Scams are a worry for every budding motorist and they come in all shapes and sizes. You need to be weary, try to shop at approved centres and be careful when purchasing certain stock. There is also a worry regarding other motorists on the road. Sometimes, good people are the easiest target. So be sure you stay aware and challenge any kind of strange behaviour.
Insurance Scams
These scams have become far more popular over the last fifteen years whereby people seek to gain money from your insurance company by making you the implicated person at fault and causing them to pay out for damages sustained. A common tactic is speeding up, then slamming their brakes on and causing you to crash into the back of their car. This will always be construed as your fault, and will result in them claiming large amounts of whiplash. It is hard to combat this, but your best bet is to drive responsibly and not tailgate. Another key scam is where people will attempt to fall into your car and claim you hit them, leaving them free to sue you for damages. If this occurs, stick up for yourself. Check to see if there are any witnesses in the area or CCTV that can back up your claim that it was their fault entirely. Thankfully, insurances have wised up to these tactics, but they can still work so just bear them in mind.
Old Tyres
You can easily pick up a set of cheap tyres these days. But you are by far better off going to a reputable Auto Repair centre which deals in the specific kind of car you drive. The reason being many dodgy tyre replacement shops can sell tyres as new even when they are partly warn. This can be irritating because it means the tyres will degrade at a quicker rate, leaving you frustrated when they need replacing again. Also, it’s dangerous. Worn tyres or more likely to get punctured or worse, burst. Check reviews of local tyre shops and ensure what they giving you aren’t worn by checking the tyre tread first.
Excessive Repair
Excessive repair is when you take a car to a garage for an MOT and service and are told there are multiple things wrong with the car that aren’t actually wrong. Key examples are items like brake discs or, wheel alignment, pads and oil change. If you think the list is overly excessive then get a second opinion at another garage. Pay for the MOT, then price up the other work somewhere else. It can be time consuming, but it can also save you paying for things you don’t need. If you find they have charged you for things you haven’t asked for, such as pumping your tyres with nitrous oxide instead of air challenge them on it, more often than not they’ll remove the charge. A way of getting around these issues is by checking the reviews of the garage before taking your car there. Stories of past experiences will tell you all you need to know.