Charles ~ Humble Mechanic
Raleigh, NC
Male, 32
I am one of about 200 master certified VW techs in the USA. I do everything from basic maintenance, to advanced diagnosis. I eat, sleep and breathe VWs. I also have my own website dedicated to helping everyone to understand their car, and see the behind the scenes of being an auto mechanic. You can see more at
I have been waiting for someone to ask this question. I do not think that a female is more likely to get taken advantage of. Most of the time the mechanic does not know if it is a guy or girl bringing the car in. The type of customer that will most likely get taken is an ignorant one. I don't mean that to be rude, but it is true. A customer that says things like "Do whatever I need done" or "I don't know anything about cars" is really likely to get screwed. The plus of bringing someone(guy or gal) with you is a decision making teammate. Even if both people know nothing about cars. To be honest, I find that women are more educated about their cars. Thank you for asking that. I LOVE that question!
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Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate that. It does some what. Although not as much as I would like ;) I will say that it does let me know what I am NOT capable of doing, or maybe what is better left to the pros. Things like drywall work and advanced wiring for the house. The cool thing is, I have a ton of tools to do many different jobs.tive tex I have started getting into working with wood. I built this hutch for my tool box. Mechanic Tool Box It came out really good. The Snap-on hutch costs about $3000. I spent about $250 to build that hutch. I figured that I had a few shots at making a hutch before I even came close to the snap on hutch. HAHA.
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Maybe. It really depends on where you are located. If you are near the beach, your filter may be getting clogged up with sand. That will cause it to need replacement more often. I would guess that you don't need a filter that often. If the place you are taking it to says you NEED a filter everytime, I would consider finding a new shop, or just tell them no, OR have them show you the dirty filter. That is the best way to know if you need one or not.
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There are some common "great" cars. Most folks will say that Toyota is the best car on the road. Ask the folks at the dealers how that worked out a few years back. Then you read about how all german cars are trouble. Here is the facts. ALL brands have issues. Some more than others, but they all do. Cars will break, parts will fail, people will fail to maintain their cars properly. Then there is the fan mentality. Some folks are die hard Ford people. Me, I will not own another ford again. The one I had was junk. But I will also not own a Honda again. The service at my local Honda dealer was awful. The worst part was, I work for the company that owned the dealer. Brands that were thought of as bad years ago have really come along way(Hyundai and Kia). As long as you understand that all cars will break, buy the car that fits you and your needs. Oh, and good MPG doesn't hurt either.
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I think that there is some truth to that. I also think there are more places that make and sell some parts for American cars. I would say that is true for just about everything except modern electronics. It is pretty much the same across the board. So many manufacturers share similar electronics. My advise for buy a new car is 1)Do some research on maintenance costs. 2) Test drive, test drive, test drive 3) Buy what you like and what fits you and your car needs. Great question!
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HAHA, sometimes. When I started my current job, I moved 900 miles away from all of my family and friends. So it was not a huge deal at first. Everyone I knew I worked. It can get a little frustrating when the only time people call you is for car help. I try to help as many folks as I can, and LOTS of my friends drive VWs. Here is what happens more often. People will make big car choices with out asking me first. Then they are shocked when things go wrong. I hate to see friends and family spend money and time needlessly, when I know that I could have helped them.
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The average customer should turn to their owners manual. That will at least have maintenance schedule. It will keep you from paying for a service when it is not due. I have yet to find a "how a car works" type book that is worth a darn. So I am working on one. I want people to feel good bringing their car in for service. More like visiting a friend, rather than worrying "How am I going to get screwed this time" Start with your owners book. It is one of the most under used resources in the industry. I use customers books all the time. I can't know every feature on every car, so that is where I turn. If you happen to be put on the spot with a repair, ask the mechanic or service advisor to SHOW you the problem, and explain what is going on. If they can't or wont, get the heck out of there!
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