‘I feel like I got taken advantage of’: Driver says mechanic tried to scam her out of new battery
It's unfortunate but true: Mechanics are known to take advantage of people (especially women) to make extra cash.
People are over it, but it's hard to know what to do or how to handle the situation when you're no car expert.
And quite frankly, people shouldn't have to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of cars just to avoid getting scammed when they go in for a repair.
In a viral video with more than 740,00 views, doctor and mother of four @beachgem10 (who has more than 2 million followers on TikTok) shared the bad experience she had at the mechanic.
The TikToker decided not to name the shop (despite multiple commenters insisting). Instead, the video seemed to be a way for her to channel her frustrations, not an attempt to tear down the business.
What happened?
"I got taken advantage of by a car mechanic," @beachgem10 said, adding that she's "quite frustrated by the whole ordeal."
She explained that she took her car in because every time it's locked, the sensor falsely detects that the car hood is open and beeps incessantly.
The TikToker said she took the car in on Monday and was told to return on Wednesday when it would be less busy.
She said she showed up Wednesday, and despite having an appointment, they told her they might not get to the vehicle until the next day. However, @beachgem10's life doesn't allow her to be carless for a day, so she left the car there. They gave her a courtesy ride home, and she Ubered back (it cost $30) to pick up the vehicle before closing time.
She said they still hadn't worked on it and told her to return Friday, and they'd "try to get to it."
@beachgem10 I hate people who scam other people. Unfortunately, this was a hard day and I really wanted to be at Trunk or Treat on time for my kiddos, so I let it go… for now at least #scam #mechanic #stpete #carproblems ♬ original sound - Beachgem10
What problems did they diagnose the car with?
Already, the back-and-forth was frustrating, but @beachgem10 said she diligently showed up early on Friday morning. According to her, they called her a few hours later, saying her battery, sensor, and hood latch all needed to be replaced.
The TikToker was caught by surprise since it seemed like a much simpler issue, and on top of that, she was in the midst of grief after coming back from her brother-in-law's viewing since he'd suddenly passed away the week before.
In her vulnerable state, @beachgem10 wanted to tell them to do whatever was needed, but her husband stepped in, pointing out that the battery had been recently replaced.
She said they told her it was going to be $107 just for the hood latch, and labor is, of course, a separate charge.
"I wanted to confront them," @beachgem10 said, but she didn't because she prioritized going trick-or-treating with her kids.
"I'm really frustrated because I feel like I got taken advantage of. There's nothing wrong with the hood latch. It was just the sensor. And so they scammed me out of a bunch of money, and right now, money is a little bit tight," @beachgem10 said.
"I hate people that scam other people."
The costs add up
The thing is, it's already a few hundred bucks to replace a car sensor. Generally, it is $200 to $500, depending on which one needs replacement, an auto repair shop reported. That's separate from the $107 latch and the average $75 to $125 per hour for labor.
And if she'd replaced the battery, she'd be looking at another $75 to $200.
Considering 25 percent of Americans don't have an emergency savings account to tap into, that could easily set back a family tight on cash.
Commenters react
"You don’t have to blast them on tiktok, but you should absolutely write a google review so other women going in alone know the red flags!!" the top comment read.
"As a car girl, hearing these stories make me so mad. I’m sorry this happened to you," a person said.
"The worst part is had they been honest, you would’ve trusted them and given them even more business," another wrote.
"Also batteries usually come with warranties, so if it really is bad you should be able to get it replaced for free," a commenter pointed out.
The Daily Dot reached out to @beachgem10 for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message.
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