‘You picked a bad time’: Man buys new motor for his Toyota and has the cash ready, but what mechanics keep doing is driving him crazy

A man in Mississippi went viral after sharing a frustrating problem. He bought a brand new replacement motor for his Toyota Tundra, but he can’t find a mechanic willing to install it. Jeffrey Gray has already bought the replacement engine himself. But weeks later, his truck is still broken and no one will do the job.

Gray was so frustrated he went on TikTok to ask, “Do mechanics not like money, bro?” This is a huge headache, especially when he has the cash ready to pay. Gray says the engine was delivered to his warehouse in early December. He first tried calling his regular mechanic, someone he had worked with before, but the guy wouldn’t pick up the phone.

According to Motor1, after weeks of no response, Gray found a second mechanic he trusted. This person had done transmission work for him before. Gray dropped off the Tundra on December 18. By January 7, Gray realized the truck was still sitting untouched in the parking lot. He put out a direct call to mechanics, saying he isn’t trying to lowball anyone. “I got the money. I just want the motor in my truck,” he said.

Finding a reliable mechanic is harder than ever before

The automotive repair industry is struggling with a massive nationwide worker shortage. Older, experienced mechanics are retiring, and not enough younger people are replacing them. Modern cars are incredibly complicated, which makes the problem worse. They are loaded with advanced electronics, complex software, and electric parts.

This means mechanics need constant, expensive training and specialized tools. Unfortunately, the pay often doesn’t match the intense skill needed or the physically demanding work. This complexity turns off potential new mechanics. For customers, this means busier shops, fewer reliable options, and endless wait times. Gray’s experience isn’t unique when it comes to dealership service departments pulling unexpected moves.

When Gray’s video blew up, viewers offered a main theory for why mechanics were avoiding the work: liability. If a mechanic didn’t buy the parts themselves, they can’t guarantee the quality of what they’re installing. One commenter said bluntly, “No good mechanic wants to use the engine YOU bought.” 

Another explained the mechanic’s perspective: if the motor doesn’t work, the customer will blame the mechanic 100 percent. Trust issues between customers and mechanics aren’t new, especially after reports of service managers taking cars on joy rides.

Other viewers said timing might be part of the problem. Trying to get major work done between Christmas and New Year’s is always a tough ask. Another theory suggests mechanics prefer faster, less risky jobs that pay the same day, like installing brakes or doing oil changes. It’s a smart business move when demand is this high.