I'm a car expert - essential question to ask your mechanic to avoid getting ripped off and the hidden fee to watch for
A MOTORING expert has warned drivers of the 'essential' question they should ask their mechanic before accepting their work.
Driving a car is expensive and having to take a vehicle to the mechanic to fix a fault can be a worrying time and an unexpected expense.
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As people keep a close eye on their budgets, it is even more critical to ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises when bills arrive.
Rob Infantino, CEO of Openbay, told Cheap Car Insurance that drivers must ask mechanics if there are any extra fees when given the quote for the work.
"Ask for the estimate first, then ask about any hidden fees on top of that," Infantino said.
"If the shop hasn't disclosed all the details in the initial quotation, that may be cause for concern."
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He added that these may be hidden under the term "miscellaneous fees."
It is also advisable to ask your mechanic to update you on their work on the vehicle while it is in the shop.
Mechanics can often find further issues with the vehicle that were not in the initial diagnosis and original price estimate.
Therefore, drivers should ask if they can be alerted before any unexpected vehicle repairs occur.
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This will provide an additional layer of protection against unexpected costs when collecting your car.
The U.S. Sun previously reported on a warning from mechanics about the three common car fixes that are often recommended even though you may not need them.
The first is oil changes, which one motoring expert says that modern cars often only need "every 7,500 to 10,000 miles."
Meanwhile, a mechanic with over 50 years of experience has revealed that he would never buy a Jaguar Land Rover.
Scotty Kilmer posted to TikTok his review of European cars.
"Number one would be Volvo, even though they are owned by a Chinese company, they're still solid-built vehicles that can last.
"Number two is Volkswagen, which of course also owns Porsche and Audi.
"Sure they're not as reliable as the old Volkswagen Beetle but they can be decent cars in the short run.
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"Number three is Mercedes-Benz, sure they got their butts kicked by Lexus but they're more dependable than BMW.
"And last on the list is Jaguar Land Rover, if you like spending money on expensive cars and super expensive repairs, get yourself a Jaguar."
