I took my used car to the dealership to have work done on it; some they did, some they obviously didn’t. (And yes I was charged.) The original noise that I took it in for was still there when I left. Today I recieved a coupon for a free inspection. My question is, should I take them up on their free deal just to see if they can pinpoint the noise and then let my brother show me how to fix it? It sucks being a woman in a male-dominated car repair world.
If the problem is documented(make sure they do this when you sign your life away 
) then return with an appointment with service advisor to point out the noise. Give them the opportunity to make bad well again.
If not, the free coupon is for inspecting items such as brakes, belt condition, fluids, car condition etc typically to basically find work to charge for. Most places do this legit but dealerships as any garage can vary on honesty. The free coupon will do you no help in this manner.
If your not comfortable with auto repair find a garage with mechanic (independent) you like. There are really good ones out there. My wife had always found them and actually directed me towards them. If you give off a vibe of a woman in a “male-dominated” car repair world I think it all goes downhill.
The coupon for a free inspection is just a way to get you into the shop. Sure, they will “inspect (look at)” the car for free, but anything they claim needs adjustment or repair will be billed to you at the standard shop rate.
I suggest you find an independent mechanic to service/repair your car. Maybe you can even find a female mechanic!
Seriously, most independent shops are significantly more customer-oriented than auto dealers, and the good ones treat male and female customers equally well.
One more thing: The truth is MOST men know little or nothing about cars, and are taken advantage of by mechanics and dealers every day. Read some of the posts on this website and you will see what I mean.
You don’t have to know how a car works to find a good mechanic. Ask your friends, relatives, family members, co-workers, etc., for recommendations. Also ask people who drive the same brand of car you are driving, because sometimes you can find independent shops that specialize in your brand, and in my experience these are the best places to take your car.
The “Free Inspection” will definitely find “problems” which will cost hundreds of dollars to repair. It’s not that the “problems” aren’t there; but, that they, most likely, don’t NEED to be fixed. An example: There is an oil leak in X location. What you are NOT told, is the SEVERITY of the leak (most likely only an oil film on some part). You are told NOTHING of having your mechanic monitoring the leak on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. //// Further example, a woman’s Free Inspection, by the dealer, showed leaks, and other imperfections, which I didn’t repair (no NEED to) forever (years)…and I’m a mechanic (I could have) !
No, don’t let them get their hands on your car again. If they charged you for work that they didn’t do, don’t go back to them…ever.
The free coupons are used to get you into their shop to find something wrong with your vehicle…PERIOD…
The already stiffed you by not doing what they charged you for, and now you are considering taking your car back to them for an “inspection” where they are sure to find something that needs work.
You are smart to realize something is not quite right and to have posted your question.
Thank you for your reply. The garage was supposed to grease the slides on one of the calipers (it was frozen). Because the noise was still there, I took the car to my brother’s, and under his watchful eye, took off the wheel and caliper and saw for myself that one of the slides was dry rusty and “sandy”. I greased it myself and put the car back together. Obviously, it had not been touched. (I must say, I enjoyed working on my car, and getting my hands dirty.) In light of all the comments, I think I will once again twist my brother’s arm to help find the problem…and do it myself, forgetting the free inspection.
Decent repair shops don’t need to mail out “free” coupons to get people into their shops. That’s the LAST place I would take my car.
EXCELLENT POINT!!!