Are you one of those drivers who trust their
car mechanic implicitly? Good for you if you’ve found a true professional
who takes good care of your vehicle! Unfortunately, not all mechanics are responsible
and honest with their customers. There are several things they don't want you
to know so that they can take advantage of you when you bring your car in. 1. "Your car battery should be replaced!" Have you ever heard from your mechanic that
your car battery has died? While in some cases it’s a true story, some
car service centers do their best to talk you into spending your money. But the truth is that the biggest problem
with the battery comes not from the battery itself but from the wires connected to it. The spots where they're attached to the battery
get damaged by corrosion. As a result, the battery can't provide your
car with as much power as before. Some people fix this problem with the help
of Coca-Cola. They pour the soda over the places where the
wires are attached to the battery, and the Coke gets rid of the corrosion. You can also save on the cost of a new battery
if you first try to recharge the one you have. It's often enough to make it work properly
again. But there is one more important thing you
should know about car batteries: The longer they wait on the shelf before someone buys
them, the more they degrade. When you decide to get a new battery or have
a mechanic replace your old one, ask to see its manufacture date. You should choose one that’s less than a
month old. Otherwise, you’ll have to replace it much
earlier than you're supposed to — in a year or even 6 months. 2. "You need to change the oil as soon as possible!" You've probably heard from some mechanics
that you need to change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. However, various car experts state that the
earliest you should start to worry about an oil change is after driving a minimum of 7,500
miles. Moreover, there is a professional opinion
that if you change the oil every 10,000 miles, you don't cause any harm to your vehicle. Rather than changing oil too often, make sure
your car doesn't run out of it. Again, some mechanics may tell you that dirty
oil can damage your car engine. But you should remember that in modern cars,
oil eventually burns off and evaporates. Thus, the cleanliness of your oil doesn't
matter that much. On the other hand, the level of oil does decrease,
so you should buy new oil regularly and add it in. 3. "You need to replace your brake pads right
now!" You'll probably agree that no one can ignore
the terrible screeching of car brakes. Most people get freaked out and rush to a
mechanic to have their car fixed. What they don't know is that the most likely
cause of these terrible sounds is rust on the brake pads. Luckily, this rust can be easily removed by
brushing, scraping, or blasting off. Some people do it themselves after watching
a couple of YouTube videos! Most garages will be happy to do this procedure
for you for a modest sum of money. Sadly, not all mechanics are ready to tell
you that the problem is as simple as rust. They will inform you that you need a whole
new set of brake pads. Be cautious, and if you have any doubts about
this "diagnosis," consult another mechanic. Brake pads don't really need to be changed
until they're 90% worn. If your mechanic tells you to replace pads
that are 50% worn, don't fall for it! The thing with brakes is that people prefer
to play it safe — and some mechanics use this to make more money. 4. "Drop in for a free inspection!" Some car service centers attract clients by
promising free bumper-to-bumper examinations of their vehicles. When you get such an offer from a garage,
you may think, "Well, why not? It's free!" That's where you might be wrong! After you bring your car in, a mechanic will
most likely discover that it has tons of problems — which need to be fixed right away. If you fall for this scheme, you can waste
a fortune on unnecessary repairs. It's always better to go to a garage only
when there's really something wrong with your car. 5. "Your car might break down if you don't use
these services!" Some mechanics insist that your car won't
work properly without certain additional services — for example, power steering or coolant
flushes. But according to specialists, your car only
needs these procedures every 100,000 miles. Also, don't fall for the offer of free lifetime
muffler replacement! If you agree to this, you'll just end up paying
more money in the long run. You'll still have to pay for pipe repairs,
which won't come cheap. 6. "I'll rotate your tires!" Your mechanic recommends that you have your
tires rotated, and, naturally, you agree. After all, according to him, it will ensure
that the tread on the tires wears out properly. First of all, when you collect your car after
this procedure, it's almost impossible to say whether the tires have indeed been rotated. Secondly, some specialists believe that tire
rotation doesn't have any influence on the speed at which your tires wear out. In any case, you can always check if your
mechanic has rotated the tires. Before you drive to the garage, mark the tires
with chalk. You can write the letters "RL" on the rear
left tire and "FR" on the front right tire. After you get your car back, check where the
marks are. Keep in mind that the mechanic has to rotate
the tires not side-to-side but front-to-back. 7. "Your check engine light is on. You must have a serious problem!" Most drivers start to panic when they see
that their check engine light is on — especially if they are new drivers. And such a reaction can lead to a hefty bill
from a mechanic! Unfortunately, few people know that the most
widespread reason for the check engine light to appear on your dashboard is because your
gas cap isn't fastened well enough. As a result, oxygen gets inside through the
gas line. The solution to this problem can be as simple
as giving the gas cap several extra turns with your hand! Imagine you notice a number of warnings light
up on your dashboard: your check engine light, your TRAC OFF light, and your ABS light. In some cars, this can be connected to the
design of the vehicle or software issues rather than a real problem. But there are many cars that automatically
turn on several other lights along with the check engine light. In most cases, as soon as you figure out why
your check engine light is on and fix the problem, there won't be anything else to worry
about. 8. "Your car needs special additives to run better!" Your mechanic may suggest that you buy additives
for the engine, gas tank, or transmission. After you agree, you find out that these additives
cost you an arm and a leg! Specialists are sure that if you take care
of your car regularly, you don't need to waste your money on this stuff. According to law, gasoline is already packed
with different additives. You don't need any extra substances to, let's
say, make it burn better. It’s the same story with engine oil. Producers add different chemicals that help
the oil last longer. They also prevent oil pollution and vaporization. The only thing you can do to make the process
more effective is to change your car oil regularly. Do you know any other secrets that mechanics
don't want to share with their customers? Write about them in the comment section below! Remember to hit the like button, share this
video with your friends who often visit car service centers, and click subscribe! This way, you'll immediately get to the Bright
Side of life!
