Go to mechanic is expensive. According to figures from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Spaniards spend between 500 and 2,000 euros per year in the workshop. The labor of a mechanic ranges between 60 and 100 euros per hour, depending on the province where you work.
To these prices we must add the risk that some an dishonest mechanic They want to be ‘clever’ and inflate the bill. That’s why there are always those who ask for a quote before leaving the car and the professional should notify you of any change in cost before proceeding with the repairs.
And it is that, although there is thousands of professional mechanics, There is always an exception that proves the rule. The statements on social media of a young woman who She took her car to the garage and was scammed They show that not everyone can be trusted.
“Sometimes, I hate being a woman”
The story begins in Australiawhen Alice Bleathman She took her van to be repaired and was attended to by two mechanics. In her video, the girl explains through tears that ended up paying more on her bill from the workshop and that, in addition, she received a terrible service. “Sometimes, I hate being a woman,” she concludes, since she felt that all this deception was motivated, in large part, by her sex.
Indeed, after this video, the Australian radio program The Fox Melbourne received the call from a mechanic that, under anonymity, He acknowledged that it was common to scam to certain clients in the workshops. After several questions, he confessed how he did it and how he started.
“It has always been done, “I have been doing this since I was an apprentice,” he begins to explain. “At first I didn’t agree, but now that I have my own business I recognise that it is necessary to charge a premium to cover the costs,” explains this mechanic.
The main victims of scams at the mechanic’s
As for the victims, its main objective They are those workers who arrive with company car. “They don’t pay the bill out of pocket, so it doesn’t matter to them.” These people, They usually charge between 20 and 30% more of the regular price of the work.
Regarding the women, This mechanic recognizes that try to be careful. But not because of them, but because you never know. “If there is a man in your life who knows about cars”. For this reason, they usually go up between 10 and 15% more in price.
The jackpot, for this mechanic, is Clients working in large companies, who have expensive and powerful cars but have no idea about mechanics. “I usually charge them between 40 and 50% more,” He confesses bluntly. And, as he explained, he does not feel guilty about these abusive practices. “It is part of the sector, unfortunately”.
