DODGY MECHANICS - HOW TO NEVER GET RIPPED OFF AGAIN

All the info you need to pick the right mechanic for your tow rig, and save thousands on unnecessary repairs

MEET THE EXPERTS!

We’ve enlisted the help of the industry’s leading experts – professionals we trust – to pass on their advice on to you.
ANDREW LEIMROTH - BERRIMA DIESEL
RODNEY DAVIES - WHOLESALE AUTOMATICS
JUSTIN MALAPONTE - NQ CRASH
BRIAN PARKER - BEAUDESERT EXHAUST

5 SIGNS OF A QUALITY MECHANIC

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Let’s set this straight from the get-go; the vast majority of mechanics out there are hardworking, honest and extremely skilled individuals that will never set out to wrong a customer. However, as with most industries a select few can cast a shadow over an otherwise respectable trade and cause serious headaches. It doesn’t matter how much mechanical ability you’ve got, there’ll come a time when you’re going to need to pay someone to carry out work on your tow vehicle. Whether it’s a suspension upgrade, fitting a windscreen or just re-gassing your aircon, at one stage or another we’re all going to have to trust someone else to work on our pride and joy. Unfortunately this doesn’t always end well. Read on, as we show you how to pick the right mechanic, avoid the traps and ensure that you and your mechanic finish the job with a smile on your faces!

1. A top-notch mechanic will be able to provide an accurate quote for most repairs with the exception of the more complex jobs.
2. A clean workshop that’s run with pride and respect for their own equipment is a good sign for you and your vehicle.
3. Look for a mechanic that is happy to spend the time explaining problems to you, and why any additional work needs to be done.
4. Someone who offers life-time warranty on their workmanship is more often than not someone who takes pride in their work and will get the job done right. Offering warranty on the parts they fit too, shows they’ve invested the time in finding a quality supplier.
5. You’re often in safe hands if your mechanic is authorised to carry out logbook servicing, has affiliations with national institutions and is certified to carry out registration safety checks.

NOT ALL MECHANICS ARE DODGY!

The vast majority of mechanics are regular people who work hard for their client, and they’re certainly not out to rip anyone off. It’s also important to remember that like any industry or job, things do go wrong. What this article is going to do, however, is help you separate an innocent mistake that your mechanic is trying to make right, from dodgy, unscrupulous mechanics trying to rip you off.

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ONLINE REVIEWS - CAN THEY BE TRUSTED?

In today’s day and age, you have another ace up your sleeve – the internet. While it can be difficult separating unfair comments from genuine cases, you’ll be able to get a feel for how good each shop is and what they have to offer. Be wary of disgruntled consumers, and ask yourself “does this person have an ulterior motive?” Remember there’s always the potential for a competitor to try to rubbish a business, so keep your wits about you and don’t always take things on face value.

RODNEY DAVIES
Wholesale Automatics

What is the best way to research a mechanic before you hand over your keys?
Rodney: Nothing is more powerful to a business’s reputation than word of mouth. If there’s been unhappy customers believe me, you’ll know about it. Using modern resources like social media is one way to see a business’s reviews. If the workshop is packed with tough 4WDs then there’s a fair likelihood that they’re pumping out quality work – good workshops are crowded for a reason.

QUOTING

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WHAT’S IN A QUOTE?
There can be a lot of valuable information stored between the lines of a quote. A quote should always aim to be as comprehensive as possible, outlining parts, labour costs and even sundries. The more information there is on the quote when you sign on the dotted line, the better off you’re going to be when presented with the bill. Here are the main things to keep in mind when setting out to have some work quoted.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY
1. Sometimes a job is simply too complex to accurately quote without starting to diagnose first and any reputable mechanic will be honest with you about this
2. Give your mechanic as much information about the problem as possible – help them to help you
3. A mechanic should never undertake work, other than what is on the quote without informing you first, in which case sign a new quote with the extra work included
4. Make sure your mechanic is noting down everything you’re telling them – mechanics are busy people and won’t necessarily remember every little thing you said an hour later

HOURLY LABOUR RATES?
An hourly rate does not indicate a good or bad mechanic. We’ve used $40/hour mechanics before that were absolutely brilliant, yet some blokes upwards of $150/hour have left us scratching our heads. The bottom line here is to not judge a mechanic based off their hourly rate. They might get so much work that they can afford to run at a lower rate whereas others might have higher overheads for specialised equipment or higher rent on a larger premises with more staff.

JUSTIN MALAPONTE
NQ Crash

How binding is my quote ?
Justin: A written and signed quote is a rock-solid, two-way binding agreement between the customer and the mechanic. For this reason its imperative that you’ve got clear communication with the mechanic about what work is going to be carried out. The quote should always be in writing with a detailed list of the work, parts and labour. If any major changes crop up during the job, you should be re-quoted on the new scope of work. For example, if you’ve gone in to have your diff pinion bearing replaced and the mechanic has found you’ve got a buggered crown wheel, then you should get a call from your mechanic and have a new quote issued if you want the job completed in full. Don’t commission new work over the phone, even if you’re driving or otherwise busy - get it emailed or sent in writing.

CHASING PARTS YOURSELF

THE PRO’S AND CONS OF SUPPLYING YOUR OWN PARTS
Sourcing your own parts can be a way to save some time and money but there are some definite down-sides. When is it better to let your mechanic handle it?

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Andrew Leimroth
Berrima Diesel

Should I supply my own parts to save money? Can that affect my warranty ? Andrew: Be very careful when supplying your own parts. You might think that you’ve just scored the bargain of the century on those injectors online, only to find out they won’t code to your Australian ECU. There are some mechanics that will flat-out refuse to work on the vehicle if you supply your own parts due to them being potentially liable in this ‘lawsuit-happy’ day and age. By sourcing your own parts, you’re treading a fine line between saving costs and watering down your warranty. Sure, some mechanics won’t bat an eyelid but most, and I mean almost all, will have an issue with warranting the work.

THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB - WHY DO I NEED A SPECIALIST AS OPPOSED TO A MECHANIC?

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Depending on the type of mechanical work you’re looking to do on your tow vehicle, you might be in need of a specialist rather than a broad spectrum mechanic. If your diesel vehicle needs an oil change and new brake pads, you don’t need to track down a specialised diesel tuner, but if you’re looking to tweak an injector pump, then a specialist would certainly be the best bet. Specialists are trained very highly in one specific field and they’ll usually have the proper tools and testing equipment as well as a lifetime of experience doing the exact job you’re looking to get done.

HOW TO KNOW WHEN REPAIRS AREN’T UP TO SCRATCH
• Use a whiteout pen to mark your sump bolts, wheel nuts, filters etc. to make sure they’re being changed. If the mark is undisturbed, odds are the job hasn’t been done.
• Look for fresh finger prints, rag marks or impressions from sockets and spanners – a good indicator that the area has been worked on
• Look for abnormally clean areas, especially around notoriously dirty areas like brakes and the engine. A clean bolt or area suggests that the area has been serviced.
• Ask for any old parts and boxes back, as they’re replaced. Before you pay the bill, check the old parts and ask them to show you what was wrong with them – you’re not being a pain, you just know what to look out for next time and are making sure you got your money’s worth.

TOP 5 MECHANIC SCAMS REVEALED!

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DODGY COOLANT FLUSHES
Mixing two types of coolants (even if the same colour) can have detrimental effects on your motor and cooling system. For this reason, every time your coolant needs changing the whole system needs to be flushed thoroughly. This flushing process often takes time because it means moving the vehicle out of the work bay to somewhere near a hose, pulling off heater hoses and thermostats (in some cases). It can be a real pain. Dodgy mechanics will simply drain your radiator and top it back up again with fresh coolant. What you can see when you pop the bonnet looks new and fresh, but what a radiator holds in coolant, the motor and heater core often hold the same amount again - meaning you’ve paid for a full flush,but they’ve really only changed half of your coolant, and created a chemical cocktail that could be eating away at your motor in the process.

SPLIT CV BOOTS
A split CV boot has the potential to lead to the total failure of that driveshaft. While split CV boots do happen, especially if you drive a lifted IFS vehicle, some mechanics will cut an otherwise undamaged CV boot in order to up-sell the repair and slug you more money. It’ll be tricky to tell for sure if the split itself is legitimate or not, however, a genuine case will see grease from the CV joint flung out and splattered under the vehicle near that axle. If it’s bone dry - it could be cause for concern.

CHANGING SPARK PLUGS
Some mechanics up-sell spark plug changes unnecessarily and sooner than is needed to make more money off you. This is where knowing what the manufacturer recommends for each service is important, and could save you paying for repairs you don’t need. Another thing to watch is that some mechanics opt out of changing those hard to get to spark plugs, such as the rear spark plug on a V6 engine, but are more than happy to slug you anyway. Most of the time they’ll get away with it too, because some spark plugs will last up to twice as long as recommended. By the time a problem crops up, it’s often difficult to prove anything.

OVER QUOTING AND PRICE PADDING
Ever received a quote for a major repair that’s just so astronomically high you wonder how they ever came up with such a figure? Some mechanics will intentionally over quote, or over inflate estimates if a job is difficult, time consuming or otherwise a pain in the butt simply because they’d rather not do it - or if they have to - they’ll be heavily rewarded for it. This lazy mentality is great for lining the pockets of your mechanic, but often leaves you with an empty wallet. They might also offer a discount so they come across as the good guy, but really it’s just bringing their prices back down to where they should be. This right here is why it’s always a good idea to get itemised quotes from at least three different workshops.

LAZY FAULT FINDING MEANS YOU PAY TWICE!
“It wasn’t playing up when we looked at it so we reset the computer. Just come back in if it plays up again.” Hands up if you’ve copped that line before? While this thinking isn’t malicious in itself and there are times when some issues (like an intermittent electrical gremlin) are hard to replicate and therefore find, being slugged twice for so-called fault finding when they haven’t identified, let alone fixed the problem, should be ringing alarm bells. We’re not for a second saying you shouldn’t pay for a mechanics time if they have indeed done the work. But plugging in a diagnostic computer that takes just 5 minutes to check for error codes and then reset, then cop a “minimum half hour rate” not once, but then a second time if the problem does arise again, is a deadset rort. This additional charge is even more insulting if it’s the same time as a service is being carried out, because many workshops list an “engine diagnostics check” as included as part of a service.

SUMMING UP

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Although you’ve just read some pretty gritty information, there are a few things to keep in mind. The vast majority of mechanics are honest, hardworking blokes that have a passion for what they do, it’s only a small minority that’ll ever rip you off or cause you headaches. You also need to carry a level of circumspect when judging a mechanic, who, at the end of the day is only human and realise that honest mistakes can happen - It’s how they handle that mistake that reflects on them as a professional. Use word of mouth as a strong guide, but remember that a happy customer tells one person, an unhappy customer tells 20. Hopefully the information here has helped to guide some people to a quality mechanic, and reassured others that the mechanic currently working on their tow vehicle right now is in fact the right person for the job.

 

CONTACTS

WHOLESALE AUTOMATICS
Ph: (03) 9762 8004
W: www.automatictransmission.com.au

NQ CRASH
Ph: (07) 4035 3196
W: www.nqcrash.com.au

BERRIMA DIESEL
Ph: (02) 4877 1256
W: www.berrimadiesel.com

BEAUDESERT EXHAUST
Ph: (07) 5541 2767
W: www.beauexhausts.com.au