Are you one of those drivers who trust their car mechanic implicitly?
Good for you if you’ve found a true professional who takes good care of your vehicle!
Unfortunately, not all mechanics are responsible and honest with their customers.
There are several things they don't want you to know so that they can take advantage of
you when you bring your car in.
1.
"Your car battery should be replaced!"
Have you ever heard from your mechanic that your car battery has died?
While in some cases it’s a true story, some car service centers do their best to talk
But the truth is that the biggest problem with the battery comes not from the battery
itself but from the wires connected to it.
The spots where they're attached to the battery get damaged by corrosion.
As a result, the battery can't provide your car with as much power as before.
Some people fix this problem with the help of Coca-Cola.
They pour the soda over the places where the wires are attached to the battery, and the
Coke gets rid of the corrosion.
You can also save on the cost of a new battery if you first try to recharge the one you have.
It's often enough to make it work properly again.
But there is one more important thing you should know about car batteries: The longer
they wait on the shelf before someone buys them, the more they degrade.
When you decide to get a new battery or have a mechanic replace your old one, ask to see
You should choose one that’s less than a month old.
Otherwise, you’ll have to replace it much earlier than you're supposed to — in a year
2.
"You need to change the oil as soon as possible!"
You've probably heard from some mechanics that you need to change the oil in your car
However, various car experts state that the earliest you should start to worry about an
oil change is after driving a minimum of 7,500 miles.
Moreover, there is a professional opinion that if you change the oil every 10,000 miles,
you don't cause any harm to your vehicle.
Rather than changing oil too often, make sure your car doesn't run out of it.
Again, some mechanics may tell you that dirty oil can damage your car engine.
But you should remember that in modern cars, oil eventually burns off and evaporates.
Thus, the cleanliness of your oil doesn't matter that much.
On the other hand, the level of oil does decrease, so you should buy new oil regularly and add
3.
"You need to replace your brake pads right now!"
You'll probably agree that no one can ignore the terrible screeching of car brakes.
Most people get freaked out and rush to a mechanic to have their car fixed.
What they don't know is that the most likely cause of these terrible sounds is rust on
Luckily, this rust can be easily removed by brushing, scraping, or blasting off.
Some people do it themselves after watching a couple of YouTube videos!
Most garages will be happy to do this procedure for you for a modest sum of money.
Sadly, not all mechanics are ready to tell you that the problem is as simple as rust.
They will inform you that you need a whole new set of brake pads.
Be cautious, and if you have any doubts about this "diagnosis," consult another mechanic.
Brake pads don't really need to be changed until they're 90% worn.
If your mechanic tells you to replace pads that are 50% worn, don't fall for it!
The thing with brakes is that people prefer to play it safe — and some mechanics use
4.
"Drop in for a free inspection!"
Some car service centers attract clients by promising free bumper-to-bumper examinations
When you get such an offer from a garage, you may think, "Well, why not?
That's where you might be wrong!
After you bring your car in, a mechanic will most likely discover that it has tons of problems
— which need to be fixed right away.
If you fall for this scheme, you can waste a fortune on unnecessary repairs.
It's always better to go to a garage only when there's really something wrong with your
car.
5.
"Your car might break down if you don't use these services!"
Some mechanics insist that your car won't work properly without certain additional services
— for example, power steering or coolant flushes.
But according to specialists, your car only needs these procedures every 100,000 miles.
Also, don't fall for the offer of free lifetime muffler replacement!
If you agree to this, you'll just end up paying more money in the long run.
You'll still have to pay for pipe repairs, which won't come cheap.
6.
Your mechanic recommends that you have your tires rotated, and, naturally, you agree.
After all, according to him, it will ensure that the tread on the tires wears out properly.
First of all, when you collect your car after this procedure, it's almost impossible to
say whether the tires have indeed been rotated.
Secondly, some specialists believe that tire rotation doesn't have any influence on the
speed at which your tires wear out.
In any case, you can always check if your mechanic has rotated the tires.
Before you drive to the garage, mark the tires with chalk.
You can write the letters "RL" on the rear left tire and "FR" on the front right tire.
After you get your car back, check where the marks are.
Keep in mind that the mechanic has to rotate the tires not side-to-side but front-to-back.
7.
"Your check engine light is on.
You must have a serious problem!"
Most drivers start to panic when they see that their check engine light is on — especially
And such a reaction can lead to a hefty bill from a mechanic!
Unfortunately, few people know that the most widespread reason for the check engine light
to appear on your dashboard is because your gas cap isn't fastened well enough.
As a result, oxygen gets inside through the gas line.
The solution to this problem can be as simple as giving the gas cap several extra turns
Imagine you notice a number of warnings light up on your dashboard: your check engine light,
your TRAC OFF light, and your ABS light.
In some cars, this can be connected to the design of the vehicle or software issues rather
But there are many cars that automatically turn on several other lights along with the
In most cases, as soon as you figure out why your check engine light is on and fix the
problem, there won't be anything else to worry about.
8.
"Your car needs special additives to run better!"
Your mechanic may suggest that you buy additives for the engine, gas tank, or transmission.
After you agree, you find out that these additives cost you an arm and a leg!
Specialists are sure that if you take care of your car regularly, you don't need to waste
According to law, gasoline is already packed with different additives.
You don't need any extra substances to, let's say, make it burn better.
It’s the same story with engine oil.
Producers add different chemicals that help the oil last longer.
They also prevent oil pollution and vaporization.
The only thing you can do to make the process more effective is to change your car oil regularly.
Do you know any other secrets that mechanics don't want to share with their customers?
Write about them in the comment section below!
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