Ladies, do you think mechanics and service guys take advantage of you?

That kind of ripoff has been going on for ages, right or wrong it still goes on. That's why when I got my first car, I rebuilt the engine right along with my dad, I can change my own oil, if I had too, but now a days it just makes more sense to go have it done, then I don't have to worry about trying to dispose of the used oil, I can change a flat, and I have helped replace parts enough times that I could probably replace most parts on a vehicle by myself. I have, through out my life, for varying reasons, had to take care of household jobs and all it takes is a little reading and learning and you could too. About the only thing I won't mess with is doing electrical work, unless it's something simple. This type of ripoff is also why I taught my daughters to know at least the basics of vehicle maintenance and parts, and that they can fix or replace a lot of things around the house themselves. I have always paid attention to mechanical repairs that my dad or my s/o has been doing and usually I'm right there getting dirty along with them. So unless you want to get ripped off by some mechanic or home repairman, start doing some reading, it's never too late to learn.

Well we have new cars so they go to the dealer and I make my husband take the cars in because I took it in once to have the air conditioner worked on and the guy told me there was nothing wrong with it I just didn't know how to use the buttons. I was Pi**ed I said oh yes with my 17 years of driving, I have never had a car with this option before. I left with the air still not working right. My husband took it in no problems, he apparentlly has had a car with air and knew how to use it because they didn't give him the same story as I got. I use to be a construction site supervisor and it is not just mechanics it's all men that work in a "man" only industry. I use to have contractors that would try to get over on me and I would just tell them that I had been doing my job for a very long time and I was well aware of the crap they were pulling. There are just some men out there that think women don't know anything when chances are the women are smarter than they are.

I was raised in the forties and fifties in a salvage (junk?) yard and helped my dad. He was equal opportunity before it was politically correct. There were 6 boys and 3 girls. I was the youngest girl and next to the youngest child. Mom taught everyone but me how to cook because I would rather be helping Dad. I learned to cook in home ec in high school. There were two of us girls who learned some mechanic work. The eldest didn't want too. I also learned something about electrical work from an uncle. Back then the parts men in the auto parts stores would ask me if I was sure about the size of engine in the vehicle I was getting a part for and I would tell them in no uncertain terms that I ought to know. I had been under the hood and under the vehicle enough. If I buy a vehicle, I am under, around and thru the thing more thoroughly than a man is generally.

I am always prepared for service guys with a lot of information. I like to talk to them like an expert. I think I made them confused, so they report to me like they would with guys. At home I always try to have handy guy instead of specialist. It cost a fraction of it would be with repair specialist. When I fix my car, I have learned enough at least to understand the parts and car function. Many car mechanics try to fool me with very expensive repair that cost just few dollars in the end. EX: I was told to replace car computer for $2500, I checked second place and end up with $200 repair instead....

I don't only think it I know it. I saw an add from Canadian Tire one time on a cheap set of 13 inch tires for 25.00 a piece and I thought oh great now for 100.00 I can buy new tires for my little trailer. I had a small holiday trailer at that time. I went in there with my 4 rims and asked for these tires to be mounted on my rims and I'd be back in an hour. When I went to pick up my tires they were done and ready to go. I knew that my (NOW) husband would be at his house eating at noon which is when I was in the city picking up my tires, anyway the young guy rang up my bill and said that'll be 498.00 please. Of course I had lots to say about how the price of the tires went up awful fast and he explained to me that those tires would not fit my rims. I asked him why the tires were not 13 inch tires as advertized and he said they were. I then asked how it was possible that the 13 inch tires would not fit the 13 inch rims knowing my rims were in new condition. I hate people who can talk for 20 minutes and not say anything but as soon as he told me the tires would not be round on the bottom I went in my purse and took out my cell phone, I called my man and I said, "This character is going to have to convince you of what I call a full load of crap." I then handed the phone to this employee and the call was very short. He told me to go have a seat and he'd have my tires ready in about 1/2 an hour. I got my twenty five dollar tires, we were married and used the trailer for a lot of camping trips and when I sold the trailer the tires still looked brand new. You have to really watch. I don't look very smart apparently and I know for a fact I look older than I am due to health issues and not able to get around eazily and I looked like an eazy score. Little did that little wipper snapper know. hehehehe

This is why I always take a male with me for that kind of stuff. It seems that they like to rip us off. I will admit, I'm an easy target too. I have no idea about cars.

I know I have had some mechanics try to pull a fast one on me, but I am pretty mechanically inclined, so I can spot it right away. I can't say that I can spot all of them, but I generally know when someone is trying to rip me off, especially when it comes to cars. Often, I seem to know more about my car than even the guys at the dealership sometime. And, I only get work done on my car that I know needs to be done unless it's a problem that's got me totally stumped.

Yes I think they do, I once took my truck to find out what was it's problem, the man after friving it and looking it over gave me this big long spill as to what it needed and said that it would take him at least a week to get the part and it was an awful price he gave me on what the cost would be. I told him I would have to discuss this with my husband and he said I would have to get it in quick as he was going to be full over the next couple weeks. When I got home we had the hood up looking and a friend came by he said you need to fix that noise and I told him what the man had told me, he said wait a minute and left, he came back with a 45cent bolt and put it somewhere in the engine and that stopped it. I was ome mad and I went back to the place and demanded to know why he ask such a high price when al it needed was a screw, he just laughed. There are places out there just waiting on the women to bring in a car or any other thing that needs fixing to rip you off as they believe you don't have any ideas as to how they work or what they need, I always try to get at least 2 opinions on anything that I need fixed or go to a friend. Someone I know I can trust.

Sometimes we women are taken advantage of on certain aspect of deal we know less of. We have to be jack of all trade and be a little aggressive when come to petty things in life.

I went to get a simple oil change and they left the top off. My oil top almost fell into the radiator if my husband didnt check afterwards. Every time I go they tell me I need new filters although they were brand new. I always need some sort of part. Funny though when my husband takes the car, they do what they are supposed to do and they say nothing to him. I dont take the car in anymore. Yes they see us coming!

I think not all mechanics will take advantage of the ladies. That's normal when we are facing the starnger, sure we will have doubted. If you want to make sure you won't be taken advantage, may be you can ask your friend to introduce a reliable stranger to you.

Hi bonbon I guess taking auto mechanics in highschool has paid off well for me. The school hated it back then because girls just didn't do those things in the 70's. In the days when I owned junkers I rebuilt a few engines, installed a few transmissions, burned and replaced a clutches so you could say that I know my way around a car. However, I do love it when a mechanic tries to play the "oh you're a female" game with me because I can really have some fun with them.

Yup, this has been going on eons ago. Whether it is the mechanics or the electrical repairs guy, they always look at me like 'wonder if she understands what I'm saying.' And I would often get a different explanation from them, if I were to compare the version they gave to my husband. So usually, I'd leave all this to him; plus the negotiation part of the fees.

I don't think so an all.We are humanbeing,not a learing a machine ,we can't know about everything aronud.That is to say ,we are desierd to be a specialist,not a all-rounder.we work in just one or alitter more than one field,and understand it fully,that is enough.Don't you think so.If we know a lot of things and can handle it successfull, it's wonderful for ourselves of course,but the people in that field may have nothing to do, which may cause them lose their job.