Don’t be the victim in car care
By Jon Busdeker on Jun. 07, 2007
Dear Emily: I took my car for state inspection the other day and ended up paying more than $85 for a new windshield wiper and a new light bulb. I knew I was getting ripped off, but I waited until the last day of the month to get the inspection done, so I had no choice but to pay and get the repairs done. Besides not go back to that particular mechanic, is there something I can do to avoid this sort of treatment?
— I’ve Been Had
Dear I’ve Been Had: Try not to leave appointments like this to the last minute, and try to go to recommended mechanics.
But as for this situation, you still don’t have to sit back and be the victim. Ask other mechanics in the area if those charges were legitimate. If not, tell the place that ripped you off that others in the area would have charged much less. Then ask for some money back.
This may seem crazy, but it has been known to work. The business may be willing to make a compromise in order to satisfy a customer and avoid a bad reputation.
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