Maybe I'm jaded by the dateline investigation series or the many other undercover operations but I never feel confident my mechanic is doing what he's supposed to be doing. If you believe the hype, these reports usually underscore isolated incidents...or does it shed light on a much larger problem? How do you know which mechanic to trust? At Jiffy Lube they change the oil in front of you. You can watch through the window in the lobby as the oil spits out.
But what about the horror stories you hear time and again. How does a regular Joe know if he is getting what he paid for? My suspicion is even higher when I use a coupon. You can always tell when the person taking your order is disappointed you bargain shopped for a deal or downloaded coupons from their websites. How many of these places work on commission?
As a seasoned salesperson myself, I can appreciate the guy trying to upsell a service but there is a distinct line when it comes to doing it with integrity or tricking your customers. Even at NTB, the guy presented 3 oil change options that were "add-ons" to the basic oil change - it was presented in a fashion that most people would not understand they didn't have to buy it at all.
I wish I could say that I blindly trust the services provided by chain-store mechanics. How do you guarantee you are getting what you pay for without doing it yourself?
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