Car Care Click would like to make an exciting announcement… WE ARE REBRANDING!
From 1st of June 2020, we will have a fresh new look. Part of our rebranding is changing our name from Car Care Click to Michanic (pronounced MyChanic)!
You will still get the great service you have come to expect from us. In fact, we are striving to level up by making our service offerings bigger, better and more convenient for our wonderful customers!
Most important to us is that you, our loyal customers, always get the very best experience! So, we are continually working hard to make it as easy and rewarding as possible for you to get what you need when it comes to maintaining your car.
Part of this process is working with you to find out what we do well, and what can be done better. So, if you have any questions regarding our rebranding, or any feedback that you believe will make your experience with us better, please get in touch with us here.
Thank you for your continued support! Car Care Click (soon to be Michanic) is so lucky to have such amazing customers who are committed to helping us grow and make car maintenance affordable and accessible to more South Africans.
We understand that your car plays an important part of your daily life, transporting you and your loved ones. We are dedicated to providing the most convenient services for our customers, so if you have any other questions or concerns regarding your car, feel free to talk to our customer service team through email at [email protected], or by phone on 087 803 9000.
Mechanics have gotten a rather bad rap over the years. There is no lack of stories; some mechanics intentionally seek to rip off customers by up selling and repairing components that don’t actually need fixing. Others simply don’t know what they’re doing, misdiagnosing problems and causing you big, costly, drawn out drama.
Unfortunately, many drivers have labelled the entire industry as “untrustworthy” and I’m constantly asked by people “is my mechanic ripping me off?”. In answer to that question, below are the top tips on how to spot the dodgy mechanics out there, and at the end… a list of how to avoid them!
If a mechanic wants to rip you off, they usually go for one of the following four options…
CHARGE FOR PARTS NOT REPLACED OR LABOUR NOT PERFORMED
It’s not uncommon for us to attend to a basic service for a new customer where a major service was said to have been performed by their previous mechanic and yet the customer complains of a number of problems that simply shouldn’t be there if the car was serviced well. Usually it’s because the parts that were charged were not actually replaced. Dodgy, right?!
BRING FORWARD SCHEDULED PARTS REPLACEMENTS
Loads of parts in your car will eventually need to be replaced. The trigger is either the number of kilometres your car has driven or time. A mechanic who wants to bump up your bill will often bring forward these major parts replacements unnecessarily.
For example, if a part should be replaced at 100,000km, some mechanics will start recommending replacements at 70,000km. This is also commonplace at roadside assistance operations where staff are incentivised to sell parts, like batteries. These guys will often replace any batteries that are over two years old (even though the normal life cycle is three to four years) regardless of whether the problem was actually the battery or it just needed recharge.
Ultimately, these mechanics are not thinking about you as a customer for the long term, they’re just trying to make the most out of every service.
CREATE PHANTOM REPAIRS
If you’re wondering – “is my mechanic ripping me off?” – here’s where things get really dodgy. There are some mechanics who will create repairs out of thin air in order to upsell you. Worse still, because there wasn’t a problem in the first place, they don’t actually do any work for the extra charge.
For example, the mechanic will spray WD40 on your suspension struts. They’ll then bring you in to show you that you have an oil leak and the suspension struts need replacing. You authorise the work, they then go ahead and clean up the WD40 and paint the suspension struts black. When you return they show you your new shiny suspension struts with no oil leak. That will be R12 000, thank you!
LURE YOU IN THE DOOR WITH A CHEAP SERVICE
With thousands of mechanics, workshops and dealerships, the automotive repair industry is super competitive. One of the most common tricks to get customers in the door is to advertise a cheap service. They lure in first-time customers with a bargain headline rate for a service, as low as R 799.00. While this may sound appealing, the problem is that the mechanic just isn’t making any money. With the cost of parts, plus their business overheads, they’re not paying themselves. To counter this they’ll upsell you a bunch of things you don’t need. The strategy is to get you in the door and then bump up the bill.
If you see a cheap service, be prepared to drive out with a much larger bill. A good benchmark is a minimum of R 1800.00 for a basic service for a standard, non-European car.
What can you do about it?
The thought of questioning your mechanic can be a little scary— the prospect of speaking to a mechanic in greasy overalls using complex car language is daunting enough, let alone questioning what they’re telling you. Sometimes it’s easier to stick your head in the sand and hope the problem goes away.
But if you follow a few simple rules you can quickly gure out whether or not you’re getting ripped off…
Do your homework
Stick to your maintenance schedule
Avoid cheap services, R 800.00 is cheap, R 1900.00 is average
Get everything in writing
Keep Records, your logbook, a maintenance journal and keep track in your calendar of what’s due and when
Know your car
Check your brake lights
Ask questions and ask for your old parts back
Get a second opinion
Although it pains us to say it, some mechanics are simply not very good, or just plain dodgy. The good thing is that once you know the tricks and mistakes to look out for, it is easier to avoid getting ripped off.
To find a trustworthy, honest and experienced mechanics that come to you book with Michanic here
If any of the above warning lights come on while you are driving, DO NOT IGNORE THEM! Immediate action may be necessary to prevent damage to your car, a breakdown or an accident. See below for more detail on the warning light that is showing on your dash:
OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT
The oil pressure warning light comes on if your engine has lost oil pressure or oil pressure is too low for safe engine operation. Pull over, turn the engine off and check the oil level on the engine dipstick once cool.
Possible Causes: Low oil level (due to oil consumption or leaks), oil viscosity too thin, worn oil pump, excessive engine bearing clearances or defective oil pressure sending unit.
If you engine is also making ticking, clattering or rapping noises, it is not getting sufficient oil. If you attempt to drive the engine in this condition, you will probably damage it – if it hasn’t already suffered major internal damage.
TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT
The temperature warning light will come on if your engine is overheating. Do NOT continue driving if your engine is overheating as this can cause expensive engine damage (piston scuffing, valve stem galling, failed head gasket, cracks or distortion in cylinder head). Stop driving, pull over and shut your engine off. Open the hood and check the radiator and heater hoses, radiator and engine for coolant leaks. Note the level of the coolant in the coolant reservoir.
CAUTION: DO NOT open the coolant reservoir or radiator cap until the engine has cooled off for at least 30 minutes. Steam pressure inside the cooling system can blow out and burn you!
If the coolant level is low, add coolant (a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and distilled water).
Possible Causes: Low coolant level (due to coolant leak or bad head gasket), stuck thermostat, bad water pump, broken serpentine belt, defective radiator cooling fan, clogged or dirty radiator, exhaust restriction (plugged catalytic converter).
CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT
The “GEN” or “ALT” warning light, or an icon of a battery will illuminate if the voltage of your battery is low. You do not have to stop immediately, but you may only have 20 to 30 minutes of driving time before your battery goes dead and your engine stops running (or even less time if you are driving at night with your headlights on).
Possible Causes: Broken or slipping serpentine belt or V-belt, bad alternator, charging control fault, or loose or corroded battery cables.
Open the hood to see if the alternator drive belt is intact and is turning the alternator while idling. If the belt is not the problem, chances are the charging system has a problem that will have to be diagnosed and repaired. It’s always best to have a qualified mechanic take a look.
BRAKE WARNING LIGHT
The Brake Warning light will come on if the parking brake has not been fully released, but it may also come on if the brake fluid level is low or there has been a loss of hydraulic pressure in one of your car’s brake circuits. Loss of fluid or brake pressure means the brakes may not be able to stop your car when you step on the pedal.
Carefully apply the brakes to see if they are working. If they are, pull over to the side of the road, open the hood and check the fluid level in the brake master cylinder. Should the fluid level be low, the brake system should be inspected for leaks. If there are leaks, your brake system is unsafe to drive.
If the brake pedal is low or goes to the floor, pumping the pedal may apply enough pressure to stop your car. Failing that, apply your parking brake to slow your vehicle. Also, take your foot off the accelerator and shift to neutral, or downshift and use engine braking to slow your vehicle if you have a manual transmission. If all that fails, aim for something soft like a bush or open field.
Possible Causes: Loss of brake fluid due to leaks (master cylinder, calipers, wheel cylinders, brake lines or hoses), failure of the pressure differential switch that activates the brake light, parking brake pedal or handle not fully releasing, defective parking brake switch.
WARNING: If the brake pedal feels soft, is low, goes to the floor, or you have to pump the pedal to get your vehicle to stop, your vehicle is unsafe to drive. You should have it towed to a repair facility for repairs.
TPMS LIGHT
The Low Tyre Pressure Warning Light on your car’s dash will come on if any tyre on your vehicle is underinflated. Driving with an underinflated tyre can be dangerous and increases the risk of blowout. A low tyre can also cause uneven braking, uneven traction, uneven and rapid tyre wear, increased rolling resistance and high fuel consumption.
Find a petrol station, and check the pressure in each tyre with an accurate gauge. Inflate your tyres to the recommended pressure (see your owners manual or the tyre inflation decal on the driver door panel or glove box). For most passenger cars, the recommended pressure is typically 2.2 to 2.5 bar.
Possible Causes: Loss of air pressure due to a leak (such as a nail or small puncture in a tyre, or a bad valve stem), loss of air pressure due to seepage (0.1 to 0.2 bar per month loss is normal for many tyres), or inaccurate or failing TPMS sensor in tyre.
Check your tyres regularly – at least once a month or before any long road trip. Do this when they are COLD and BEFORE you’ve driven far.
If you are having trouble diagnosing your warning light, book and inspection with Michanic and we will send out a trusted mechanic to solve your problem. We understand that your car plays an important part of your daily life, transporting you and your loved ones. Michanic is dedicated to providing the most convenient services for our customers, so if you have any other questions or concerns regarding your car, feel free to talk to our customer service team through email at [email protected], or by phone on 087 803 9000.
Toyota South Africa Motors said Thursday it had issued a notice to recall more than 700,000 vehicles over airbag safety concerns, with some affected models dating back over 15 years.
Toyota said the recall was required to replace front airbag inflators produced by parts firm Takata. These had been found to have a potential for moisture intrusion, which could cause them to burst.
“In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, striking and possibly injuring the occupants in the event of an accident,” said a statement.
The company said that no injuries or fatalities had been caused so far by the fault.
A total of 730,000 vehicles were said to have been impacted, with some of the various models dating back to 2002, according to company spokesman Clynton Yon.
Toyota makes vehicles for the local and export markets at their manufacturing plant, south of the eastern port city of Durban
The faulty airbags, made by Japanese company Takata, have caused some other manufacturers to recall their cars.
