I’ve long believed that the same crooks that try to rip off petite young women also try to rip off anyone else who walks in the shop. And in both cases an air of self-confidence backed by knowledge an experience (which may mean the combined experieneces of friends and acquaintences) is your best and only defense.
Research the problem first, know more than they expect, offer viable solutions from your research and ask good questions.
I think that should ward off the bad guys.
I’ve NEVER been adorable and youthful looking…and I’ve had mechanics try to rip me off more then once. Dealer…independent…didn’t matter…
Whatever gets tried on one person gets tried on another. Auto people treat me the same as anybody else. I’m a big old guy and they want me to add supplements to my Cstrol Syntec, as if that will ever happen when I can just say no. We can all be polite and refuse extras.