‘If you spot two, walk out’: A mechanic is spilling the beans on 10 ways shops scam you. Some of them are very common

A mechanic with 20 years of experience is sharing important red flags that show when an auto repair shop is trying to scam you. Fadi Atiq, who works in Tampa, Florida, has been sharing helpful tips on social media to help drivers avoid getting ripped off. He has a simple rule for people who think they’re being scammed: “If you spot one of these, be careful. If you spot two, walk out.”

Getting your car serviced can feel scary, especially if you don’t know much about cars. Some repair shops take advantage of this and charge customers more money than they should.  According to Motor1, Atiq’s advice can help you spot these dishonest shops before they empty your wallet. The most important sign of an honest shop is whether they trust their own work. If a shop won’t promise to fix problems with their repairs, it’s probably because they know their work isn’t good.

Atiq says on TikTok “No warranty equals major red flag.” Most good shops offer warranties that last about one year or 12,000 miles. The best shops often give warranties for 24 or even 36 months. “If a shop doesn’t offer a warranty, they don’t trust their own work,” he explains. Some top shops even offer three-year or 36,000-mile coverage across the whole country. If a shop refuses to give you a warranty, you should see this as a serious warning sign.

An honest shop stands behind its repairs with solid warranties

Always ask for a written estimate before any work begins. If they only tell you the price out loud, they can charge whatever they want after the work is done. Atiq warns, “No paperwork equals no trust.” The written estimate should clearly show the cost of parts, labor, taxes, and fees.

Watch out if the price changes after you already said yes to the repair. Shops need your approval before charging you more money. Atiq points out that this is actually required by law, so don’t let them trick you. Like other mechanics who share simple hacks to improve fuel efficiency, Atiq wants drivers to be informed about their cars.

Be careful about what parts they’re using. A very cheap repair price usually means they’re putting in low-quality parts without telling you. “Not all parts are equal,” Atiq says. You can ask about the brand, quality level, and warranty on the parts they plan to use. If they avoid answering, “that’s on purpose,” he explains.

The way they figure out what’s wrong with your car matters too. If a mechanic just listens for a few seconds and doesn’t use proper tools or testing, that’s a big problem. “Guessing is expensive and dangerous,” Atiq warns. Here’s a sneaky trick: if they won’t give you your old parts back, they might not have replaced them at all.

 Always tell them, “Save my old parts for me.” Ignoring car problems can lead to serious damage, as shown in cases of what happens when drivers ignore warnings. Dishonest shops try to rush you into quick decisions by saying they’re very busy or that prices are going up soon. “Shady shops hate when you take your time,” Atiq notes. You always have the right to stop, think, and compare prices at other shops.