Upsell #1
Your mechanic is just like every other person running a business. They're in business to stay in business. The good thing is that most mechanics are honest. Some are brutal, and others are subtle. Unfortunately, you'll end up overspending at some time or other with all three types.
Watch out for the Chassis lube pitch! Back in the day it was very important to lubricate all the joints in your vehicle. The joints were made of rubber, and when they dried out the best you could expect was a harsh ride. Grease was shoved into all the nooks and crannies, and this was part of the oil-change vehicle maintenance program.
Cars on the road these days still have joints, but the rubber compounds used are far superior to those used in days-gone-by. This means the classic chassis lube is pretty much a thing of the past.
If the Chassis lube is being included in the "premium" service package when you take your car in for service-find the nearest exit.
Upsell #2
Not many people have time to repair their own brakes, so when you drop your car off to the mechanic to have those brake pads inspected, make sure you don't fall for the "time to change the rotor" speech.
Turning the rotor (resurfacing) is often unnecessary, and unless the new pads are horrifically worn and grooved, the new pads will seat into the old rotor quite nicely after a day or two.
The best bet is to have the mechanic show and explain to you why he or she thinks the rotors need to be resurfaced. This way, there are never any hidden surprises.
It goes without saying that with the right type of automotive training for an individual, changing brake pads and the like can be a piece-of-cake.
And, attending training classes at a good automotive tech school can open up a lot of career possibilities for you down the road. Education is important, the more you know; the further you can go in life.
Co-host of Spike TV's "Xtreme 4X4"
"At WyoTech, I received the skill set necessary to take me as far as my imagination will lead me."
Jessi Combs' motto, "It's not how big you are in the fight; it's how big the fight is in you," has taken her a long way...