Just realized my local auto shop was overcharging me for 2 years

I started tracking every repair on my 2015 Civic in a simple notebook six months ago. My mechanic charged me $85 for an oil change and tire rotation which seemed normal until I called around. A shop two blocks away does the exact same service for $45 and included a free safety check. I went back through my records and realized I paid over $400 extra just on basic maintenance at the old place. The new guy also found a loose belt that the old shop never mentioned during their so called inspections. Makes me wonder what else I missed out on by not shopping around earlier. Has anyone else found big price differences between shops in their town for routine stuff like this?

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garcia.casey2mo ago

Did you actually ask the old shop to price match or explain their pricing before you switched? A lot of times those $45 oil changes use cheaper filters or lower grade oil, and the free "safety check" is just a quick look at your tires and lights. I'd be careful assuming the new place is automatically better just because they're cheaper, especially if the old shop was doing a more thorough job on the inspections even if they missed one belt.

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jana1792mo ago

Honestly @garcia.casey, wait... they didn't even tell you about that belt?

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