Do you remember how in the famous fairy tale about Pinocchio, crooks the fox Alice and the cat Basilio "kindly courted" the main character in order to get the coveted gold coins? Doesn't it remind anyone? “Here I accidentally left the last clutch, especially for you!”, “Chief, you have all the broken pads in the trash, will we change?”, “Yes, I also repaired a limousine for Brezhnev, why should I control me?”… And now? What are the only ways of fraud that car services do not come up with in order to dilute a gullible client at high costs? We have collected the most common methods of deception that will help you avoid meeting with unscrupulous auto repairmen.

Cheating 1: On the phone, one price, and when you visit a car service, it's already different

In this situation, you already need to be wary, because after the end of the work, the unscrupulous service station will again raise the price tag, and this time - significantly. However, sometimes such a change in cost is justified, because during the inspection of the car, the master receiver could reveal additional malfunctions and hidden defects that were not announced by the client in the phone call. To avoid fraud, it is imperative to agree on the final price of car repairs before starting work. At the same time, it is worth focusing on the fact that this is the final amount and then the price of consumables and auxiliary work will not be added.

Cheat 2: Imaginary jobs that weren't actually done

Auto mechanics usually sin with a tendency to add false work, because their work consists of many operations, which are quite difficult to keep track of. In this case, they deceive not only the client, but also the employer, because their work is paid piece-rate.

Car service, the client looks at the invoice:
"And what kind of item" rolled "- 10,000 rubles?"

Master:
“It didn't work. Cross it out. "

The owner of a reputable autotech center is struggling with postscripts by installing video cameras and strict rationing of all processes. And the client, in turn, can personally monitor the progress of the repair and ask the auto mechanic what and why he is doing.

Cheating 3: Offer to replace a defective part

Fraudsters often "sell" the replacement of completely working parts, the resource of which has not yet been worked out, profiting from both the price of the spare part and the cost of work. Often such a fraud occurs when replacing brake pads or brake discs, repairing the suspension. For example, a penny gasket has worn out, and the locksmith will begin to lie that it is necessary to change the rods and hinges. In general, they will impose to sort out the floor of the car for a very tidy sum.

There are several methods of dealing with such a divorce. Firstly, you can ask the master to show the removed parts, and put boxes from new parts in the trunk. Secondly, personally supervise the progress of repair work. Third, get an opinion about the breakdown in several auto repair shops.

Cheating 4: Replacing original parts with analogs or used ones

As follows from the previous method, swindlers often change completely working units and, of course, do not throw anything away. Therefore, the chance to become the owner of used parts from past hapless car owners in such workshops increases. This method of divorce is often sinned by craftsmen in the garage, service station not far from the spare parts markets, although there are exceptions. The secrets of how to avoid this are as follows: give preference to car services with their own warehouse of spare parts and ask to put boxes of new parts in the trunk.

Cheating 5: Intentionally damaging car parts

Cheating 6: Exaggerating renovation costs

Very often car services deceive the client, greatly exaggerating the amount of work performed or the cost of replacement parts. They rely either on the incompetence of the car owner when studying the estimate, or that he will not watch it at all. Therefore, the swindlers will immediately and brake pad will change, and the brake shoe will be replaced, and the braking mechanism will be repaired and repaired brake system in addition to carry out. Have time just pay!

To avoid this, you need to ask the auto-technician to tell in detail the essence of the operations, how long the work will take, and also to compare the cost of the proposed part with the price in the store.

Cheating 7: Including consumables in the estimate

The lie lies in the fact that auxiliary work and consumables for auto repair (gloves, overalls, WD-40, "Mikhalych helped to hold", etc.) are added to the estimate. You should always remember: consumables are included in the cost of a standard hour of car service.

Cheating 8: Silence the best solution to the problem

As a rule, there are many alternatives to fixing a car breakdown. An auto mechanic is often disingenuous, offering only one, the most profitable option for a workshop. Surely there is an opportunity to achieve the same result easier, faster and cheaper, only it is not profitable for a workshop employee to tell about it. To protect yourself from such deception, you need to ask the auto repairman what options for solving the problem exist? It is absolutely normal for a locksmith to offer several options, and if this is not the case, visit an alternative car service.

Cheat 9: Leading the customer, hiding the truth

A client arrives and complains that something is knocking on him. Demands to repair the transmission, because: Uncle Kolya told him so in the garage. The unscrupulous master hides that the car just needs to change the candles and obediently "repairs" the serviceable expensive unit. The main advice is to make diagnostics in a professional service, or better in several, for comparison.

Cheating 10: The car in the service can be scratched or dented

Such force majeure circumstances can occur in any technical center, and the deception lies in the fact that an unscrupulous service station will blame the owner, they say it was. In order not to become a victim of such lies, you need to carefully draw up an inventory when . Pay attention to all chips, dents and even minor scratches. Also, if short-term maintenance is required, it is best not to leave the repair shop for a coffee or go shopping.

Conclusion: not all car services are deceiving ... and not all!

Let's summarize. , You already insure yourself against deception in many ways. A reputable company always worries about its reputation and values \u200b\u200bits customers, therefore it does not use fraudulent schemes and actively suppresses any lies on the part of its masters.

As a rule, swindlers are good psychologists, so they dare to deceive not every client. Show your awareness, attentiveness, exactingness, take a knowledgeable person with you - and you will not become a victim of a “divorce”.

Do maintenance in one proven technical center, use the advice of people you know, advise yourself - this will turn on the "red light" for scammers!

To give a car for repair to an unknown service is like playing the lottery. They can do it quickly and efficiently, or they can break even more. How do servicemen cheat and what to do to avoid getting into a mess?

They can cheat in any car service. As in other areas, the likelihood of meeting dishonest "specialists" increases when contacting small, unknown "offices". It is impossible to row one size fits all: "Uncle Vasya" from garages sometimes repairs better than an official dealer, but it is still better to go for repairs for the first time to large auto centers.

The problem of finding a good car service, as a rule, is inherent in novice car owners. People who have had a car for more than a year, in most cases, already have "their" jobs and specialists. Therefore, when planning to make a visit to a specific auto repair shop, try to collect as much information as possible from friends and relatives about it.

The most fertile ground for deception in a car service is the low technical literacy of the car owner. A professional car mechanic can assess the level of this very literacy from the first words. Therefore, it is extremely important not only to be able to drive a car, but also to have at least a general idea of \u200b\u200bits structure and.

How can you cheat in a car service?

Installing old parts under the guise of new

The classic form of deception is to install (read, sell) old parts as new ones. As in other areas, in the field of spare parts there are certain technologies that can give a completely marketable appearance to a worn item. The old part can be washed, WD-40 and other chemicals, finally, sandblasting.

Worn parts appear in a car service by removing them from other vehicles that have arrived for repairs earlier. Therefore, it is good practice to return the dismantled elements to the vehicle owner. In other words, if you have changed the pads, then the old ones should be put in a box and put in the trunk or salon. Thus, the car service makes it clear that the parts removed from your car will not remain with the mechanics and will not be installed on another car. The reverse is also true - your car is unlikely to have pads removed from another car owner a few hours ago.

Deliberately incorrect "diagnosis"

Another "classic" is finding non-existent faults. This trick works great when the client cannot tell the tank from the. In this case, a cunning auto electrician can find anything in your car. For example, a burned-out light bulb in a headlight (replacement ~ 150 rubles) suddenly turns into a short circuit in the power supply circuits of the head light. Finding a short circuit is a long and unpredictable business, and the cost can immediately reach 500-800 rubles. In order not to pay this money, you can check and, of course, if it is.

Another example: the engine cooling fan on some models of the VAZ "classic" may not work due to the displacement of the fuse in the legs mounting block... Putting it in place is a matter of seconds (and cheap), and then you can "check" anything you like and pass off something more expensive as the cause of the malfunction.

Complete lack of work

Perhaps the most arrogant and less common way of cheating in a car service is the actual absence of work performed. What does it look like? They take a car from the client, for example, so that they drive it to the workshop and the person doesn't see what the car mechanic is doing. After half an hour, the car is returned and reported that the oil has been changed. At the same time, the canister with the new oil remains in the service, and the client leaves happy with the old one, not even suspecting that no one has done anything with the car. The described technique is suitable only when working with a car "aged". In such cars, the new oil poured into the engine most often turns black within a few minutes after starting. In order not to fall for a deception, you need to check the presence of new oil on the dipstick even before the engine is started.

Purchase of spare parts

When car service specialists undertake the purchase of spare parts for your car, they must agree with you on possible prices and provide sales receipts. If there are no documents, then a “branded” part for 1000 rubles (you pay) can actually be produced in a nearby garage and cost 100 rubles.

To avoid difficulties, you can purchase parts yourself, however, in some cases, another type of deception arises.

Issuance of low-quality work for defective parts

A part installed with violations may not last long. When the car owner makes a claim to the service, he receives an answer that the part is most likely defective. Moreover, if the spare part was bought by the owner of the car, then they try to shift the responsibility to him.

Thus, in order to avoid cheating in car services, you should adhere to three rules:

Know the device of your car and its possible malfunctions

If a breakdown occurs, try to fix it on your own.

If you cannot cope with the malfunction on your own, contact a proven car service that your relatives or good friends can recommend.

How they fool us:

Sergey, Zlatoust

Eight years ago I bought my first car - a "six" and went to one of the major car services. Then I did not understand anything in cars, but the verdict of the locksmiths was as follows: "hodovka" for replacement completely, "otherwise, at best, you will only drive until autumn" (two months, author's note), rear springs and rear brake hose.

As a result, the hose was changed and the brakes were pumped in the following way: one locksmith just stood in the pit, and the second pressed the brake pedal several times and added a little "brake" to the tank. Even then, it seemed to me that these actions were not enough, and now I just do not go to services, but I do everything myself.

Nikolay, Novokuznetsk

Once I turned to the service to change the tube in the cooling system, and eventually I got to replace the radiator. The workers said that the fitting was cracked, but there was no leak. I suspect that it was simply stupidly broken, especially since no one agreed with me to replace it - they just changed it and that's it.

Mikhail, Saratov

Once I drove into the workshop - the headlight did not burn, the electrician carried all the bullshit about short circuits and asked to leave the car for two days !!! As a result, I repaired it myself in half an hour - I pulled out the contacts from the block, cleaned it, squeezed it, put it back in and everything works.

How to check if the mechanics have done their job in good faith, auto experts told AiF.ru.

On the threshold of a car service, you shouldn't tell its employees that you know nothing about a car. The more you talk about it, the more expensive the renovation will cost you. Hearing such words, mechanics quickly inflate the cost of repairs, change quite suitable parts and create the appearance of serious work, experts say.

“It is impossible to know the structure of the machine thoroughly. If you are sure that there is a need to repair a unit, then you should read the automotive resources, where motorists exchange operating experience. You can ask a question - is repair possible under such and such circumstances. You need to understand for yourself what kind of malfunction you are going to a car dealership. The question "I have something knocking" always ends with a big score, so you need to study everything in advance in order to talk about repair in the service in detail, "says vladimir Bakharev, chief trainer of the “Movement Without Danger” center.

Diagnostics

Before repairing, it is advisable to diagnose faults, the expert believes. It will help you find out exactly what needs to be repaired - and with this data you can already operate, talking about repairs with mechanics.

“The user is unlikely to be able to determine any complex technical nuances on his own. The result of diagnostics should be a detected malfunction. If it turns out that the diagnostics showed one thing, and repaired another, then this is the responsibility of the service. Don't overpay. You pay not for the process, but for the result. After the malfunction is identified and the service claims that they will repair exactly this, it is necessary to speak, and it is better to fix on paper the required amount of work, which parts will be changed and what the material costs will be. That is, you do not need to give the car with the words "please do it." Such a phrase will always end with a big score, ”says Bakharev.

Diagnosis is best done with official dealers, especially if the factory warranty is still valid, otherwise there is a risk of losing this warranty partially or completely during repairs.

“The quality of services offered by official dealers is the same plus or minus. But the only thing that can be advised is to study the reviews on the forum of the owners of this car brand and do not hesitate to ask questions. If there are certain positions in the preliminary calculation that seem unjustified or dubious, you need to ask questions and then discuss them with the master accepting, ”says autoexpert Yuri Uryukov.

If the warranty period has long expired, then diagnostics and repairs can be carried out in services that do not work with all car brands, but specialize in a particular brand.

“Owners of used cars do not go to a dealer, they are looking for more profitable and cheaper options. Here you need to rely on your instinct and feedback. There are many services, so it is better to contact the one that specializes in a specific brand, because there are no universal solutions. The cars are all complex and differently designed. If the service deals with everything in a row, this is an alarming sign. You need to contact professionals who, even if they work with one or two brands, but know how to handle them, ”says Uryukov.

Replacing a serviceable part

It is necessary to agree on the list of planned works even before the start of the repair. “You can't let everything go by itself and pay the bill without looking. If faults are found during the repair process, they must always be agreed with the owner. If this does not happen, this is just a sign that something is unclean in the work of the dealer or service center. In fact, all this can be done when filling out an application for repairs by writing in it the phrase "I ask you to coordinate all types of repair work with me." If the dealer does not do this, no matter whether there was a written agreement or not, then this is in any case an alarming sign and you need to look for another option, ”says Uryukov.

When giving the car for repair, it is necessary to discuss with the service workers so that they do not carry out work on the replacement of additional parts without your agreement.

“The part may have a lot of wear and tear, but it may still work. The decision to replace such parts should remain with the owner of the machine, not with the service. If you have agreed on the replacement of parts in advance and you have a list of works, but the works that have been completed have not been agreed with you, then this is a precedent that needs to be considered at the level of administrative law, ”says Bakharev.

Inflated cost of spare parts

A dishonest master can deceive you by installing an unoriginal spare part, the cost of which is much lower, and breaking through at the original price. It is better to use original spare parts and track their replacement, says Bakharev. In modern services, you can be present in the workshop, this somewhat disciplines the staff. You should only leave the car for long-term repairs.

They can also cheat with routine car maintenance, especially when changing the oil. Unscrupulous workers change oil and other consumable parts without following the automaker's regulations. “The decision should always be with the car owner. Before you go and change the oil, you need to clarify the filling volume, how many liters are included. It is worth bringing your oil and putting your autograph on the jar, and after replacing it, ask to return the jar. In this case, you will not have to overpay for extra liters. Otherwise it will look like this - you will pay the cost of the oil, but you will not be filled with it. The oil will be put on the table and then sold to another car owner, ”says Bakharev.

Work time

In order to increase the average check for repairs, the craftsmen artificially increase the work time. The client is told that another breakdown was found in the car, which interferes with the main work, etc. You can check this with the help of video recorders, or, if you have free time, then follow the master during the repair.

“Professional drivers often post videos from DVRs. They leave the device on and turn off the shutdown function. The registrar is constantly filming everything, and thus you can later see what happened. But this is not a guarantee, since the grip of the device will be small. An alternative solution is to take advantage of the increasingly popular “support in the service” service. What does it mean? A person is assigned to the machine, who, as an independent person, will monitor all work. This is a third party and, as a rule, these are people who have worked in the assessment and tech companies... This step will give some kind of guarantee, but these are additional expenses, which not everyone will go to, ”says Bakharev.

Try to pick up the car yourself, rather than asking a friend, relative, or wife to do it. They have a vague idea of \u200b\u200bwhat kind of repairs were carried out and will not be able to assess whether all the work has been completed. “If you passed it yourself and you accept it yourself, then you can evaluate all the changes and compare with what happened,” says Bakharev.

We all understand perfectly well that the car in its entirety is a whole unknown field, consisting of complex technical units, which can only be mastered by truly experienced specialists. An ordinary person, having opened the hood of a car, is unlikely to be able to understand whether everything is there as it should be, or whether the master made his own adjustments. Many people know that at the stations maintenance some craftsmen do not work honestly, deceive their customers by overstating the cost of their work, or by manipulating spare parts. We will introduce you to what methods of deception are practiced at the service station in this article.

According to official documents, the car owner has the right to be present and monitor the repair process, if he does not violate safety rules and does not interfere with the work. In fact, this is the only thing that can protect us, ordinary customers, from the machinations of repairmen. But even here not everything is as smooth as it might seem. There is one among the masters unspoken ruleIf a person insists on being present and following the repair process, then it is necessary to increase the cost of the work by at least 20%. And the most interesting thing is that this is often what happens. If we stay to watch the repair - we pay more, if we leave and agree to come to the agreed time - we pay less, but then the risk is different - the quality of the repair.

How does the deception begin at the service station?

Have you noticed that during the diagnosis of car malfunctions, the wizards tell you about breakdowns in a special language, listing a list of parts, or how to troubleshoot in abstruse technical words. It is as if a doctor was telling you about a diagnosis in medical terms, a philosopher in philosophical jargon, and STOs. Thus, the craftsmen feel the ground, checking whether an experienced car owner is standing in front of them, or an ordinary kettle that can be screwed on from three boxes.

What repairs are we most often deceived about?

Of course, the easiest way to trick a customer into an engine repair. The bulk of the units is hidden inside the engine and whether the master made repairs or not is difficult to understand. Probably, you are familiar with situations when the car left for repair, but the problem reappeared after a while - this is another fraud from the maintenance workers, they took money for the work, but the breakdown was not fixed. Another example is when a person calls because of a malfunction fuel system car. The master, after conducting an inspection, declares that it is necessary to change the fuel pump. At the same time, at the same time, the maximum he will do is to clean the fuel supply grid, but declare that he has changed the fuel pump. You will not be able to check the veracity of the master's words, since the gas pump is located inside the gas tank and is not accessible to the human eye. What to do, you will have to pay, as for replacing a gas pump.

Another very simple way of deception is passing MOT, replacing filters and oils. The most you can check is the engine oil change by looking at the color of the oil in the dipstick. Was the filter changed, the gearbox oil changed, or rear axle - here you only have to take our word for it if you haven't seen the repair process itself. For the record, the pleasure is far from cheap, but even on this you can be "thrown". As for the new filters and oils that you provided for replacement, they are very quickly used. Did you know that small shops of spare parts and auto chemical goods operate at the service station? So, your brand new consumables are not sent to the service of the car, but to the shelves of these stores.

In principle, you can cheat on anything. It is enough just to declare that the part needs to be replaced, even if it is completely serviceable, and then take money for the work that was not done.

And the most interesting thing is that they deceive at least at unpretentious, tiny service stations somewhere on the outskirts of the city, and at large auto centers with modern equipment, with a huge customer base, somewhere in the center of Moscow. By the way, even at the warranty service stations, the foremen deceive their customers.

How to prevent cheating at the service station?

To begin with, we advise you to contact only trusted masters, trusted service stations, in which you are confident. Secondly, if you ordered spare parts at a service station, demand that you provide all receipts, since the cost of spare parts can also be “screwed up”, or the declared volume of spare parts purchase will not correspond to reality. Always after the completion of the repair, demand that you either be shown or even give the old stocks, even if you later throw them out to the nearest trash can... This way, you can be sure that the old parts have been removed and the new ones replaced. Finally, even if you do not stay to watch the repair, it is better to suddenly come several times and see what is being done with your car.

It is necessary to choose a car service with special care, since your safety directly depends on the quality of the repair.

The contractor (car service) is obliged to provide you with the necessary reliable information about the services provided and the work performed before the conclusion of the contract (clause 4 of the Rules, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 11.04.2001 N 290).

When there is an opportunity to provide the declared service or perform the declared work, the contractor is obliged to conclude an agreement with you (clause 13 of the Rules).

The contract is concluded in writing (work order, receipt or other document) (clause 15 of the Rules).

Note. A contract executed in your presence can be formalized by issuing a receipt, token, coupon, cashier's check, etc. (p. 17 Of the Rules). This is, for example, tire inflation, diagnostic work, some maintenance and repair work, washing, etc.

Drawing up an acceptance certificate

If you leave the car to the contractor to provide services or perform work, he is obliged to draw up an acceptance certificate simultaneously with the contract.

The acceptance certificate indicates the completeness of the car and visible external damage and defects, as well as information about the spare parts and materials provided by you, indicating their exact name, description and price (clause 18 of the Rules).

In addition, it is necessary to note the data of the car in the act - make, model, state registration number, year of manufacture, VIN and actual mileage, because when receiving the car from the service, a situation may arise when the odometer readings will significantly exceed the readings that were at the time of the car delivery.

The act also indicates the reason for the appeal, that is, the breakdown that must be eliminated, and the damage on the car when it was returned for repair.

The acceptance certificate is signed by the person in charge of the performer and you. The act is certified by the seal of the contractor (if there is a seal). A copy of the acceptance certificate is issued to you (clause 18 of the Rules).

Coordination of the cost of work

You have the right to be present during the diagnosis, and then receive its results from the mechanic.

Specify the cost of repairs and the amount of work and ask for a preliminary order-work order. Any increase in repair costs must be agreed with you.

So, the performer is not entitled to provide additional services and perform work for a fee without your consent, as well as condition the provision of some services and the performance of work by the mandatory performance of others.

In this case, you have the right to refuse to pay for the services rendered and the work performed without your consent, and if they have already been paid for, demand the return of the money paid for them (clause 20 of the Rules).

Use of spare parts and materials

The contractor is obliged to provide the service or perform the work specified in the contract using his own spare parts and materials, unless otherwise provided by the contract (clause 16 of the Rules).

If the contractor replaces any parts, then the replaced (faulty) units and parts must be returned to you (clause 35 of the Rules).

Steps when picking up a car after repair

When receiving a car from a car service, check the quality of the repair by external signs. If you have any complaints, they must be indicated in the acceptance certificate, and if it is absent, in the purchase order, which will be presented to you for signing.

Please note that you have the right to claim satisfaction of claims, compensation and a fine only if you indicated these claims when receiving the car.

Claims on internal works you have the right to submit within warranty periodinstalled by the car service for the work performed.

The contractor is obliged to transfer to you the goods (to perform the work, provide the service), the quality of which corresponds to the contract (clause 1 of article 4 of the Law of 07.02.1992 N 2300-1).

Actions in the event of deficiencies in the work performed or the service provided

If you find flaws in the work performed or the service provided, then you have the right, at your choice, to demand (Article 29 of the Law N 2300-1):

• eliminate the shortcomings of the work performed or the service rendered free of charge;
• accordingly reduce the price of the work performed or the service rendered;
• re-do the job;
• reimburse the costs incurred by you to eliminate defects in the work performed or services rendered on your own or by third parties;
• fully compensate for losses caused to you in connection with the defects of the work performed or the service provided.

The contractor must eliminate the shortcomings of the work or service within a reasonable time, appointed by you (Art. 30 of Law No. 2300-1).