Car mechanics are trained professionals who, at the end of the day, are just trying to help you. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who unknowingly slow down or altogether prevent a successful visit to the car mechanic because they don’t realize that there are certain things you’re not supposed to bother them with.
Sometimes it’s hard. With the internet making information, both helpful and misleading, so readily available, plenty of people can devote hours to YouTube tutorials and blog articles about how to fix their cars and end up thinking they know more than the experts. Well, unless you actually want to make a career pivot and become a car mechanic, it’s just best to leave it to the professionals.
We’ll take a look at some of the most crucial things you should avoid saying to your car mechanic.
‘I Purchased All The Replacement Parts Myself.’
It’s easy enough to purchase replacement parts for your car online. However, the actual ease of the process doesn’t guarantee you’ll receive quality parts. Sometimes the parts you end up purchasing only serve to put your car in that much worse of a place than where it was. If a replacement part jumps out at you when you’re browsing around online because it’s so unbelievably cheap, you should be suspicious.
Then, if you actually go ahead and purchase your own replacement parts, not every mechanic will be on board with installing them. Most mechanics prefer to do their own shopping for the necessary replacement parts. At the very least, check in with your mechanic to avoid wasting extra money.
“I Saw How To Do This On YouTube.”
Trying to YouTube tutorial your way into becoming a self-taught car mechanic is comparable to trying to WebMD your way into becoming a “knowledgeable” yet unlicensed doctor. It just doesn’t work out. Yes, you can learn some helpful things, and it can even become a fun hobby. However, there’s an ocean of a difference between being well-versed in car mechanic DIY videos and actually being a professional car mechanic. And the last thing you want ever to do is to disregard your car mechanic’s advice, and instead trust something that you saw on a viral YouTube clip.
“I Can Buy That Part In A Store For A Much Cheaper Price, So Why Am I Being Charged This?”
Just because you can purchase the necessary car part online or in a store doesn’t mean that you’d have any realistic shot at being able to fit that part onto your car. In fact, you might even end up putting yourself in harm’s way if you tried. There will always be a necessary and entirely reasonable installation fee whenever your car mechanic has to spend the extra time and resources to ensure that any parts you purchased are correctly installed on your car.
“Oh, I’m Good On Fixing That. I Hardly Ever Take The Car Out On Longer Trips.”
Even if you aren’t out hitting the road for big trips, your car will wear down over time. Then, you’ve got to remember that there may come a day when you want to trade in or sell your vehicle. So, if you failed to get your car into the shop for anything remotely close to regular maintenance, your vehicle is only going to lose value.
Or, as a worst-case scenario, you could end up with a useless piece of junk that just takes up space in front of your home.
“I’ll Just Hang Around In Case You Need Any Extra Help.”
Oh boy, just as backseat driving can drive someone insane, so too can being a helicopter customer. Think of it in this way. You and plenty of other people out there don’t enjoy being micromanaged while trying to do your jobs. So, can you imagine someone coming into your office and hovering over you to offer you advice, while they’ve never actually worked a day in your shoes? Yeah, not an ideal situation at all. Leave your car mechanic be, and don’t stress them out or irritate them.
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More Car Maintenance Advice From Cheapism
- 5 Car Maintenance Tasks You Shouldn’t Attempt Yourself — Some things are best left to the pros (unless, of course, you’re a pro yourself).
- The Ultimate List of Useless Car Products You Never Need to Buy — Put your credit card away, these car products are a total waste of money.
- 32 Lies Your Mechanic Could Be Telling You — While most mechanics are on the up-and-up, there are some unscrupulous characters that try to take advantage of customers.
