One of the most important parts of owning a vehicle is keeping it running smoothly and addressing any maintenance issues that arise. Because of this, auto mechanics are among the most essential parts of the automotive industry. However, they can sometimes make mistakes. One woman recently shared online how an auto shop misquoted her and required her to pay for the error. 

Car owners should have to pay for the mistakes auto mechanics make

According to The Sun, Natasha Powers took to Facebook to reveal how auto mechanics at a body shop misquoted her. She starts by comparing the situation to shopping at a store. She says, “If I go into Target and they have an item marked at $9.99 and I get to the checkout and it rings at $14.99, “Target eats the loss, and I get the item for $9.99, right?”

After providing the comparison, she says that the auto mechanics quoted her $5,000 for her repair. However, after it was done, they charged her $6,400. Apparently, the mistake was that the shop didn’t realize she had an upgraded trim option, which made repairs more costly. She goes on to say the employees at the shop told her, “That’s how business works.”

Regarding the auto mechanics, she then questioned why they completed the work before checking with her. This is usually standard practice if an automotive repair is more expensive than initially quoted. It is akin to doing extra repairs without consulting the car owner. However, it also depends on whether the car owner signed a contract that gave the shop permission to do the repairs, regardless of the price difference. 

It’s unclear if Natasha plans to pursue legal options or if she’ll take the extra cost in stride. For more reading, check out our article on the causes of harsh gear shifts.