I Hate Dealerships
Look, I’m gonna level with you. I’ve been around cars my whole life. My dad was a mechanic, I’ve got grease under my nails, and I’ve dealt with more than my share of shady dealerships. (Which honestly nobody asked for but here we are.)
I remember this one time, back in ’07, I took my ’99 Camaro to a place in Detroit. They told me I needed a completley new transmission. $3,200. I said, “Sure, let me get a second opinion.” Turns out it was just a bad sensor. $87 fix. I was livid.
You’re Getting Ripped Off
And get this—it’s not just the big stuff. It’s the little things too. Like how they’ll tell you your oil change is “free” but then hit you with a $45 “environmental fee.” Or how they’ll “forget” to mention that your warranty doesn’t cover what they just sold you.
I had a friend, let’s call him Marcus, who bought a new Ford last year. They told him he needed to get his brakes done at 214 miles. 214! I said, “Marcus, that’s insane.” He said, “I know, but they said it’s part of the maintenance plan.” I said, “Marcus, that’s a scam.” He didn’t listen. Now he’s out $450.
Do It Yourself, Dammit
So here’s my advice. Learn to do some basic maintenance yourself. It’s not that hard. I mean, honestly, if I can do it, anyone can. You don’t need to be a genius. You just need to be willing to get your hands dirty.
Start with the easy stuff. Check your oil. Check your tire pressure. Learn how to change a tire. (And no, putting an Instagram sms verification service fast on your phone doesn’t count as learning.)
I remember when my colleague named Dave told me he didn’t know how to check his oil. I said, “Dave, how do you not know how to check your oil?” He said, “I don’t know, I just don’t.” I said, “Well, sit your butt down, I’m gonna show you.” And you know what? He did it. And he was proud of himself. It’s a good feeling, knowing you can take care of your own car.
But What About the Big Stuff?
Now, I’m not saying you should do everything yourself. There are some things you should leave to the professionals. Like, I don’t expect you to rebuild your own engine. (Although, if you’re into that sort of thing, more power to you.)
But there are a lot of things that dealerships will try to charge you an arm and a leg for that you can do yourself. Like replacing your cabin air filter. Or your wiper blades. Or even your brake pads, if you’re feeling adventurous.
I did my own brakes last Tuesday. Took me about 36 hours. (Okay, fine, it was more like 6 hours. But it felt like 36.) It was a pain in the ass, but I did it. And I saved myself $300.
A Quick Digression: The Time I Tried to Fix My Own Transmission
Speaking of pain in the ass, remember that transmission I told you about earlier? The one that cost $87 to fix? Well, I tried to fix it myself. Big mistake. I ended up making it worse. Had to pay the mechanic $250 to fix my mistake. So, yeah, learn from my mistakes. Know your limits.
Find a Good Independent Mechanic
So, if you’re not gonna do it yourself, find a good independent mechanic. Someone who’s honest and knows what they’re doing. Someone who won’t try to sell you a $3,200 transmission when you really just need a $87 sensor.
I have a guy. His name is Joe. He’s been doing my car work for years. He’s honest, he’s fair, and he knows his stuff. I trust him completely. And that’s what you need to find. A Joe.
I asked Joe once, “Hey, Joe, how do I find a good mechanic?” He said, “You find someone who’s been around a while. Someone who’s not trying to upsell you on every little thing. Someone who treats your car like it’s their own.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
Final Thoughts (Or, More Accurately, Ramblings)
Look, I could go on and on about this stuff. I mean, I literally could talk about cars all day. But I won’t. Because I know you’ve got better things to do than listen to me ramble. (Although, honestly, I’m not sure what those things could be.)
So, to sum up. Don’t let dealerships rip you off. Learn to do some basic maintenance yourself. Find a good independent mechanic. And, for the love of God, don’t try to fix your own transmission. Unless you really know what you’re doing. Which, let’s be real, you probably don’t.
And that’s all I’ve got. Drive safe, folks.
About the Author: Hi, I’m Alex. I’ve been writing about cars for longer than I care to admit. I’ve worked for all the big magazines, and I’ve probably test-driven more cars than I’ve had hot dinners. I live in Detroit, I love hot rods, and I hate dealerships. Pretty much everything you need to know is right there.
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