# Are mechanics usually guarded about parts used?



## Vaypur (May 24, 2021)

I've been to this mechanic a couple instances and while he seems to do alright work, he gets really cagey when I ask what parts he's gonna use and won't tell me. Invoices always list parts in general terms rather than the brand and part number. 

My theory is he doesn't want me to know because he marks up the prices. I get why it's done, so I don't really care about that. 

I just want to know what's being put on my car.


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## gthomas785 (Mar 22, 2021)

I know people like this in a lot of trades. They don't like to be questioned. Could be that he's recycling used or aftermarket parts and knows you won't like that, or it could just be that he's insecure about people questioning what he's doing. Either way not good for customer relations.

To be fair I don't think you can really ask ahead of time what parts they are going to use. Often times it depends on what their supply house has on hand and there could be other stuff needed as they get into the job. Invoices will typically be light on details because it's extra work to put all that info down and most people don't care or understand it anyway. However if you ask him after the job is all done, he should be able to tell you what parts he used.

Try asking after you've already paid the bill and say you're just curious. You might get a bit more of a response, or you might not.


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## Steve2444 (Sep 28, 2020)

What kind of parts are we talking about? Major components or just minor wear out parts?
Major parts (depending on where in the country) possible stolen and chop shopped.

As long as he warrants the parts for a specif time, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Rebuilt is usually as good as original, even after market can be just as good if not better.
Car companies buy the "cheapest" parts from vendors for profit. So original from the factory might not be the best anyway.

I have seen the price lists that GM pays for some parts in assembly plants, and it's really surprising.
Example... upgrade speakers that YOU pay 80+ $$ for, only cost about $5 to GM.


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## Vaypur (May 24, 2021)

gthomas785 said:


> Try asking after you've already paid the bill and say you're just curious. You might get a bit more of a response, or you might not.


Yea, tried that way too. Same story.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

I owned a body shop for 10 years, and it was common for people to ask that question. Didn't bother me.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

You need to check out your state laws on auto repair. 
in Calif, he would be in violation of both the written estimate and invoicing laws for repair work. (Routine maintenance is a different set of rules)

I wouldn’t be dealing with a person that is as vague about what he is doing to my vehicle. It gives me a feeling he is screwing somebody, somewhere. I’d be looking for a new mechanic.
( In this state, I’d also be talking to the Bureau of Automotive Repair.)


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## SpentPenny (Dec 15, 2020)

He should not only give you part numbers and descriptions, he should at least offer to give you the old parts so you can see for yourself that they were worn out or defective.


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## SW Dweller (Jan 6, 2021)

I always demand the used parts back, once got set of spark plugs that would not fit my truck.
The attorney general had several questions.

Easier for you find a new mechanic.


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## pumpkin11 (Oct 31, 2020)

If your talking about an independent shop, most of them use the cheapest aftermarket parts they can find, they make more money on them,

If you want good quality parts put on your vehicle, bring your car to the dealer, of course it will be more expensive, but you get what you pay for


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## FM3 (Aug 12, 2019)

There can be a big difference in the quality of parts from different manufacturers. If the prices for parts he's putting on are cheap prices, then I would assume the parts are on the low-quality end, and that's fine if that's what I want. 

If the prices for parts he's putting on aren't cheap, then the parts could be good or could be junkier cheap ones, and the only way to know is if he says what it is. If the parts don't have cheap prices, he better tell me wtf parts they are.

And be careful, someone could say "they are AC-Delco parts." Yeah, ok, but AC-Delco has three different lines of parts of different quality/price, and the third line is as junky as other junky parts. 

Similar with various brands of timing belt kits, etc. The belt in two different kits might be the same, but the idler pulley, tensioner, and water pump might be garbage. Gates destroyed many people's vehicles doing that.


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## Randy Bush (Dec 9, 2020)

pumpkin11 said:


> If your talking about an independent shop, most of them use the cheapest aftermarket parts they can find, they make more money on them,
> 
> If you want good quality parts put on your vehicle, bring your car to the dealer, of course it will be more expensive, but you get what you pay for


I find this to be very untrue. A dealer is not always honest neither. Can find dishonest people anywhere you look . A lot of people want their car fixed with the very best parts on a VW budget. When I was in the business as an INDEPENDENT I gave people a choice on the parts. You are probably one that thinks only a union shop does good work too.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

A shop you can trust is a joy to have. I have moved a lot and would rather find a new dentist than a new auto shop. I've been using the same indy shop for 20+ years even though I moved further away - I suck up the inconvenience. If your shop is being evasive about parts, to me that is a red flag; maybe not a big one, but still a trust issue. Is he using aftermarket but charging for OEM? Used parts from a scrap yard?


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## Randy Bush (Dec 9, 2020)

Most shops and dealers charge list plus on the parts, I never did , just didn't feel right. And with the internet today with the part number ,brand people can look up the cost. And there by think the place is ripping them off. There is a lot of factors involved in the overall cost. Most places will not allow you to bring your own parts neither. Not saying it is right , but I can understand why some place don't share all that information with the customer.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

pumpkin11 said:


> If you want good quality parts put on your vehicle, bring your car to the dealer, of course it will be more expensive, but you get what you pay for


This is not entirely true. There are reputable independent shops that are up front about what parts they use, include it in the invoice and do quality work.

I have been going to the same independent mechanic for over 20 years. I know he uses NAPA parts and if needed will get parts from the dealership which he readily discloses to the customer before starting the work.

My advice to the OP is find another mechanic ASAP.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Vaypur said:


> I just want to know what's being put on my car.


If there any parts that are important to you, tell him up front. “I want you to use Fram filters” or “I want new fenders, not from the junkyard”.


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## LawrenceS (Oct 21, 2020)

Vaypur said:


> I've been to this mechanic a couple instances and while he seems to do alright work, he gets really cagey when I ask what parts he's gonna use and won't tell me. Invoices always list parts in general terms rather than the brand and part number.
> 
> My theory is he doesn't want me to know because he marks up the prices. I get why it's done, so I don't really care about that.
> 
> I just want to know what's being put on my car.



So I can see both sides of this. As for the reason your mechanic does not want to disclose parts is that he is probably charging you over MSRP for the parts to hit his profit margins needed to get by. People get hung up on pricing of everything these days, especially with the internet. Most shops will advertise their hourly labor rate which can initially sway someone's decision on where to bring their vehicle, with a lower hourly rate it comes across as a better deal to the majority of consumers, so they supplement their total profit margins by increasing parts cost.

Here is a rough example

Lets say a water pump replacement on whatever, say the labor guide says it's 2 hours to replace the water pump.

Lets also say both mechanics use the same parts supplier, MSRP on the water pump is $100, both mechanics can purchase it at a discount for $80

Mechanic A has a 120/hour labor rate. Mechanic A sells you the pump for 120 + 240 labor for a total of 360, or 280 gross profit.

Mechanic B has a 100/hour labor rate. Mechanic B sells you the pump for 160 + 200 labor for a total of 360 or 280 gross profit.

Most people will see the 100/hour rate and think it is a better deal when realistically it would be the same at either shop, not counting the fact that higher parts pricing will also increase the total sales tax collected.

Versus a mechanic charging $130 an hour and MSRP on parts to hit the same profit margin.

It sounds like your mechanic just doesn't want to explain to everyone why they are paying that price when the parts store only says it costs "X" amount.


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## Randy Bush (Dec 9, 2020)

LawrenceS said:


> So I can see both sides of this. As for the reason your mechanic does not want to disclose parts is that he is probably charging you over MSRP for the parts to hit his profit margins needed to get by. People get hung up on pricing of everything these days, especially with the internet. Most shops will advertise their hourly labor rate which can initially sway someone's decision on where to bring their vehicle, with a lower hourly rate it comes across as a better deal to the majority of consumers, so they supplement their total profit margins by increasing parts cost.
> 
> Here is a rough example
> 
> ...


Again most shops and dealers charge list plus. 

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk


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## sestivers (Aug 10, 2007)

Some states also charge sales tax on the labor. Never made sense to me but it is out there.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Your mechanic should not be hesitant to tell you the source of parts. Most come with some kind of warranty and you need to know what they are. He might shop around for availability and price, so he might not know until he gets the parts. If he calls one supplier and it is out of stock, he will call another rather than let you wait. It sounds like you understand that the shop makes some of its money by marking up parts. That is how the business works.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

I have my own shop. your reputation leads you, doesn't follow you. I shop for my customers. First, I hit NAPA, Then dealers, then rock auto. You would be surprised at rock auto. I compare part #'s and brand name with NAPA at usually 1/3 of the price and they are getting the same quality part. Customers ask where I got my parts, I tell them. It's their vehicle. They deserve to know what I'm installing on their vehicle.


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## Vaypur (May 24, 2021)

Alright, I'm lookin elsewhere. I care about my car too much to look past this. 

The guy's place has lots of great reviews on google and nobody complains about this.

I guess that's the curse of being an attentive owner. I think most casual owners are okay with being left in the dark, but it irks me too much to put up with it.


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## wthdideyedo (Jan 1, 2020)

SpentPenny said:


> He should not only give you part numbers and descriptions,* he should at least offer to give you the old parts so you can see for yourself that they were worn out or defective.*


That IS the law. If you ask for your parts back after a repair, they ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED to give them to you. They are YOUR parts. Otherwise, they may just be rebuilding them or not even replacing them at all. It also gives you the chance to inspect the part for the problem, or even take it to another mechanic afterwards. 

I worked at a dealer, and parts markup was 10% or less depending on the total cost of the parts. IIRC there was a $100 cap, but there is also a parts department that takes time to look up parts. That costs the business money. Personally it was a fair charge. Not trying to nickel and dime, just trying to charge what it costs, and getting parts is not something that goes into labor rates. Some stuff, they even have their own shop truck for. Then you have a apprentice who has to get paid, puts wear on a vehicle, uses gas.

Most likely your mechanic gets parts from one place, and Napa is pretty popular. If its a small job, they will bring the parts right over to get you in and out. For jobs that will take a few days to get to, (which is usually what you are waiting on when they tell you it takes a few days), rockauto almost always has the best prices, and options. If you are concerned over the price, you can always ask the mechanic where they get the parts, look for yourself, and request a certain brand or budget. Most of the time, they are making a judgement call, on what they think is right if there are options. 


If I may add, I see a few comments in here about whether going to the dealer for a little more is worth it. On new vehicles I say it is. They are going to keep records of your vehicle. They are going to have the new tools that a newer model might need. They are going to have the support and the training from the manufacturer if they need it. 

I have tried a couple mechanics in my immediate area, and some specialty mechanics around town. My favorite mechanic so far charges $125 an hour, and is a half hour away. (I'm in a city of over 1.5 million, and probably pass 100 mechanics to get there). For me he was fair and honest. 

When you try to compare $120 to $150 an hour, KEEP THIS IN MIND. 
1. You are paying for the past. You aren't just paying for the hour, you are paying for the 20, 30, 40 years experience that lead up to that hour. 
2. You are paying for the present. You are paying so that the 3 hour job doesn't turn into a 3 day, or 3 week job because an inexperienced mechanic (such as a lube or chain place) broke a bolt or used an impact and stripped aluminum. Then has to remove it and replace something they broke. 
3. You are paying for the future. You are paying so that it doesn't leak because they didn't put the correct sealant on the right bolt, or spent an extra $5 to get a better gasket, didn't think they needed to torque that bolt, or didn't know that part needed a shim that they didn't notice to install and now your part isn't working right, like a clutch fan, and it's costing you power and gas money, or its leaking in 6 months, and there repair didn't fix ANYTHING. 

If you know any mechanics, ask them where they go when don't want to or don't have the time to do repairs.


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