am I the only one???

so.... just wondering... am I the only one??? I take my SUV... in for service... and... yes... indeedie it is a "man's" world...

I think... I can "manage"... the "basics".... yet... it is "don't you worry little lady, we'll get it all fixed up for you"... well I do appreciate that... but when you are charging me.. 1,000... or 400... or 500 dollars.. I would like to know... why....

I've gone thru a "spat" of repairs... things like tires.. and ball joints.. and wheel bearings lately... and... yes... I would like to know why the wheel bearing is going out hmm... 3rd time in 2 years.... "other than hearing it just happens to that type of vechicle that you are driving followed by a hehehehehehe"...

and... finally after calling a "parts" place.. I found the answer...the person there was kind enough to explain.. the factors that can impact the "wear" on a wheel bearing...

But... it isn't just the one shop... it has been various places...

This isn't a "rant"... it is an observation....while...sitting in the various shops... the difference... in treatment of the male customers.. as opposed to the female customers...

so am I the only one... that is treated that way???

No your not, I was a single parent for a while and had to take my car in I was told it will cost far more than I could afford so got my brother to take it in for me to another garage and the job was done for half the price, now before anyone jumps on me saying it could of been an expensive garage in the first place it was not just the money, it was the way they spoke to me like I was some kind of child !

no hon you are not the only one. women everywhere go thru this daily. When I was driving a truck I would take my truck into one of our company shops only to be told there was nothing wrong with my truck. (me knowing better.) only to get stuck somewhere at an outside shop later in that day or the next. it is very frustrating. my only advise to you and other women out there is to educate youselves on the mechanics so you will know exactly what is going on with your cars. that way you can go into a shop with knowledge. this is one my pet peeves. can you tell? lol

luckily for me my dad has a degree in auto. mechan. and worked for chevy for about 20 years. so i call him, let him listen to the noise and tell him exactly whats going on and he says what it probably is. so i go to the shop and repeat word for word and say "so don't think that just because im a 19 year old girl, you can just charge me whatever the hell you want." im a straight up ***** with car salesmen and mechanics because they will take advantage of women assuming we don't know anything. i got 1,000 knocked off the price of my civic because when they guy came out and said the monthly payment i said "thats bull. i know for a fact you can do better than that and ill go somewhere else before ill pay that." and got over $50 every month for the next 6 years knocked off.

maybe you can do this... go to a community college and take an intro. course in auto mechanics... y'know, just to learn the basics. that way the next time this happens you wont be left wondering. and don't let those guys take advantage of you. there is nothing wrong with being a ***** when it comes to thousands of dollars.

Ah, I can sooooo relate here.

Every vehicle I've had is a piece of junk, but I loved them and cherished them and fixed them up (womanly soundin there). At first my husband was "well wait till I get a day off and I'll take it up to the mechanics so the don't give you the run around". Well, he's a procrastinator and when my car needs a fix, I mean it needs a fix. So I ignore him and tell myself I will not let these men ******** me, over charge me, or scam me in anyway...I can do this. So I put my mean face on and research the problems with the car before going into the shop, so when I explain the problem I at least sound as though I know what I'm talking about. Usually the outcome is good when you go in there saying "I need a water pump and my radiator flushed while your at it"... women aren't expected to know diddly about there own vehicles, but I try to know as much as I can.

So far I've never been scammed or ripped off, but I have been over charged, (in a way it's being ripped off) when I went to a certain mechanic shop in town. I was charged $50 for the mechanic to put a bungee cord around my battery and mount it (ghetto way). He claimed that would stop my stalling problems but it never did, it was actually a sensor.

Just be careful and like I said put your mean face on, try to understand the problem, research and be acknowledged of your problem and you should be okay.

When my dad bought me my first car, he wouldn't let me have the keys until I completed an automotives course. Now, thanks to Daddy dearest, I know a lot about cars, and can usually tell when someone's trying to screw me over. I change my own oil, brakes, belts, plugs, wires, etc. I do NOT call triple A for a flat and have enough sense to know how to jerry rig a pair of panty hose to replace a "belt" until I can buy one.

My rule of thumb? When I get a new car (new or used) I ALWAYS buy the Chiltons manual that goes with it. Forget the on in the glove box, spend the $25 on the Chilton. You'll be able to "trouble shoot" and then go back and check out what your mechanic is telling you. Drag out the book and say, "Show me what you're talking about." I've done this a few times, and found that most male mechanics will backpedal and guess what? The problem isn't necessarily THAT, oh yeah, it's THIS.

I'd also suggest calling your local technical college. They offer discounted automotives services IF you can part with your car for a couple of days at a time and IF you don't mind students working on your car. Also, call around and see if you can't find a shop with a certified FEMALE mechanic. They're a bit more expensive, but well worth it in my opinion.

Thanks everyone......

I will "bone" up on things for "next" time... got SUV back today... and first it was one wheel bearing... then a call for another wheel bearing... then a call to say my breaks were bad....Yaazzzaa....

sooooooooo education... for me is on my list....

Freewill, I echo all that has been said here. Study, study, study.

I used to change my oil, tires, etc. But as my physical pain has increased, I have to take it to a shop.

I drive into the oil change shop and I say this< "I'm here to have my oil changed, replace the filter and a lube". "Do not approach me for anything more". "I know what this truck needs and it doesn't need new parts or to have some obscure bold replaced".....It works everytime.

Always research tires and have it all written down when you go to the tire shop.

ALWAYS ask around and get recommendations for mechanics. Don't "cold call" on a shop. (Ask trusted male friends>)The mechanics are sometimes paid for what they can sell us and they see us coming before we turn the corner!!

Above all, don't let them see you blink.

Besides learning more about the mechanics of my car I also choose my mechanic very carefully, and the last 3 I have had (each in different cities) have become family friends and so that has helped as well, especially when there is something a bit 'niggly' about the car and I just want an opinion about it, not the whole thing serviced and overhauled!

When the kids and I came back from Japan a few months earlier than my husband to set up house, we purchased a van from his uncle that owns a dealership. My father raised me to be self-sufficiant, before I was allowed to get my driver's licence there were certain things that I had to be able to do, check the oil, change a tire etc.

Anyway, we bought this van, and it was burning oil. I called hubby's uncle and told him about it. He asked how I knew, I told him that I'd been checking it when I'd gas up and it needed about half a quart every refill. He did not believe that a woman .... you get the picture, my father in law had to check it and confirm that the vehicle was in fact burning oil before he'd take it in the shop and fix it.

He later sent my husband a letter with the key codes "for when the wife locks herself out." I have never locked myself out of the car! My husband on the other hand...