Having been apart of the motor trade for a while now, I have come across most myths and misconceptions about Mechanics, most question how trustworthy we are!

I think its about time someone busted some of these myths, sort of a Mechanic Mythbusters special..

Without further ado lets get right into it.

1. My Mechanic Ripped Me Off

Whoa! Let me break this one down a bit. It wasn't so long ago that all a mechanic needed was a set of spanners and a screwdriver, well times have changed. Today's Mechanic needs, diagnostic tools which for a high-end dealer level tool can cost in excess of £10,000 plus yearly update fees. Also required are very expensive manufacture specific tools. Another expensive overhead that we must factor into our rate is Business Rates (Council Tax).





Unfortunately Mechanics like most businesses aren't charities. These costs must be factored in to the repair bills.





Myth Busted





Qualifications?









2. You don't need to be qualified.





Look at it this way, would you trust an untrained dentist of doctor give you a check-up? So why would anyone really want an untrained Mechanic working on their brakes or steering.





Myth Busted





Do Diagnostic Tools Do All The Work?









3. The diagnostic tools tell us what the fault is.





I would love this to be true but unfortunately it really isn't. Yes these tools are aids to help us locate faults but they do not pinpoint faults by themselves, it still takes someone with the knowledge and experience to use these tools to their full capabilities.









Myth Busted





Professional Mechanic?





4. Mechanics are not professional.





I went to college for 4 years to gain my qualifications. That is just to learn the basic principals of diagnosing and repairing cars, how to manage a workshop and customer service. It takes many years of experience to be able to work efficiently and to customers expectations. Even after all that Mechanics need to attend regular training course to keep up with technological advancements in the automotive industry.





Myth Busted





MOT Failure?





5. MOT Testers fail your car needlessly





The MOT Industry is heavily regulated by VOSA for the Department of Transport. The MOT Test is designed to test your car to the minimum standards these can be found in the MOT Inspection manual found in this link MOT Inspection Manual . The computer system used by MOT Testers list all the fail items available and these cannot be altered or edited, rest assured your car will only fail for legitimated reasons. Most MOT failures can be prevented with simple preparation see this article How to Prepare Your Car For MOT





Myth Busted

















I really hope this Mythbusters style look at some of the myths about mechanics has changed some views about the professionalism of Mechanics.





How have your experience's been? Do you feel like you have been ripped off? Are you a mechanic and would like some other Myths busting? Please comment











