delays can be different and sometimes quite weighty. Perhaps there were inconsistencies with the delivery of spare parts and consumables, equipment breakdown, arrest of the enterprise or heart attack at your tire changer - there are many things that make adjustments to the normal pace of any repair work.
But if you agreed on a couple of hours, and the time was significantly delayed, beware. Your car may have been damaged, and now they are doing everything possible to fix it discreetly.
6. No alternative solutions are offered. In life, there is rarely only one way out of a problem situation. This also applies to car maintenance.
A good tire service will offer you a range of solutions, from urgent repairs to a full restoration or replacement of a failed tire. element - it all depends on the customer's budget, his expectations and future plans, the characteristics of the car itself and potential dangers during driving.
7. Written estimates are not provided. Do not limit yourself to a handshake and verbal agreement - all the nuances of more or less serious work should be recorded in writing.
The documented consent of both parties ensures that you will be able to recover justice in court if the car / part is damaged or they try to lure out additional thousands for things you have not approved.
8. No license. Any automotive maintenance specialist must be trained, and the company must obtain a license to perform the corresponding range of services.
If you want professionals to work for you, choose a certified, reputable tire shop whose employees are constantly trained in new technologies, systems and practices, work conscientiously and do not try to cash in on gullible the townsfolk.
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Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/270422/62834/