The blatant tricks of motorbike repairmen to 'cheat' customers

Labor or parts costs are too high
Repair shopEvery motorbike has a service to replace accessories and sell spare parts. This is a big source of profit for motorbike repair shops. Shops always enjoy the difference in price of spare parts because few people know how much the spare parts really cost. It is completely normal for mechanics to charge more for a pump or shock absorber than the market price.

In addition to the difference in price of spare parts (some places increase the price by one and a half times, double the original price), replacing parts is simpler and faster than repairing, but the service fee is high. For example, if you buy a set of kickstands, the price is only about 150,000 VND, but if you buy and replace them at a store, you can be "chopped" up to 300,000 VND.

Therefore, when determining what is broken and needs to be replaced, ask for the price first, or consult the prices at different stores. It is best to find a reputable, trustworthy repair shop to replace and repair the car when needed, to avoid being charged a lot of money.
Replace even if not necessary

Motorcycle mechanics have many tricks to "pick the pockets" of customers.

Customers who bring their cars to a repair shop often want their cars to be repaired in the best and safest way possible, so they nod their head at any service or spare part that the repairman offers and the price seems reasonable.

Of course, to persuade customers to replace parts, repairmen must be very skillful. The trick often used is to “threaten” customers by talking about the dangers to the vehicle, even the danger to the driver’s life if the part is not replaced or added in time.

For example, if a car is not covered with plastic or has no protective frame installed, it will soon be scratched and the car will lose its value miserably. Then, with this type of lock, thieves can open it in just a few seconds. To be safe, you need to install an anti-theft bell, which costs only... nearly 300,000 VND...

The “intimidation” tactic to persuade customers to replace spare parts is often used by motorbike repair shops with customers who have little knowledge about vehicles and believe everything they are told. This group is mainly women. There are cases where people bring their motorbikes to the repair shop because the engine makes noise because they are lazy to change the oil. After checking, the mechanic immediately “judges” that the cam chain is loose, the oil pump gear shows signs of overload, and if oil is not splashed onto the engine, it can easily cause a fire…

Not stopping at asking customers to install additional parts for their cars, many mechanics also take advantage of customers’ ignorance of machines to trick them into replacing parts of the car that are still good. These parts will be “asked” by the shops, and can be sold for profit or even used to replace other cars.

Therefore, you should be cautious when being advised to replace new spare parts, while those parts can still be used well. It is best to take your vehicle to a reputable motorbike repair shop to avoid being scammed.

Damage to vehicle during repair

In addition to taking advantage of customers' lack of knowledge to replace spare parts for profit, many motorbike repair shops also engage in unethical behavior such as swapping parts or damaging parts on customers' vehicles.

If your car has a punctured inner tube, the mechanic can pull the valve stem while removing the inner tube to force the owner to replace the inner tube, then the electric wire can be pulled out, causing the car to not start, the engine to not start, burning the IC, requiring replacement, costing more money...

Fix unnecessary details

Your car may have a small problem, but the mechanic may find a bunch of other terrible problems that need to be fixed right away. And so your car has been charged a lot of additional expenses.

Expert Advice

The opportunity for carpenters to rip off customers is partly due to the carelessness and subjectivity of customers. Therefore, the first advice for those who use motorbikes regularly is to learn the basic knowledge about vehicle faults to avoid being easily ripped off by carpenters.

In unavoidable situations where you have to take your car to an unfamiliar shop for repair, when deciding to let the mechanic check the engine, you should supervise very closely. When the mechanic "judges" that the car has a serious fault, you can use your smartphone and access the internet to find out if the fault is correct or not. If you feel uneasy, you can call an acquaintance who knows about cars for further reference.

It is also important to be upfront about pricing, accessories and replacement parts to avoid any additional costs.

It is best to go to large and reputable stores when your car has problems on the road to be more assured about the quality of service and replacement parts.

If you are a woman and do not know much about machines, you can consult with people who are knowledgeable about vehicles before deciding to replace any parts or details on your vehicle.

Car owners should also regularly take their cars for periodic maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer and reputable warranty facilities. This will minimize the possibility of sudden breakdowns of the car while in traffic, avoiding car owners from becoming unwilling customers of unreliable repair shops.