It’s always difficult when you have to buy or get something installed that you know absolutely nothing about. Whether it’s a contractor, a specialist seller or mechanic, there’s that slight anxiety that you’re gonna get ripped off. And getting scammed is a feeling a million times worse than willingly overpaying.

Today we’ll be talking about a mum that finally got her dream car a couple of years ago, but was told by a mechanic that it was “unfixable” and that it would be best to sell it as scrap. Shockingly, not long after that, she saw her old car being driven around town.

More info: Reddit

You’re lucky if you know a good mechanic, but if you don’t, you’re better off doing your due diligence, lest you end up scammed

Image credits: FotoSleuth (not the actual photo)

A poster took it to r/ireland how her mom had been potentially scammed out of her dream car recently, as the mechanic said it was “unfixable”

Image credits: froyo33123

Image credits: Jimmy Zuko (not the actual photo)

The mechanic said that the engine of the car was done and that she was best off selling it to him for $200

Image credits: froyo33123

After selling the vehicle, the mom saw the car being driven around town by someone else and was devastated to know it had been fixed up and sold for $1.8k

Hey, listen, I absolutely get the feeling of confusion that comes with something like getting your car fixed up when you know jack about it. I know how to change a spare, put a new bulb in, refill my oil, but I’d be lying if I said that my dad doesn’t do most things when it comes to the car. Thanks to him for that.

So when you don’t know which part does what in the car’s internal ecosystem and how they all connect, it’s easy to get duped. You see it and hear about it all the time – someone gets prices jacked up for a simple battery change and the place just pockets the difference.

When I was buying my first car with my father, he could look under the hood, in the car, check the bottom out, and quickly tell that the car wouldn’t last long and was therefore a bad investment of your money. It’s good when you have a person like that around, but if you’re on your own, it’s far more difficult.

Something like that happened to the mom. It’s easy to understand how she felt, when someone experienced told her that the engine of her dream car was shot. And when the seemingly knowing mechanic told her that he’d give her $200 on the spot, she took it, thinking that it was a better deal than she’d get at the scrapyard.

So you can imagine her shock when her car, her baby, was being driven around by someone else around town a little while later.

Although there’s a lot of detail missing in the story, the specific car, the place it was repaired, several people with a mechanic’s background said that it was nothing surprising. Not surprising from the scummy side, but rather the fact that a lot of mechanics work on junkers in their spare time, after hours, during the weekend, fix them up and sell them to make some cash on the side. It’s fair in a way, because all the work that mechanics put into it on their own would cost a lot for people regularly.

Image credits: Jonathan Cutrer (not the actual photo)

Even if you don’t have one yet, there have to be good mechanics out there. There just have to be.

That means there’s probably ways to find these good mechanics. A good start would be to ask your older friends or family members. They’ve probably got a place by the road they’ve been going to for decades, have built up a good reputation, and know the owner or mechanic pretty well.

Another thing you may want to do is ask your more car-savvy friends for some tips about it. They probably also know a friend or a family member who fixes up cars. Heck, your car nut friends may help you themselves. If not with the actual repairs, they may be able to diagnose the issue, especially if they’ve got a similar car.

Metromile, a US car insurance company, has some good tips for finding one if you’re starting from scratch, though.

They recommend starting at a shop with expertise in your car. There are places that only work on a certain brand of car, so you’ll know that they have experience with similar models.

Next, take a deep look at their reviews online. Take a look at things like Google reviews, Yelp, social media pages. They may have a load of positive reviews, but also examine the negative ones. They may show you something that could still be an important part in the shop you choose.

When you go to the shop, find out if they’ve got the relevant certifications, if they’re personable, and whether they explain what has to be fixed in thorough detail.

Finally, don’t make the same mistake the poster’s mom did, and always get a second or even third opinion. One mechanic may say it’s an “unfixable piece of scrap” while another will say that they can get you back on the road in a reliable vehicle for a couple hundred bucks.

The story got 1.1k upvotes on the r/ireland sub, along with 250 comments. Many people expressed their sadness for the mom, shared similar stories of their own, with many saying that you must get a second opinion.

Share your own stories and bad shop experiences below! Have you got tips to spot a good mechanic? Be sure to type them up as well.

The commenters shared their own stories from similar encounters and encouraged everyone to get a second opinion whenever they’re talking to a mechanic

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