Never Say This to a Mechanic

Turning Your Smartphone into an Engine Analyzer

The biggest worry car owners have is being taken advantage of by a mechanic in a garage or service center. And for good reason as has been pointed out in numerous articles on this website.

However, car owners can take some control in a car repair situation by knowing what to say and what not to say to a mechanic, as well as showing the mechanic that you have some idea of what your vehicle’s problem is and why you are seeking his services.

This was the point made in a recent Scotty Kilmer YouTube channel short episode where Scotty in his uniquely flamboyant way warns car owners, they should never tell a mechanic “My check engine light is on, I don’t know what’s wrong with it” and then leave yourself open at the mercy of what could be a dishonest mechanic.

In other words, you need to show that you are at least somewhat savvy about your car’s potential problem so that---if the mechanic tends to be dishonest---the mechanic will not view you as an easy mark where he or she can dupe you with bogus repairs that you didn’t need.

Scotty’s solution to this problem is helping car owners know that rather than buying an expensive engine analyzer, you can use a $60 module that connects to your car and transmits wirelessly to your smartphone any codes that could be responsible for the check engine warning light.

Here is a very short video by Scotty with a little more detail about his solution:

Never Say This to a Mechanic

Mechanics Have Heard It All…and Then Some, So Never Say This to a Mechanic Redux

For an additional “Never Say This to a Mechanic” Scotty Kilmer classic, here is a past video in which he offers some good advice when talking with your mechanic that still applies today and can save you from losing money and from embarrassment.

Never Say This to a Mechanic

And finally…

For additional articles about working with mechanics, here are two selected articles to consider:

• The Biggest Red Flag You’ve Taken Your Car to the Wrong Mechanic

• Consumer Reports Car Experts on Finding a Trustworthy Mechanic

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Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

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