Many auto scams begin with an advertised price on a specific repair job that seems almost too good to be true. Once they have your car in the shop, they find other items that need repair as a way to expand the work order and inflate your invoice. For instance, imagine you might see an advertisement for a great deal on a tune-up. So you take your car to the repair shop to take advantage of the special. Once there you’re told, “You need this, this and this.” This is very similar to a bait and switch scam. The only difference here is that you’ll probably receive the great deal on the tune-up. You could also pay $500 for repairs you hadn’t anticipated or thought you needed.
A $699 car repair job can mushroom to almost $2,000 so fast it isn’t funny. Your mechanic will find so many things wrong with your vehicle that you’d think it’s beyond repair. This would be a great time to get a second opinion before authorizing repairs.
A few repair businesses charge customers for parts that don’t even end up in your car. Other repair businesses complete the work but it’s so shoddy, the customer has to bring the car back two or three times. To add to the insult you’ll be asked to pay each time you bring your car back due to the repair shop’s negligence.
If you believe you’ve been a victim of an auto repair rip-off, notify your state attorney general’s office, local consumer protection agency and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Don’t let it go.
Collect all of the paperwork, receipts, work orders, written estimates and warranty information that you have from the repair shop you suspect of wrongdoing. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case will be.
Charles Butler
MCS
