Thread: Brake scams

Fortunately, you only knew this because you were there to see it. Other times the customer would drop the car off & bugger off to the shops only to return later & believe the brakes had been done.

A nice cleanup with degreaser & a hose off would complete the picture & maybe a few scratch marks & new Texta Evidence ID marks that the suspicious Owner had placed around.


"That'll be 400 Quid Thanks. Keeeeeerrrr ching..

Have a nice day Sir/Madam, Call again"



To answer your question..... Probably.

As a mechanic who has worked for businesses and operated/operating my own business, I can say that mechanics aren't all evil or go out of their way to rip people off. Yes sure, there are some dodgy people out there, but not every single one as seemingly described by most vehicle owners.

Now a possible and very likely reason some mechanics recommend replacing brakes is because the wheels haven't been taken off and the brakes inspected properly! I myself have been caught out, both in thinking brakes need replacing and missing that they need replacing. I now remove wheels if in doubt and also use the fluid reservoir as an indicator as to brake wear.

Nothing would surprise me.

It's just viewed as 'upselling' in a lot of circles these days, i.e. standard operating procedure.

Of the 3 watches in this thread of mine, all three are still running fine and keeping perfect time.

Bit of a mystery?.

Recently accidentally flattened the battery in my (non LR) ute and called total care.

Bloke arrived in 15 mins and put one of those black boxes with the lights on the battery.

No nothing, cranking or even dash lights.

Tells me the starter is rooted and does the tapping solenoid ritual. Tells me the starter is rooted again, which I know is crap.

No change. He's figured I ain't stupid so I get at a tow of 5 metres and it fires up.

He leaves, I let it idle for 5 mins then go for some fuel. On the way, 500m only, I park it on a hill just in case and switch off.

Turn the key and off she goes. Since then it actually starts better with a battery that's nearly 10 yrs old.

Was he 'upselling' as well? i.e. tray truck to the garage, 'instal new starter', etc.

Dunno, DL

Yesterday morning my son went to start his daughters D2. Battery so flat it would not even operate the central locking (not real surprising - car had not been used for weeks and battery is at least five years old). Called NRMA.

"Battery has had it. Can supply one for $360"

OK

"I'll go get one. Back in ten!"

Ten minutes later - "It's a special battery, I don't have one in stock, I can get one by tomorrow?"

Son has meanwhile called his mechanic, who is still open "Yes, we've got one, $210!"

So son gets NRMA to jump start the D2, which they do without issues - only problem is the D2 is nose first in a narrow carport, so he needed the long jumper leads! Then drove to mechanic's to get the new battery.

Mine wouldn't jump start when I knew it should............... then he was straight onto the starter motor.

Whilst not a scam, or upselling, there is a medical deal with your ulnar nerve that is interesting.

It can get 'caught' in your neck, near your shoulder blade, in your shoulder, elbow, forearm or wrist and is quite painful. Bit like carpal tunnel but different nerve.

Google will throw up all these US surgeons who start looking for the snag in your wrist and work their way up.

Its common in cello players due to the way they hold the thing and there is a simple stretching exercise (the one where your hands become 'goggles' around your eyes at the end) that fixed mine in 30 sec. Might not work for all........ see your doctor first, etc.

DL

Been going on for years, stealers do it too. Usually just to Women who they think don’t know any better. Can’t tar all Mechanics with the same brush as most are good, but there are plenty of dodgy ones out there.

"Upselling" AKA ripping people off generally by the sound of of it.

Originally Posted by 4bee

"Upselling" AKA ripping people off generally by the sound of of it.

Upselling = PC scamming