North Carolina woman was left without a car for weeks after being scammed by a mechanic
Drivers must have quite a bit of trust in auto mechanics. We rely on them to fix our vehicles and to provide honest service and fair pricing. However, one North Carolina woman recently took her car in for repairs after experiencing transmission problems. Sadly, she was left without her vehicle for several weeks and almost lost all the money she paid for the repair. Here’s her story and how you can avoid being scammed by a mechanic.
Not all auto mechanics are honest
Transmission problems are among the worst things that can happen to a car owner. This is especially true if you are strapped for cash and only have access to one vehicle. According to WFMY News2, this is what happened to Shatara Johnson from Greensboro, North Carolina, recently. Like many drivers, she searched for auto mechanics in her area after she noticed sputtering from her vehicle.
Sadly, Shatara’s transmission problems were bad enough to require a new unit. She ended up paying the mechanic $600 for the service, which implies that, as many auto mechanics do, this one may have been rebuilding her transmission. However, it’s unclear if this is the case or not. Still, weeks passed, and the North Carolina driver had to find other ways to get to and from work.
As many car owners do when auto mechanics are holding their vehicles, Shatara began calling and texting for updates on her car. Sadly, he stopped replying at some point. More time went by, and she hadn’t had her car for about a month, so she decided to contact the local news. After that, the mechanic returned $200 of the $600 she paid for the repairs. Of course, she has her car back and still needs to get the transmission problems fixed.
Auto mechanics are one of the most essential parts of the car industry. However, car owners must protect themselves from being scammed. For starters, in today’s digital world, it has become easier to look into a mechanic’s history. Drivers should look for online reviews and check for recent customer testimonials. Additionally, it’s not common to pay upfront for repairs, so this could be considered a red flag.
