5 things to NEVER say to your auto mechanic! CAR WIZARD knows after 20+ years! Save you tons of $$$
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- čas přidán 7. 06. 2023
- There are just some things that you should NEVER tell your auto mechanic! The CAR WIZARD 🧙♂️ shares 5 things you shouldn't say to your mechanic and what to say instead. This will save you on your repair bills!
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Number 6: Never tell your auto mechanic that you're not in a rush and to take their time, hoping they'll do a better job. That guarantees that your job will endlessly move the bottom of the queue to the point that you will eventually be in a panic to get it done and have to relentlessly hound the shop to complete it asap ensuring they do even more of a half-assed job that you were trying to avoid in the first place!
Good responsible shops book out a week to 10 days. The ones that are sitting around waiting for your phone call are typically not qualified enough to work on a bicycle - let alone a modern car. Professionals take their time to get every job right the first time - especially jobs involving brake or steering work. The last thing you want to do is hound a shop to get something done "ASAP". Do you hound your physician or surgeon to finish the job "asap"? Most jobs have an associated "book time". And most good shops will provide that in the estimate before work is done. "Hounding " anyone is a bad idea and it is more likely to result in "half-assed" work than if you demonstrated patience, I can assure you of that. Next time you go out to a fancy restaurant - try hounding the waiter to get your dinner "asap". Better yet, just march into the kitchen to ask the chef directly and see where that gets you. He'll probably spit in your food.
Facts! Always go to a highly rated independent shop and they book about 1 week out
@@cjg6364 soooo, you just verified everything that cjg6364 was saying.......got it
This is good advice
@@cjg6364 maybe you haven't had a lot of experience with body shops, vintage cars, or custom car work that's not by the numbers?
"Hoovie said this is a good deal"
Oh no. You're one of those that think what he does is real life.
@@MrTilbin ha ha ha ha😂😂😂
"Captain! There be whales here!"
"Ed on Vinwiki says a Ferrari with every warning light on is a great investment."
Run away!
I pretty much do all my own vehicle work. I am mechanically inclined and I learned from a family member who was an ASE mechanic and owned his own shop. However there are certain things that I am uncomfortable tackling myself. So I have a shop that I take my cars to when the occasion arises. I wish they would let me watch! Not because I don't trust them, but because I want to learn. That's why I subscribe to so many CZcams mechanic channels....To learn, not to judge their craft.
I appreciate u learning from tube mechanics but I have noticed 2 things that truly bothered me as a highly experienced mechanic! Firstly, they rarely ever explain every detail which leaves a lot to the imagination(real bad) 2 they rarely show the tricks of the trade in other words how us experienced guys are so fast. I will also add the highly specific dealership knowledge that can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on what is done! Do LOTS of research first & BEWARE of forums!
I got ripped off by a mechanic that I taught was legit because he worked on people’s that i knew cars.When i found out what he did and how dishonest he was to people’s unbeknownst to them,long story short i went to mechanic school just to learn how to work on my car or learn how to spot a honest mechanic.I do that with everything in life that has to do with repairs because in these days and times they’re more dishonest contractors than honest ones.
I have to disagree with the parts price issue. I’ve been to my shop plenty of times and the price for parts through the shop was almost always significantly higher, and that’s when comparing OEM as well as aftermarket. I worked for a MB dealership and our biggest profit center was always the service department.
Agreed. Parts prices are (generally) much much cheaper on Amazon and elsewhere, without the mechanics / auto shops marking parts up by literally 300% or even more.
I always get my Honda OEM parts online from a dealer in Seattle and they are way cheaper (Online) than what the shop is charging me.
I won’t put Amazon parts on. OEM or equivalent only
You bring a Dorman part you immediately get thrown out 🤣
That's because the Wizard is an honest mechanic. Most dealers aren't honest. When I worked at Honda, they would sell an entire can of brake cleaner with every brake job. Of course when doing the work they'd spritz the brakes 2-3 times and when the job is done, they put the can back on the shelf and sell it again.
@@nandor690
Is Nandor your real name? I know a guy named Nandor. He’s from Hungary.
It's nice to see honest hard working people enjoy themselves. Nice job Wizard!
It's nice to see at least one family in auto-youtube-dom is doing well.
Nice to see people period (sic) enjoying themselves in a proper way by proper means.
he rips people off
@@ILOVEBACONBOY2018 Big time
17 genders
One thing Wizard missed is calling the shop frequently to see how much longer it will be before it's finished. I met an older guy that repaired scientific equipment. He told me he had a several week backlog of repairs to do and, if the customer called to pressure him on repair time, he would put their equipment at the back of the queue. I file this under "Don't try to cut the line or you will go to the end."
Sounds like the kids asking "are we there yet?" The first time they did this, I replied "Yep, we're there, I'm sitting by the pool and drinking a beer !!!" They never asked again.
Reminds me of project managers asking for engineering updates continually.
I 've been guilty of this one myself. But in one instint something had to be done when I didn't hear from the shop for 3 days for a simple tune up job.
I worked in analytical chemistry and when folks tried to bug me "is it done yet?" I replied: "do you want the wrong answers now or wait for the right answers?" Guess what they chose....
That's countered by the "It'll be ready in 3 days...", and every time you call it's still a day or two, etc.
One of my sayings is that people assume that others are like them. If they're honest, they assume others are honest. If they can't be trusted, they assume others can't be trusted. So when someone you've just met makes a big show of not trusting you...
This guy gets it.
One of my sayings is a fool is born everyday. And being honest and trusting usually gets you a reward of people who are selfish or more selfish than you, taking advantage of your trusting nature.
Guess I don't get 'it'
Some of us want to watch just to see the process and learn a thing or two. As an Air Traffic Controller I had no problem with the users watching me. They learned why we did what we did. If someone doesn’t want the “customer” to watch their work, I would wonder what they were trying to hide.
Good advice Dave. I've had the experience of telling a mechanic I wanted him to replace a wheel bearing, and it turned out, it wasn't bad (but the noise did go away). And I've also had a mechanic tell me after a state inspection that my car failed on front brakes, and I must replace them to pass. I was suspicious because of my records and driving habits, took the car, checked state brake standards and found my pads and rotors were well within state requirements as well as the mfg limits. I got the approved inspection sticker, didn't need a brake service for several more years, and quit this shop. I had used this shop for many years and trusted their work but the founder's grandson had taken over the business and was a crook. Trust, but verify.
Yeah, I've had my mechanic show me why it failed state inspection. Last year they told my my rear shoes were *just* in minimums and then tried to deny the sticker. Shut that down and did the job myself.
I am currently having this issue with a mechanic adding things to the inspection report that don't need to be done with a big mark up on the parts. Problem is no other mechanic will touch the car now. Could loose their license because Government insurance company has record of original inspection.
Yeah, my local shop was greedy the past few years. $30 cash for a hack job tire plug that took 90 seconds.
They also put little too much markup and parts into a starter replacement, fine.
But next when I asked for a coolant flush and fill / thoroughly OLF they also called me about an engine air filter I'd replaced under a thousand miles ago.
A basically clean new filter that they could charge me for and not even replace, so presumably I'd never know.
I said no thanks, and when I got the car back I realized they did not properly reassemble the air intake box for all their effort to rip me off on the part. My air intake duct was left open! So much for their diligence
@@j_freed I paid $100 for a tire plug once. They charge whatever they want. Not much competition. High 2s to over $300 an hour plus parts markup.
Instead of trust but verify, I would say listen but verify
I’m an anesthesiologist and occasionally I’d have a Dad who wanted to watch me put in his wife’s epidural. I learned to say no and would just upfront say that his watching would be a distraction and I wouldn’t do my best work. “Oh my God look at the size of that needle!” Actual quote.
On the parts thing: the problem is you are far more honest than a lot of shops.
I've seen shops that will do quite a lot of markup. A friend needed an alternator and the shop wanted $600 for the part, and admitted they were getting the part from a NAPA down the road. He got the part they were going to get for ~$300, so the shop was going to charge at least 100% markup...more if they got a good discount.
Except for my current mechanic, I've never seen a shop charge less than what I could pay for the parts (and of at least decent quality). One guy would charge about the same but he retired. Most have been significantly over, especially stealerships.
Keep in mind the markup covers him warranting those parts. Even new parts are bad a lot of times.
It wasn't this way in the past, but nowadays they justify it with the thing about everything made in China is crap quality and is, so they give you a 1-year warranty and if it fails they warranty the replacement part and change it without it costing you more. Your still screwed either way in my opinion. They also tell expect it to fail in about 2 years.
@@timthefosterdad Yeah I've got a good shop now that just charges me cost for parts and I pay him I think $80 an hour for labor, but he's also a friend.
@@timthefosterdad I routinely discount parts 50-60 % off of what the dealer charges and frequently 15-20% off what Autozone charges for their cheap aftermarket garbage. I can still make a modest profit to help cover my shop's overhead. I realize this is rare. Most shops charge what the dealer is charging or slightly less. In many instances, Autozone or Advance prices are above the dealer list price. And sadly, there are dealers in our area that literally double the price over the manufacturer's suggested retail. As with any industry, there are good and bad actors. The good ones tend to be very busy year round - you generally can't get an appointment inside of a week to 10 days. The ones that can take you right in typically will take you in and take you on a ride....
There's quite a record of consumer reports and investigations that show garages don't always do all what they said they did and bill you for. Being able to talk directly with the mechanic, be present for part of the job can be very helpful.. because some enthusiast customers have quite a bit of knowledge of their vehicle and the issue. Sometimes their input can be very helpful to the mechanic. Important with unusual vehicles that mechanic may never have seen before.
car enthusiasts can be either the best customers or the worst customers because sometimes they are a knowitall that dont know their ass from their head, or sometimes they are a gear head and can talk shop and brainstorm the problem with the mechanic.
I have had good and bad interactions. Bad ones include getting ripped off on diagnostics. I told them that the timing belt had snapped and needed replacement, along with the tensioner. The shop then billed for diagnostics...3 hours! including a set price. I told them 'Did it take you 3 hours to open the bonnet? The timing belt was hanging out from the cover btw.' Ofc they couldn't know that I'm a mechanic that didn't have the time to fix the problem and sent the customer to the dealer for that brand. They retracted the bill after I went and talked to them along with my customer. But unfortunately this isn't uncommon.
maybe.....but the right thing to do would be to let the mechanic do their job, and if they need help with custom work, only THEN should you be in the garage "helping" them out. if you dont trust said mechanic to know what they are doing, then you shouldnt be taking your car to them
If you know how to fix it then why would you pay someone else to do it?
@@kellykorte2981i think they were saying that for situations where you've done modifications or some crap. its a stupid idea no matter; if the mechanic comes across something where they need more info, they can then contact the customer to get it. you dont need to be in the garage with them, and quite frankly, most businesses would not allow it due to the liability factor.
Nice view out there, Car Wizard! Well deserved cruise for all the work you’ve done to help people with their cars. 🎉
@That V8 Life you can think the view is nice even if you’ve seen it before. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. Extremely weird comment.
By the time I am getting to the shop, I know exactly what is wrong with the car and what needs to be done. This I do not however tell the mechanic. The diagnosis by the mechanic is just to confirm what I already knew. Works 95% of the time.
I do this as well, works great. I check stuff out myself and follow the FSMs for complicated diagnoses, figure out the problem, then tell the mechanic the general problem I’m having and see what they say. It’s helped me avoid a few dishonest mechanics and helped me find some great honest and experienced ones.
When it comes to the parts, not all mechanix/shops are as honest as you.
Had some one tell me he needs 450€ in parts for an oil leak.
It was the valve cover gasket of my 4efe. Ive never worked on cars before, i ordered the gasket for 12€ + shipping, installed the gasket in 20min and it hasnt leaked a drop of oil since.
Also theres 4efe engines with decent milage for 500€ out there and the entire car cost me 1500€
I love watching Car Wizard’s video because he always makes me feel relaxed, either by just being chill or providing useful info. Huge round of applause for this channel.
My old mechanic had me find a used engine once and he actually ordered it and I paid him for it and it worked out great but I did all of the work finding it and said the source was fine. The real key is finding a mechanic you trust and one you who is good to work with.
I took my car in for some electrical issues I couldn't figure out once, and they changed the brake pads without even asking me! I was so pissed as I had a new set of pads at home waiting to go in as I knew the pads were getting low - I made them remove the pads and refit the old ones and refused to pay that part of the bill. They did at least fix the electrical issue, which was a alternator with failing windings that was intermittently not charging the battery - but the sheer fucking balls to do work that I didn't ask for! I wonder how often they got away with stuff like that. Needless to say I found another place to go for auto electrical work after that.
Yep. One you trust and is good to work with is essential. I had a vibration when driving a Grand Cherokee right underneath the drivers side floor board. We both thought it was the CV joint on the prop shaft because the boot was torn. He did a rebuild kit on the prop shaft but the vibration remained. He told me it he didn't have the proper tools to diagnose and didn't charge me for parts or labor. Fast forward 2 years and the front diff went out. New front diff and no vibration.
@@Beer_Dad1975 That's what it is nowadays they upsell and overcharge for parts and labor ,finding a honest reasonable mechanic today is like finding a good woman they don't exist
@@randymcmanus8691 Rare but not non-existent.
@@Beer_Dad1975 - low pads is one area where I'd give my garage an easy pass, since the garage are keeping you out of trouble and they would rather piss off a customer than the work be refused and see the worst happen to you and feel liable. They had no idea you are a tiny percentage of people that wants to service your own brakes to save a few dollars.
Failing brake systems, suspension and tires are not acceptable risks.
I have always found that local mechanics who depend on developing a relationship with their customers will be honest and reasonable. My fear is having a breakdown on a long trip in a place that I am not known. The best insurance I have found is having a pre trip inspection by a mechanic I trust.
Being brought up in a family where we are the warranty/mechanic has been a life long blessing. The things I hear from both mechanics and their customers and seeing relationships ruined even when a mechanic friend was helping someone while taking a $ loss are astounding.
Agreed. One thing I learned about being a mechanic, sometimes it's worth it to take the L and move on.
Wether its loosing money to make a customer happy, or losing a customer because of non-payment.
That one guy who didn't pay the other 100$? Might be worth the 100$ to never have to work on their crap again.
Yeah something that family/friends don’t realize about work like that is that there’s no insurance warranties or guarantees, because you’re not doing it in your capacity as a professional, you’re doing it as a friend. So if or when shit goes sideways, it’s going to be a big problem. There’s a reason for the cost to have a professional do it
I found a mechanic I trust. He doesn't mind me buying the parts myself. He just quotes me labor.
I feel the wisdom presented in this video really applies primarily to competent mechanics. Theres been a few exceptions where I have had to tell a mechanic the proper way of doing something because they got caught up on a problem but in their narcissism chose not to read the service manual. For example, years ago I took a car into a Midas to have a distributor base changed out on an Acura Integra. Everything went relatively straight forward but the mechanic struggled for several hours to get the car started. Ended up being the spark plug wires were in the wrong order which also resulted in frying a brand new Honda oem ignition coil. I had repeatedly reminded the mechanic to check the firing order of the wires several times but his smug attitude kept responding with statements like "I do this everyday" and "ive worked on hundreds of Hondas so I know what I am doing". After several hours of this BS I went out into the shop myself and put the plug wires on in the correct order and the car instantly started and ran great, much to the embarrassment of the entire shop crew that had worked on it.
Why didn't you just do the job yourself?
@@joshuagibson2520 Actually seems he would have saved time,money and headache.
hope you didn't pay these clowns what they were asking
A good mechanic is hard to find.
@@joshuagibson2520 reason why, at the time I had much less technical knowledge and wanted the timing set correctly.
I want to say this regarding Wizards number 2 here. I had a 1984 Fiero back in the day that suddenly wouldn't accelerate past 45 mps and would get about 100 miles per tank. It occurred when I was on a long trip so had to slog with it all the way from Vegas to Idaho. During a stop at a gas station, I mentioned it to a mechanic there and he pulled out a diagnostic meter and said my o2 sensor had gone bad.
So, when I finally made it back to Idaho I went to the GM dealer to have it replaced. I ended up going there 3 different times with them saying they couldn't find anything wrong, paying about $1000 for labor and 'things they tried' etc... before on the last visit they finally admitted it was the o2 sensor and replaced it and no more problems.
I know the Wizard would likely say they were just incompetent mechanics or a corrupt dealership but this was a case where my telling them what to do would have solved the problem and saved me about $1000.
I had a similar thing happen to me. The brakes suddenly went out on my truck. I did a cursory examination and took it the shop down the street and told the mechanic what the symptoms were and said it was the brake booster. They replaced the master cylinder. I didn't even get the 3 blocks home before the brakes went again. Took it back, bitched a little, they replaced the brake booster and everything was fine. Thing was, the brake booster was literally rusted through. Someone with zero experience with cars could have seen that wasn't good.
things like this happen often especially with original dealerships. Most of the things he said only work if the shop is trustworthy which most shops arent.
Yea he is wrong IF you know 100 maybe even 99% what's wrong. I saved a lot of money getting wheel bearing and hub replaced because I told them that was what was wrong because I KNEW it was...and it got done for a good price because of that.
Not only that, but if they really do have to diagnose something that isn't obvious, they'll charge you a ton of money to try to diagnose it, and will often get it wrong anyway.
I took my car into a Ford dealership and asked what it would cost to diagnose why my RPM gauge was intermittently failing. They said $350. I got the battery tested instead, replaced the battery myself, and the issue went away.
I had a different car brought to a mechanic, and due to a timing issue I didn't have a chance to mention that I was 99% sure the head gasket had failed. He replaced the coolant overflow tank, even though I had replaced that part a few months prior (which was very obvious). The tank was broken, but it was broken because the head gasket issue was over-pressurizing the tank.
Another example: I had rear brakes replaced on my vehicle, and shortly thereafter it began to shimmy when braking at highway speeds. The mechanic said he couldn't get it to make that shimmy, but it turned out he only broke hard, and it didn't have that issue when braking hard - I told him to brake normally, and he took it out again, and of course he felt the shimmy when braking normally. He said the front rotors were warped (which is true), and then replaced ONE of the rear brakes for no apparent reason (under warranty).
With most mechanics, I have to micro-manage them, or they'll do something stupid, and never diagnose the problem. I didn't realize that when the mechanic said "the rear brakes are fine," I had to tell him, "OK, then don't replace them, and definitely don't replace just one of them."
The last mechanic I had work on my car screwed up everything he did, including the oil change. I gave him a 5 quart jug of oil, and he just poured the whole thing in, which overfilled it by a quart. I guess I should have dumped out a quart so that it would be the proper amount in the 5 quart jug, and just said "put all of this in - no more, and no less." I had the front brake pads changed, and he advised me to change the rotors too, since there was a small scratch on one of them. I declined, and the only thing that works flawlessly after the repair are the rotors and pads (although he did manage to screw up a caliper pin bushing by greasing it improperly/not greasing it).
I brought in a car to have a heating issue diagnosed, and the mechanic said the water pump is leaking. He was just flat-out wrong, or lying, and on that car it's a $1,200 repair. Coolant may have come out of the water pump, but this was due to a faulty fan that caused the vehicle to overheat.
Sorry for the long comment, but the short story is that I agree with you. Mechanics are good at diagnosing obvious issues, but very few can diagnose complex issues, and they'll be more than happy to replace a billion non-broken parts to chase the problem.
thats SUCH a rare story .....
I've definitely provided parts I want installed for my mechanic. But by "providing parts" it's usually just different brands of brake pads and rotors because my mechanic only orders OEM (for the warranties and special pricing as you stated) but I'd want to try out how XYZ brakes/rotors do instead of OEM and stuff like that. But I make sure they know that before I even drop the car off. I'm not sure why you wouldn't.
I think he's speaking generally, not if your cozy with your mechanic. If your mechanic knows about it, or TELLS YOU to buy specific parts, then yeah, buy the parts. If they don't tell you or they sat nothing, then don't buy or arrive with parts.
I own a repair shop in Akron Ohio, and I would not have a problem installing your parts as long as you have a good reason, some cheap internet parts are just junk, I will not go there, wish you the best
@@jimsix9929 Oh yea no, for me I only buy reputable stuff. For example, I really liked EBC Brakes for my last car, so I would just buy those instead of the OEM GM pads and rotors. IMO the EBC Red Stuff were so much better. Or like I would choose an upgraded spark plug and gap them myself before dropping it off. The key is to have a good relationship and communication, customer and shop owner/mechanic.
Not a bad idea and can save some money, however realize by doing so your mechanic is absolved of offering you any warranty, at least here in the NY Metro area.
He's an honest guy it seems. When you live in a small town and there's only one 'good' one around, if they don't give me jobber cost on the parts I supplied EVERYTHING myself. I'm not paying a mechanic to mark my parts up, I'm paying him for the labour
Thanks to that mechanic I do 95% of my work myself now. My tools have paid for themselves many times over already and I haven't had to deal more than once with one shop in years.
My experience with mechanics is sometimes they usually get low quality parts or they want to make a large amount of mark up on oem parts. I usually painstakingly research the best quality part for usually better price than the shop markup which is usually equal to me buying myself.
That’s fine. But there won’t be a warranty on that part. You’ll pay for “me” to replace it again
@@nandor690 Most parts have their own warranty when you buy them from the parts store.
@@nandor690
I did a simple brake job on my truck earlier this summer. Front and rear Power stop “heavy duty” Pads and rotors from rock auto - I asked a local shop if they would install them for me as I had back surgery earlier in the year. They said no. I asked what kind of parts they bought “oh we bought top of the line blah blah blah” asked for part numbers looked them up and I was floored at the mark up. 300% mark up on pads and rotors.
Yeah, I’m all set. I bought top of the line front and rear and it was still cheaper than what they would charged me for just the front.
Shops make their money on product mark up. Good friend of mine owned a shop for 30 years and even he says this.
Yeah, the markup on parts is especially bothersome when they usually get a discount on parts
@@Crazywaffle5150 does the parts store pay for labor?
I had a leaking power steering hose. Went and got the part for the mechanic to save time as the dealer is an hour away. The slime ball mechanic freaked out until i told him charge me upcharge for the part that I brought. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT $$$
I agree with most all of these. As a customer though I saved my skin by providing my own parts because the shop I entrusted with my repairs actually pocketed my parts and returned my car with old original rotors. They did not provide any warranties and denied that the rotors were old. Long story short my warranty, photo evidence and a second opinion from another shop allowed me to get replacements and it was all resolved. It's really tough to find honest mechanics you can trust out there sometimes
He's out to lunch here saying that he can get parts less then a customer. If that's true why do the parts double or triple when the bill comes? I recently had a mechanic charge me 700 for an oxygen sensor that was 280 FROM THE HONDA DEALER.
@@taylorc2542buttwipes exist
@@taylorc2542 There are ways shops can get parts cheaper. I've managed to get shop prices now and then from dealership parts counters or distributors that sold to the public. Not all shops bother, many just get the parts from the dealer or parts store at full retail and mark up from there. Depends on the shop, the car, what relationships he has with the sellers, etc.
@@taylorc2542 I hear you man I recently wanted both lower control arms , I got a quote from the place I bought tires from $350 parts $490 labor (2hr job) total $840 total I went to Rock Auto and bought parts for less than $100 and did it myself don't do stealerships or Box stores they will rob you
@@taylorc2542 I've experienced that same kind of thing. Also, for some things you should go OEM and for others it's a waste of money, especially on an older car that isn't worth all that much. I'm fine with them not giving a warrantee on customer supplied parts, but just do the job and don't try to overcharge me. They have relationships with their suppliers and obviously the more they buy from them the better the relationship, so don't act like you are not profiting from parts just because you charge me what they charged you.
Parts are a huge profit machine for so many shops. It's true that they can often get a part for 1/3 of what I can, but they mark it up 10x. People will try to solve this by buying their own parts, but in reality they just need to keep searching for an honest shop or learn to do the work themselves, which is becoming more and more of a necessity.
The whole auto mechanic business would be a whole lot better if we only had honest mechanics like the Wizard (and Mrs. Wizard). It relaxes me to listen to an ethical, master mechanic tell me what is going on!
And here’s the thing: that good mechanic would make a ton of money, because all of us are searching for someone who will repair our car and not rip us off! We will flock to such an individual!
Hear hear 👏
I'm a pretty good mechanic. But just don't have the time sometimes. I keep my mouth shut and give them symptoms. Have caught a lot of shady mechanics this way
What? Can you hear yourself?
There are two things one can enjoy endlessly - looking at the campfire and watching other people work. I understand mechanics prolly hate peeps watching them, but it is entertaining and educational!
Then watch CZcams
As a mechanic with 10 plus years experience, yes, I hate it when customers stare. It makes me tense. So tense that I have to take my time and double and triple check everything I do. So a one hour job turns into an hour and a half job.
Old saying: "Work fascinates me; I can watch it for hours."
I’ve had mostly terrible experiences with mechanics. It’s to the point now where I’ll do everything I can myself. So Once u find a good mechanic never let him go lol.
Number 4 I partially disagree with, I think it's unreasonable to stand over someone and watch them do the whole job but as a technician in a different line of work I don't mind people watching me a little bit and ask questions because it shows me they value what I am doing and they are interested. I also have the confidence and experience such that an onlooker doesn't make me nervous. As far as #5 I get it but by the same token is it fair to mark up your parts 200%?? Like TPMS.... I buy those and take them to the tire store when I get new tires because the markup on TPMS is unreasonable. I don't expect the tire store to warranty my parts but I'd rather take the gamble and buy a set for $75 online then pay a tire store $250 for the same thing.
I was quoted for a passenger side motor mount and a timing belt replacement, but the labor was quoted as if it was two separate jobs. A normal person wouldn't know, but I knew the motor mount had to come off to get to the timing belt anyway, so I asked them to remove the labor for the motor mount replacement. After consulting with a mechanic the service advisor took off the charge. It does help to know what they are doing on your vehicle.
Having to remove a motor mount to change a timing belt is insane.
German?
@@common_c3nts As a matter of fact, I can tell you that about 75 to 80% of the time the motor mount has to come out to do a timing belt. I'm saying this as a mechanic who's done countless timing belt jobs, by the way...
@@common_c3ntson transverse engines it's usually necessary my friend, longitudinal engines are usually a lot less cluttered in front of the timing belt
I had a car where the shop tried to pull that one. I am pretty savvy mechanically so I asked them to show me why. The belt was about an inch wide and there was about a quarter inch gap so it would not fit. I showed them you could just turn the belt sideways to squeeze through and they tried to say the book calls for the mount to be removed so they wouldn't warranty the belt if I twisted it. I took the chance and did it in one minute
The idea of being on a big boat with a zillion people has never appealed to me, but that is a nice view! I might have to reconsider.
I feel you with the micro managing stuff. Its terrible in offices. Bosses want to show they are still revelant when they are not with all the communication tools avaible so they start micro managing. Always watching you, telling you how to do your job they never have done in their life, etc. Those deprecated people also get twice to thrice your salary.
THIS MAN SPEAKS GOLD, THANK YOU FOR SHARING .
1) Congrats to Mrs. Wizard on finally graduating!
2) Those views are what I miss most about no longer working on ships, which was my first career. Spent a lot of time in those waters, trust me, this time of year is ALOT better than 6 months from now!
3) when you compared it to surgery, all I could think of was "clearly he's seen what happens sometimes in orthopedic surgery..."
Thank you for sharing a well deserved holiday for both of you, you sound and look very relaxed - it worked!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and your view! Always a pleasure!
Enjoy your trip wizard, you both deserve it, i myself brought my own CV joints when they broke, i knew they needed to be changed but had no job at the time so bought cheap ones and i had them change it when it broke, still works and warranty wasn't something i was thinking about as it is a used high milage car
Love your videos even though I’ve never been to a mechanic before, I take pride in learning my cars even tho they make me bleed for it! Makes me respect you guys more! 🛠️
People should be aware that the revenue-streams of many mechanics isn't just labor - they make profit from parts, too. They have their own parts vendors who have agreed, ahead-of-time, to supply parts and shop materials at wholesale so the mechanic can charge the customer retail prices, and pocket the difference. If a mechanic can't find a part, or insist on using inferior parts from their own supplier-networks, you'll have problems - this is especially true with Exotics. I have routinely brought parts to service ahead-of-time, knowing full well that the mechanic was never going to find the parts my car needed unless I found them for him.
Thank ypu wizard! I just had a really crappy day and got my self-esteem almost destroyed by my mom and my siblings today. I was feeling really mad until I watched this. Managed to calm me down and the ocean view was really soothing. I hope you and your wife have a good vacation!
I've asked to watch every time it's something I haven't done before. I've never had one get mad or even upset. They seemed to like explaining it to someone who was genuinely interested. How you present yourself matters too.
Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, I'm so happy for you guys, I went on an Alaska cruise a few years ago & enjoyed every minute. Since I'm in California so I get to see the Pacific ocean often!!! Enjoy the rest of your well deserved vacation!!! 🚢
Thanks for sharing the moments of relaxation at the end of the video!! 🙂👍👍
If a mechanic isn't transparent and willing to let the vehicle owner casually observe or check in from time to time, then I won't do business with them. Yes, I fully understand not watching them intently through the full job... but I'm also not a blindly trusting person, who's happily shoved off in a waiting room. "Trust but verify" means something.
The ending was superb! Enjoy yourselves and thanks for sharing.
🎉🎉🎉A Big Congratulations 👏 to Mrs. Wizard! I love hearing the calming water behind you. Thanks 👍 for the solid advice!
On #3: I wanted my A/C clutch replacement done in a such way that would have not opened up the system. I even brought in the instructions printed out from a Ford mechanic. The service writer blew me off and the tech opened up the system anyways. They didn't recharge the system because they didn't have a machine.
I lived a 45 minute drive from town at the time. I wasn't coming back into town for another week, and it was summer. I had to dash down to a car dealership 20 minutes before closing. The service writer there was very interested in how they opened up my system. The shop that opened up my A/C system vented it to atmosphere, and they were out of business not long after.
If I had known the shop wasn't going to re-charge the system, I would have gone somewhere else. One would think they would have appreciated my instructions, since they didn't have the proper recovery equipment!
edit to add: I think the dealership reported the shop that opened up my A/C with no recovery equipment.
We spent something like $2K on two different places - one of them the dealer - and the AC still doesn't work. Both places just replaced the fan clutch - dealer claimed an OEM fan clutch would fix it. Turns out the PCM is supposed to be upgraded but the TSB went out of date so the dealer mechanic claimed it wasn't needed. hahaha. So I quit my job since I needed an AC to deliver fruit for my job. oops.
Always have the right equipment to do the job use oem parts
@@topfell8277 Sure the dealer put in the OEM fan clutch and it was the SAME problem. It blows cold air for a few minutes then switches to hot air. very annoying. I discussed this on internet - and a former Dealer mechanic said they ALWAYS reset the PCM for updates. My receipt clearly said that the TSB was outdated and it was not done.
@@topfell8277 I use OEM if it touches the engine, or if it's electrical. For everything else, it's due diligence, and experimentation.
A richly deserved vacation for both of you, and enjoy some time togeather.💞
Alaska has some stunning scenery, thanks for the views at the end of the video.🙂👍
So nice to see you out in fresh air relaxing
You make a ton of good points.
Congratulations to Mrs. Wizard on retirement.
My friend tried the whole bring the parts to a shop, and the shop told them to take a hike on the 3rd try.
Be safe team
For certain jobs, I'd prefer the shop use OEM parts. If I ask specifically for OEM parts, I have no way of knowing if that's what the actually used. On my car it's specifically the timing components and water pump. I've read so many places to never use aftermarket replacements for these because they just don't last. I feel like shops will always use the cheapest parts available because they can make more profit from them.
Ask for the boxes/bags of the new parts, and also ask for your old parts back.
On the other hand, if the shop uses OEM parts, they will mark them up well beyond the "normal" high price mainly because the parts guy has to travel to get the parts.
@@TheOzthewiz Most chain shops/aftermarket shops already do that with aftermarket parts. I used to work at Midas and they would mark up parts from NAPA as high as 60 percent.
That’s my issue as well. There are so many fake Toyota OEM parts out there. I’d rather be responsible for buying Toyota OEM parts from a source I trust and bear responsibility for the part. I went to the trouble to buy a Toyota because of the quality parts.
Do you NEED to have automakers name on the box? Or is an OE supplier not good enough? E.g. If it's a VW along with many Euros then Conti-Tech IS the OE supplier but the package doesn't say "VW" on it. There's a big difference between top tier suppliers like Gates or Conti-Tech and some Cheng-fu junk at Autozone or Amazon.
The sea looks so calm. Thanks for showing us a slice of your vacation. Bless you and enjoy yourselves.
In short, let the mechanic do their job, and don't act like you know how to do their job better than them. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
This video sincerely displays the passion you have for your craft. Thank you, Wizard, and thank you for the hundreds of your vid's I've watched.
Glad to see you and Mrs enjoying some well deserved and maybe overdue vacation time.
And...gorgeous "B" roll at the end to boot!
One of my biggest pet peeves when I was an auto technician was when the owner of the shop I worked at would let his buddies wander around in the shop, and if I was working on one of their vehicles, they would want to not only watch, but have a conversation with me. Nobody needs that kind of distraction while they’re just trying to do their job.
By far the most chill video of yours I've seen! Lovely scenery too.
I love how much you genuinely care about people, especially your viewers here. Thinking to share the ocean sounds and scenes to destress us was a kind thing to do :)
:)
Super relaxing waves in the background 🙂 Thanks for the video - definitely great to make things as easy as possible for the mechanic or the shop. Lots of love for what you all do - glad you got a chance to relax a bit 😀
For a second I thought your name was Bill Clinton 🤪
Honest and humbled shop, thanks for the show !
This is eminently good advice. Thank you for helping your fellow citizens like this!
This is solid advice for a lot of hired services, not only a mechanic. ❤
I agree with most of what you've said, although I've had shops order parts or have parts delivered from national parts chains and the mark up on the part was double even triple if I had gone to the same parts store and bought it myself. That leaves a bad taste and fosters distrust really fast. Conversely I've had shops that you could completely trust for years; competitive pricing most times, a bit high once in a while (maybe some type of parts substitution due to a no stock item) , but at least the job was done correctly with decent timely work and not overtly out to screw you until one day they do and that relationship just sours.. I will say, rural markets, small town shops seemingly are "related" where one extended family member in town owns one shop, cousin Mel owns the next one down the road and uncle Tim owns the next and it's a mini cartel in a county. They know you're at their mercy and would have to get the car to the "big city" to have repairs done outside of that controlled market area.
Wizard has great advise. My father was an excellent mechanic back in the day and his nugget of wisdom ( among many) that is so true is “ son the public will educate you” . After 40 years in the business I have been educated. Wizard , myself and those that have made the auto repair business a career learn how to properly service and repair cars ( or you don’t last) but the wildcard are the different personalities that walk through the front door every day. That’s where the “ public will educate you” part comes in. Wizard comes across as relaxed and enjoying himself on vacation but I can verify that he has earned his vacation.
Wise words, WEEZARD! On more than one occasion, I have bought parts e.g. power steering pump was my latest, with the full intention of fitting myself, and then just got busy/lazy and taken car with said part to my local mackie. Thankfully, he understands but we always have the agreement that his warranty is on his work and the warranty for the part is my own deal. It's always good to get clarity on this, so nobody gets burned or butthurt if something goes wrong. Thank you for the sublime footage at the end, enjoyed falling asleep to that.
Wow! And I thought Wizard was going to show us the engine room and Mrs. Wizard was going to show us the controls on the bridge. Enjoy your vacation,you two deserve it!
He can't put the ship on the lift
@@desnick2316 Dry dock... in KS.😂
"Welcome to the Wizard's... Drydock"
I'd be hoping Mrs. Wizard would out on the deck showing us the fine tan she was getting!
Thanks for the relaxing background. Cruised to Alaska three weeks ago.
Glad you went on a cruise and got to relax and enjoy yourselves! I always enjoyed the 3 cruises we've done. I have my parents 58 cadillac they bought in 1960. I was only 1 year old. Mom gave it to me in 1982. Lifelong Southern California car. In 2011, the blowby from the down draft tube had just become intolerable, and I didn't like the pollution that was being put out by the car. I found an engine rebuild shop, I told them I could supply them with a complete rebuild kit from Kanter auto. They were perfectly fine with that, and they sent the block and heads to the machine shop for any work needed. It all worked out fine, the block and heads were fine, kept the rockers, crank, and 12 years later and about 8000 miles, its still running great and no visible smoke at all !!!
Never tell a mechanic I’m in no hurry take all the time you need. You have to have some sort of expectation of time for completion or it will just sit there as every other customer this is wanting there’s done pushes yours further and further back.
@Lord Garth... Yeah, they'll push your vehicle to the back of the line. Then work on the more costly jobs. Caddy dealership in my town used to do that. They went out of business.
As someone who works on their own vehicles as much as possible I agree with everything in this video. On rare occasions when I have to take a car to a shop I kindly ask for them to look at the car and let me know if they would agree with my diagnosis and let me know what the find. I am really lucky to have an honest shop that is great at communicating exactly what they found, and what needs doing, and what is optional or could be deferred. If a shop can call you and explain what is going on and what it will cost that is the most important thing.
Thanks for the ocean shots! Super nice of you to take time from your vacation. Congrats to Mrs. Wizard on her retirement.
Also I learned a hard lesson. Never ever give money up front. I had a 1993 Toyota MR2 that I wanted to put high performance parts into. I wanted to put a better head gasket, pistons, piston rods, and crankshaft. I gave the shop $5,000. The shop called me saying my car was over heating and they need to find out what is causing it before doing everything I wanted to do. I said okay find the problem. They replaced my water pump, alternator, and did a tune up. Without me giving the okay to replace those parts. Then finally they replaced my head gasket and that was the problem. 5,000 down the drain and only oem parts, no high performance after market parts. Don't give money upfront, so that they HAVE to call you first before buying parts and replacing whatever they want. For all i know they probably never did the work they did. They never gave me the parts they took off my car. They could have just replaced my head gasket and charge $5,000 for it. I wish I was there watching them
Couple of thoughts:
1. I love to hang out in shops cause I love working on my cars, I just might not have all the tools or knowledge to do all the jobs, so I bring it to a shop. I also like to learn more about my cars and the jobs being done. Seeing mechanics at work will also often tell you much about what kind of hands you and your car are in.
2. I like to buy my own parts not necessarily to save money, but to control the quality of the parts. I will typically not go the cheapest route but the best quality, which normally regular mechanics won't have access to or be able to guarantee a particular brand or quality, because they only work with whatever their suppliers have. Even down to the oil and filters being used. I mainly use Amsoil, which most mechanics don't have on hand or have access to.
3. If it's a mechanic I don't know, or haven't done business with, I WILL often tell them how I want certain things. Mostly because I know a lot of mechanics are used to certain time saving or lazy practices, and I have higher standards. So things like making sure to torque certain things down to particular torque values, or even just making sure they use a torque wrench (not torque extensions/sticks) to begin with on things like lug nuts. Or if it's an uncommon job, I will discuss the steps, or at least certain potential pitfalls with them so they don't screw something up
4. I come from a performance car/shop background, and am used to hanging out at the shop, talking shit, and working on my car along with the mechanics. I really miss my favorite performance shop and my favorite custom audio and interiors shop, that have both closed down since...I sorta grew with them once I started driving back in the day.
If it's a new shop I haven't done business with, I can usually assess pretty quickly by talking to the guys there, and seeing the shop, who I'm dealing with. Some shops I won't worry, or question, or direct their efforts. Others...require more attention.
You would be the Wizards customer from hell
@@mrlafayette1964 Nah...cause I know he knows his stuff. I might talk parts with him, and see if he's cool installing something specific where it matters. Which by the wat he himself has talked about having constant issues with parts quality. Other than that, he's good to go. The hangong out part I can take or leave...if it's a really good shop.
I am watching one watching one of your videos on Saturday just before memorial, I heard You say were in The Army. Thanks for your service.
Buddy , I’m so glad you are finally taking some time off ! You earned it !
I agree about not hovering over someone working. The only exception I make is if the tradesperson is inside my home; like the cable tv tech, HVAC tech etc. I don't know who they are and there are valuables exposed and other private things that I don't want the person looking through if I'm not there and I would never leave them unsupervised with a family member in a room. Inside the home, I follow them around as if I'm chained to them.
Yeah, trades love that. Maybe next time, just put your gold bars and "private things" somewhere else.
I was a line tech for 15 years at a shop like yours and I Don't trust most mechanics to do the job as well as I would have.
So when I do need work done I keep it to a minimum where I have enough confidence that that work can be done by a tech with even moderate skills. Just the way it is these days as most techs are nothing but glorified backyard mechanics with a toolbox.
"let me hold flashlight for you"
*shines directly into your eyes*
Good advice, Wizard. Enjoy your vacation! I have actually been correct in my diagnoses at times while a mechanic, for whatever reason, was not. I know my individual car better than they do. Still, I agree the way you present your thoughts to a mechanic often means the difference between a mechanic listening or blowing you off.
Kudos to Mr. and Mrs. Wizard for taking the time to create content while they are on vacation.
Did Mr. Wizard ask the ship's captain if he could see if the engine rooms were all tidy and that the gazillion horsepower Wartsila marine diesels down there were being taken care of?
@@johnstuartsmith 😂😂
Congrats on the Retirement Mrs. Wizard,
Being in the car business for 30 years it's refreshing to see an honest Mechanic.
Thank you for the great content you provide.
Hope you're having a great time
Soothing video. Cruises are fun. It’s been probably 10 years since I’ve been on one. I always thought it would be neat to have a relationship with my mechanic where I could watch him do the work on my car and learn a thing or two. But I think it’s probably rare for any mechanic to ever want to do that or have a customer he’s comfortable enough with to do that. Another great video by the Wizard.
Thanks for the lecture, wizard.
If an auto mechanic gets nervous while I’m watching them fix my car, it means they don’t know what they are doing, or they feel it’ll be difficult to cheat me. I’m an artist. I’ve been doing art projects for clients for over 10 years. I have no problem if any clients want to watch me work on their project. Maybe my first few years I’d be nervous because I didn’t really know what I was doing. But now, even Wizard can watch me do artwork and I’m ok. I agree with Wizard that clients shouldn’t tell me how to do the work. It’s annoying because everyone does things slightly different, but they can watch me quietly. Raise their hand quietly if they have a question.
Congratulations on a well deserved vacation, Wizard, and congratulations on Mrs. Wizard's retirement. Thanks for the video and for sharing with us those tranquil seas.
5:42 my 2001 Deville had warm a/c on the driver side and cold on the passenger side. I thought the dash had to come out to replace an actuator. I was ready to pay $1200. The dealer said they replaced a leaking line and added freon for $542.
GREAT call Wizard, 100% agree 🙂
Love your channel, keep up the TERRIFIC work.
Hi from Phuket - Thailand!
You're on vacations, and still thinking about us, doing a great video! Thanks Mr. and Mrs Wizard! You guys are great! Greetings from Brazil!
Great contents! Agreed on all except 8:20 - 8:25 regarding the part prices.
Maybe it’s just my experience but buying quality genuine OEM parts myself has been always significantly cheaper than what the shops charge. I always found this to be a tough pill to swallow situation.
When I bring my parts, I take the risk of the parts being defective in lieu of saving myself $$. If the price difference is minimal, then I just let the shop purchase the parts on behalf of me.
You bring beer to the bar too don't you?
Shops make money on markup. If they didn’t mark up parts, the labor would cost more. You’d still be paying the same bill, shop needs to be profitable wither way
@@chrisbaudoux9879 i disagree - I’ve always been quoted the same labor $/hr whether I bring my own parts or not.
@@Docholliday1106 terrible analogy.
@@dannyoh8542 depends on the shop
Dave:I really appreciate what you do for us,even when you are on a cruise. keep the information coming and thanks again!!!!!!!
i get where you're coming from on point #4. it could come across as a lack of trust. my only reason to watch a mechanic do his job is to learn something so i can do it myself the next time.
as a mechanic, i agreed with all of these and especially about brining their owns parts, had a customer supply me for an engine for his 2008 Honda civic, put the engine and everything is fine, he comes back later saying its leaking, apparently the engine he supplied me had a crack oil pan and in those 1.8 civics u gotta pull a lot of stuff out in order to do unlike Hyundai engines which is much easier. told him its gonna cost him 200$ to fix and he said that i had to pay out of my own pocket which i refused since he is the one that supplied me the engine from some crappy junkyard. he kept arguing with me with the continues phone calls and the headache saying it should never left the shop leaking, but again , not my fault whether i found it leaking before i give it to u or not, u still gonna have to pay me. at the end i told him im gonna do it for free but come take the car and don't show me ur face again. don't wanna deal with these kind of headaches.
as a mechanic with 43 years under the lift I can feel your pain, I am almost retired but want to keep my shop a few more years, still need to do a few jobs to pay the bills, what I do now is I ask for the title to the car before any repairs are started, the deal is after repairs are done you buy your car back for the cost of parts and labor, should have done it that way 30 years ago, it takes away all the stress of dealing with unreasonable customers, and if they can not pay or do not want to, it is your car, sell it, drive it scrap it, think about it, as long as you are good and honest people will do it that way the cost is the same but it gives you all the control
Where would you have gotten the motor from??
Sound advice, but I’m guilty of #4. I understand why it’s a bad idea, but sometimes I can’t help it. I have two pet peeves that keep me from trusting anyone with my vehicle. #1 is door dings and scratches. Before I hand them the keys, I typically make someone in charge of the shop go with me to my truck and inspect it to show it hasn’t a single scratch or ding on it and that it better be that way when I pick it up. I have been burned on this before when I didn’t make them do this pre work inspection with me. I’m scarred for life. #2 is when a tire shop puts the lug nuts on with an air gun and torques then so tight I’m scared I’ll snap my breaker bar getting them off. This is really low hanging fruit that even a rookie technician should know before his first day on the job . If they cant get something this simple and easy right, it makes me worry about other things.
Am I unreasonable?
Otherwise, I love the Car a Wizard channel-lots of sound advice and interesting cars.
Yes people like you are the most annoying part of being a mechanic they want to watch yet they have no clue what they are even looking at….. 🤦♂️🤦♂️
+ 1000 on the lug nuts - I do all my own tire changes now
"But my ratchet is set to the proper torque."
Yet somehow I break off two studs requiring a new hub.
Wizard, congratulations to Mrs. Wizard on her retirement. I live in Anchorage Alaska and have been following your videos for some time. You are very inspiring in your honesty and integrity. Please keep it up!
I’m glad y’all can get a vacation! Love the videos, y’all are great
I have used the same mechanic for over 30 years. His style is a lot like yours. I know original Minis inside-out, but modern cars are nothing like that. He has contracts with local police and military police, he is honest and competent, and I hope he never retires! Of course I let him source the parts, even though I get discount from my Volvo dealer as a long-term customer. He gets them cheaper and his markup is sensible.
I 100% agree with you. When I'm working on someone's car and hear them tell me how to do MY job this is immediate and instant blinding rage for me. I HATE when a customer that usually knows only what google told them is #1 freaking watching me work, and #2, telling me, the experienced and generally grouchy mechanic how to do his job. Bring your own parts? Here's your keys, there's a little hole in the wall down there, feel free to go there.
I usually want to be nice, but customers make this extremely difficult. Also and equally important, if your car has an overheating issue, or something, DONT LIE TO US. I don't want to hear "it overheats but never stalled, or got too hot" I want to hear precisely where on the gauge it got to, how long did it run like that? I'm not there to judge, I"m there to give an honest diagnosis and that could be the difference between needing a simple repair, or having to replace major things and hope we don't have more wrong.
I imagine people often bring parts that aren’t brok on the car or wrong parts, but if I want to get a specific cam or aftermarket suspension, is this something I can discuss with a mechanic first? For example, if I want to have a dod/afm delete on my L77, and go with a certain aftermarket company, but need a trained expert to install the kit, I would think that would be something I could discuss.
@@pops55650 yes, you could absolutely talk with a mechanic and ask on something like that. We would have to order it specifically to ensure correct parts, otherwise my shop will not touch it.
So many of my jobs are fixing problems that other, cheaper mechanics created. Welcome to "A" level.
@@bobw7018 hey bob I have a question about my 2004 lexus
@@beanteam2217 sure, what's the question?
All good tips to stay on the repair person's good side. Luv the ocean scenery at the end, all through the vid I was thinking of just how relaxing the background sea sounds were.
Just plain common sense and I couldn’t agree with you more. Thanks Wizard for your advice and videos here. Trust is the key to any successful relationship.