Another Shop Told Them Their 2021 Volkswagen Needed $5000 Worth Of Work… Here's Our 2nd Opinion

Regarding car repair estimates―costly ones―or a fatal diagnosis, we've reported that it is necessary to always get at least a second and maybe even a third opinion. That was the case for this 2021 Volkswagen owner who almost wound up taken to the cleaners by a less-than-honest garage.

Here is the Volkswagen client's story:

This is my wife's car. My wife took it to another local shop to see if the front driver’s side tire could be patched to get us through a few extra days. They said we needed new tires, which I was prepared for if needed.

They quoted the tires and told her something on the suspension was rubbing the front tire and would need to be fixed.

She called me, and the guy on the phone told me the situation and gave me a quote. Not knowing or being able to say what part. They would have to get in and look.

She then brought the car home after a quick back and forth with them. The car never drove or behaved like something was that wrong with it.

I looked myself and didn't see anything or feel anything that would be touching the tire causing wear. I'm pretty sure if something on the suspension was that broke or loose, it would be kinda noticeable.

So I got a second opinion.

It was the best decision of the day by the spouse.

A second opinion was sought from the garage of the popular Royalty Auto Service YouTube channel where the host is well-known for his no-nonsense repairs and advice for car owners.

The host of the channel took the car for a test ride on a bumpy road followed by a carful inspection and what he found was created into a useful video serving as a warning to other car owners facing a similar situation with their car and a garage.

In the video below, you will learn:

1. You should never take any garage's word of a repair needed without seeing it for yourself.
2. Tire wear is not always a sign of a suspension problem.
3. Be suspicious of a claim of wear that would be premature based on the car and miles on the odometer.
4. Having a second opinion might reveal a real problem missed by the first garage.
5. You can use simple tools to DIY inspect your car's suspension and how to do it.

If you want to get to the result without watching the video, a spoiler alert is provided immediately below the video.

Another Shop Told Them Their 2021 Volkswagen Needed $5000 Worth Of Work… Here's Our 2nd Opinion!

Spoiler Alert!

After a thorough inspection of the car, the host found that the car needed new brake pads, new tires, and probably a tire alignment, all of which would cost well under the estimated $5,000 for a suspension repair that was not needed.

His advice to viewers is that you have to be able to ask the big question:

The biggest thing is you need to be comfortable in the "WHY"―Why does it need to have that done? And the shop should be able to show you that. And if they can't show you that, that's when you got to say, "Let me go get a second opinion." And they might be they might be right. But I would question why they wouldn't just show it to you.

Let Us Know If This Is True In Your Experience: One comment from the video pointed out that this exact scenario typically happens to women who bring their car into a garage. If you have experienced this, let us know about it in the comments section below.

For additional articles related to the importance of a second opinion, here are a few for your consideration:

1. We Came Close To Scrapping Our Daughter's Car When It Wouldn't Start and a Mechanic Said It Needed a New Engine ―What's Worth Fixing and What's Not, Advises This Toyota Mechanic
2. Ford Dealership Misdiagnosed a Coil and Plug and Gave a Ridiculous Estimate of $1,200 for a Misfiring Engine Problem –Here is the Correct Diagnosis and Fix That Rescued This Truck From the Dealership
3. Second Opinion Reveals One Bad Repair and Two Toyota Dealer Scams

COMING UP NEXT: I Haven't Taken My Toyota Tacoma to the Dealership for Service in 5 Years…Guess How Much I Saved

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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