Things Nairobi Mechanics Will Never Tell You

A file image of a mechanic working on a car at a garage
A file image of a mechanic working on a car at a garage
File

Unless you just recently drove your brand new car out of the showroom or under warranty, it’s likely you will need some maintenance done on your vehicle every so often.

This could range from minor works, such as a routine oil change, to expensive repairs. 

Some motorists are fortunate to find mechanics who are honest about what needs urgent fixing, what could wait and what can be ignored.  Others are not that lucky.

President Uhuru Kenyatta commissions local assembly of Proton Saga saloon cars on Thursday, December 10
President Uhuru Kenyatta commissions local assembly of Proton Saga saloon cars on Thursday, December 10
PSCU

In Nairobi, like other parts of the country, mechanics are notorious for taking advantage of their customers whenever they get a chance by playing on people’s lack of car knowledge to try and make some easy money.

Since it is your money and car, it is important to know some of the things your mechanic will never tell you. 

Ask for old parts back

Auto repairs are expensive enough and the last thing you want to do is pay for repairs that are never actually done. 

The old parts are your property, broken or not, you're entitled to them. You can also take them to another mechanic and ask if they really needed to be replaced.

It might take longer to repair your car

Nobody wants to hear that they may have to leave their car at the garage for weeks. 

With this in mind, your mechanic may not be honest about how long a repair is likely to take. 

They may also delay repairing your car so as to justify the high costs. For an unsuspecting car owner, you may end up paying more and staying without a car for longer than you should.

Buying a new car might be your best option

There are times when a new car is the best choice when your car has you spending more than is reasonable for repair.

Seasoned mechanics don’t like recommending buying a new car because they want you to buy a good used car and then employ them to repair it - all the time. 

Part of this is business because with a new car, if something goes wrong, the dealer will usually fix it under warranty.

They guess a lot

We’ve all heard stories about people being treated for symptoms, only to find out the root cause was completely different from what the doctor initially thought. 

Just like doctors, mechanics may not right away be able to identify the problem ailing your car.

As such, they’ll do what they know hopping to that it will solve the problem. 

Being able to quickly pinpoint the root of your car trouble is a valuable service that saves you a lot of money, time and headache. 

It takes a lot of work maintaining equipment and consistently keeping up-to-date on training to accurately diagnose the cause of problems. 

If you take your car to a lazy mechanic, you shouldn’t be surprised if the problem persists.

File image showing a car on a jack.
File image showing a car on a jack.
  • . .