{"id":72326,"date":"2022-09-06T02:33:50","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T09:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=72326"},"modified":"2025-03-19T19:44:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T02:44:22","slug":"four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column72326_d0fc32-60 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-fd4bae  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-56827c\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading72326_800650-5d\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading72326_800650-5d\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading72326_800650-5d\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading72326_800650-5d summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading72326_800650-5d\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mechanics can rip you off by upselling unnecessary repairs, overcharging, and neglecting to perform a thorough diagnosis. A dishonest mechanic can also charge you for repairs that were not done.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you suspect that your mechanic is ripping you off, ask them to demonstrate the problem. A dishonest mechanic will have a hard time proving the issue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It also helps to read online reviews and ask a couple of other shops for quotes. Also, ask for your old parts back.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/tips-to-find-a-great-mechanic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"mechanics\">mechanics<\/a> are honest, but as is the case with any profession, there are some unscrupulous individuals who will bend the truth to fatten their wallets. Because of these bad actors, many consumers are skeptical about bringing their car to a repair shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And for a good reason. If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-do-i-find-an-honest-mechanic-tips-to-save-you-time-and-hassle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"mechanic is dishonest\">mechanic is dishonest<\/a>, there are various ways they could be ripping you off, and you&rsquo;d never even know it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Mechanics Can Rip You Off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&rsquo;re visiting an auto repair shop, you probably don&rsquo;t know cars from bumper to bumper (or maybe you don&rsquo;t know cars at all). Dishonest repair shops might take advantage of your limited knowledge by ripping you off in one or more of the following ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/consulting-a-car-mechanic-1024x676.jpg\" alt=\"consulting a car mechanic\" class=\"wp-image-72336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/consulting-a-car-mechanic-1024x676.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/consulting-a-car-mechanic-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/consulting-a-car-mechanic-768x507.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/consulting-a-car-mechanic-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/consulting-a-car-mechanic.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some mechanics will overcharge you or even try to upsell you for unnecessary repairs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Upselling Unnecessary Repairs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At most dealerships and independent shops, employees are encouraged to look for items they can upsell to customers. For example, while your vehicle is in for an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-change-your-oil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"oil change\">oil change<\/a>, the mechanic might notice a leaking radiator hose that the service advisor will try to sell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, upselling isn&rsquo;t a problem, as long as the recommended repairs or services are legitimate. After all, if your mechanic spots a problem with your car, you&rsquo;ll want to know about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But when a shop tries to upsell unnecessary work, that&rsquo;s a different story. Shady repair facilities often try to pitch services&#8288;&mdash;such as flushes that the vehicle manufacturer doesn&rsquo;t recommend&#8288;&mdash;or repairs that aren&rsquo;t needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overcharging for Repairs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another way a repair facility can rip you off is by overcharging for repairs. Nearly every job has a&nbsp;standardized labor time (known as a &ldquo;book time&rdquo;), which shops can access through online databases. The book time is generally regarded within the industry as the amount of time a customer should be charged for a particular repair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some repair shops disregard or alter the book time, though, in an attempt to overcharge customers for labor. As a result, you could, for example, end up paying for five hours of labor when the job only takes two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dishonest shops can also charge you too much for parts. Of course, all repair facilities mark up their parts to some degree, but there&rsquo;s a difference between making an honest profit and gouging customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Neglecting to Perform a Thorough Diagnosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, some shops don&rsquo;t have the desire (or the skills) to diagnose a vehicle properly. Instead, these so-called &ldquo;parts changers&rdquo; take their best guess at what&rsquo;s wrong with your vehicle&mdash;and if they&rsquo;re incorrect, they still stick you with the repair bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because cars (especially modern ones) are difficult to diagnose, no mechanic will hit the nail on the head every time. But when a shop doesn&rsquo;t bother to troubleshoot your vehicle properly, that&rsquo;s a rip-off in its own right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Billing for Work that Wasn&rsquo;t Done<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the most significant rip-off is when a repair shop charges for work they didn&rsquo;t even complete. For example, they might tell you they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-change-spark-plugs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"changed your spark plugs\">changed your spark plugs<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-change-your-engine-air-filter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"air filter\">air filter<\/a> without actually replacing any parts&mdash;and you&rsquo;ll have no clue the work wasn&rsquo;t completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"car mechanic diagnosing a car\" class=\"wp-image-72337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/car-mechanic-diagnosing-a-car.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of the best ways to spot a dishonest mechanic is by asking them to point out the problem. A dishonest mechanic might have a hard time proving that there&rsquo;s actually something wrong with your car.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Know if a Mechanic is Ripping You Off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have a sneaking suspicion that your mechanic is ripping you off? If so, you might want to consider doing the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ask your mechanic to demonstrate the problem:<\/strong> If your mechanic says there&rsquo;s a problem with your car, ask them to point out (or send you a video of) the issue. A dishonest mechanic might have a hard time proving that there&rsquo;s actually something wrong with your car.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Read online reviews: <\/strong>Online reviews can be very informative. If a repair shop is dishonest, there might be other customers who found out and left negative reviews.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ask for your old parts back:<\/strong> Getting your old parts back after a repair is complete will provide some reassurance that your mechanic actually did the job.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Shop around:<\/strong> If you think your mechanic is ripping you off, get a couple of quotes from other shops.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to Do If a Body Shop Rips You Off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/ripped-off-by-a-mechanic-what-can-i-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"things you can do when a body shop rips you off\">things you can do when a body shop rips you off<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Assess the Situation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Assessing the situation means taking a step back and determining whether the body shop ripped you off or if the shop naturally charges higher than usual for all its services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask help from someone who&rsquo;s more knowledgeable about these things or go to another repair shop for a second opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact the Business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact the business and talk to them professionally about the situation. After all, you&rsquo;re still dealing with humans who could&rsquo;ve made an honest mistake during the entire process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If they did, you can have your money refunded or ask the shop about other options you can take to make things right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact Consumer Protection Agencies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The last thing you can do is reach out to consumer protection agencies, like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or your state Attorney General&rsquo;s Office. These agencies can help you remedy the situation, although the entire process will require paperwork on hand to support your case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">File a Dispute With Your Credit Card Company<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you paid with your credit card, you can contact the company to dispute the charge. Just be sure to have the receipts to support your position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conveniently Shop for Replacement Parts with CarParts+<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/membership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"CarParts Plus\">CarParts Plus<\/a> membership, you can sigh in relief as you won&rsquo;t have to worry about all the tedium that typically comes with searching for the right component for your vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CarParts+ offers excellent benefits, including VIP Customer Service. This includes white glove customer support with a dedicated members-only phone number and text-to-chat. You&rsquo;ll be able to connect with team members who understand the unique challenges DIY enthusiasts face and can help you find the parts you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&rsquo;ll also get access to other exclusive perks such as 24\/7 Roadside Assistance, Free Shipping, and Extended Returns. Sign up for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/membership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"CarParts Plus\">CarParts Plus<\/a> today to have that extra confidence on the road.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Most mechanics are honest, but as is the case with any profession, there are some unscrupulous individuals who will bend&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":72335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3950,3768],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607],"class_list":{"0":"post-72326","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-for-the-car-owner","8":"category-lifestyle","9":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Although most mechanics are honest, there are some that could be ripping you off. Here are some tips on how to spot dishonest mechanics.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Although most mechanics are honest, there are some that could be ripping you off. Here are some tips on how to spot dishonest mechanics.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-09-06T09:33:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-20T02:44:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom, https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/CarPartscom, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\\\/\"}],\"headline\":\"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-06T09:33:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-20T02:44:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1167,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/08\\\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"For the Car Owner\",\"Lifestyle\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/\",\"name\":\"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off - In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/08\\\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-06T09:33:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-20T02:44:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"Although most mechanics are honest, there are some that could be ripping you off. Here are some tips on how to spot dishonest mechanics.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/08\\\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/08\\\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"paying a car mechanic\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":398,\"caption\":\"CarParts.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off - In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"Although most mechanics are honest, there are some that could be ripping you off. Here are some tips on how to spot dishonest mechanics.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off - In The Garage with CarParts.com","og_description":"Although most mechanics are honest, there are some that could be ripping you off. Here are some tips on how to spot dishonest mechanics.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/","og_site_name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","article_published_time":"2022-09-06T09:33:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-03-20T02:44:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@carpartscom","twitter_site":"@carpartscom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","$id":"4","name":"CarParts.com Research Team","jobTitle":"Expert Automotive Writer","description":"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom, https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/, https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom\/"}],"headline":"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off","datePublished":"2022-09-06T09:33:50+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-20T02:44:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/"},"wordCount":1167,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","articleSection":["For the Car Owner","Lifestyle"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/","name":"Four Ways Your Mechanic Could Be Ripping You Off - In The Garage with CarParts.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","datePublished":"2022-09-06T09:33:50+00:00","dateModified":"2025-03-20T02:44:22+00:00","description":"Although most mechanics are honest, there are some that could be ripping you off. Here are some tips on how to spot dishonest mechanics.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","width":1500,"height":1000,"caption":"paying a car mechanic"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"CarParts.com","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","width":2048,"height":398,"caption":"CarParts.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/x.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/paying-a-car-mechanic.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"","author_link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/four-ways-your-mechanic-could-be-ripping-you-off\/"},"authors":[{"term_id":2607,"user_id":1651,"is_guest":0,"slug":"thecpteam","display_name":"CarParts.com Research Team","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72326\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72335"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72326"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=72326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}