A mechanic and TikTok user has taken to the social media platform to accuse other mechanics of taking advantage of customers. TikToker Brad (@ontrackwithbrad) did not hold back and said the actions of other mechanics have given those who perform honest work a bad name.
In his video, Brad said the reputation mechanics seem to have gained made it tricky for him to work with a customer. He doubled down on his opinions too, and was clearly disgruntled at what he had been having to deal with.
“If you gotta lie for your hours, you’re not a mechanic. You’re a thief with a toolbox,” he said in the video. He was adamant that not all mechanics act like that, but the actions of those who do give the rest of his colleagues a bad name just for doing their jobs.
Some people fear going to mechanics because they worry they’ll be suddenly overcharged. Customers in the past have even reported being charged up to 50 percent more than others have paid, and that has led to this massive distrust. That explains what made this particular mechanic so angry.
Distrust in Mechanics Caused a Nightmare for Brad
@ontrackwithbrad Some of y’all aren’t “flat rate killers”… you’re just liars with a toolbox. 🤷♂️ If you have to lie about diag, sell shit a car doesn’t need, or claim work you never did just to make your hours, you’re not good at this job. And then we wonder why customers don’t trust mechanics. Good techs make money fixing cars. Shitty techs make money fixing invoices. 🫡 #Mechanic #AutomotiveTechnician #MechanicLife #FlatRate #autorepair ♬ original sound – On Track with Brad
Brad doubled down hard in his video and appeared incredibly frustrated. “Some of y’all are gonna get real defensive. But if you’re the type of person who’s quoting $3,000 of [work] that a car doesn’t need, you’re a … thief,” he said. “You are the reason why this industry gets a bad rap,” he added. He then explained what had made things so tricky for him.
The TikTok user and mechanic explained a situation he had with a customer, exasperated by the mistrust this customer had in mechanics. “I send a $3,000 quote because it honestly needs it, and then the customer automatically thinks that they are getting [expletive] over—because of you,” he said. It meant that it took some serious convincing with this customer that the work required was right for the car. But it had made things incredibly tricky.
Brad went even further and said that those mechanics who do this should actually leave the industry. He very strongly felt that they had no place in the business, and removing them could restore some trust between customers and mechanics. While not everyone does it, he actively encouraged his viewers to get a second opinion to avoid being stuck with a quote that is massively over what you should be paying.
How Can Customers Avoid Being Scammed?
Luckily, there are things that can be done to avoid being scammed by these kinds of mechanics. Car Talk recommended that customers look for an ASE-certified mechanic. ASE stands for Automotive Service Excellence, and it is effectively the gold standard for automotive mechanics. As it is issued by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, it carries a lot of weight.
That is one way to avoid being scammed. As Brad mentioned in his TikTok, getting a second opinion is another, and in some cases it could save you hundreds of dollars. It is incredibly unfortunate for mechanics that, seemingly, the actions of a few have hurt the reputation of those looking to do a good, honest job.