‘Rip them off’: Aussie mechanic exposes the dirty industry secrets

A Melbourne mechanic has revealed which groups of people he deliberately rips off, exposing a trade secret everyone expected.

A Melbourne mechanic has revealed a shocking “industry-wide” practice, admitting some mechanics, including himself, deliberately rip off certain groups of people over others.

Nathan, a mechanic of 10 years, told The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick radio show he’s been overcharging particular customers up to 50 per cent extra – and he doesn’t feel guilty about it, given the cost of living crisis.

“This has been happening since I was an apprentice,” he told the breakfast show.

“I didn’t agree with it when I was an apprentice, but now I’ve got my own business and cost of living, cost of rent, cost of factories, you have to do it. You can’t get by otherwise.”

The admission came after a video went viral earlier this week of a Sydney-based influencer breaking down in tears as she claimed mechanics often take advantage of women.

When asked on the radio show if he would automatically see a female and think he could rip her off, Nathan said he would be careful as “they might have a husband that knows their cars back-to-front”.

However, he later admitted, “you do often get some women come in sometimes and you might put an extra 10-15 per cent on their charge”.

Out of all of his customers, the mechanic revealed sales representatives who don’t pay for repairs themselves are the “best money-makers”.

“They pass it (the charge) on to the company. That never gets followed up; they just pay the cash, they get reimbursed, and I put 20-30 per cent more onto the cost.”

Nathan said mechanics have long been ripping people off. Picture: iStock

Corporate men who know “nothing about their high-powered cars” are also targets.

“You can put another 40-50 per cent on that.”

Nathan said he wouldn’t automatically see a female and think he would rip her off

When asked if he has ever made up faults to charge for fake repairs, the mechanic said he’d talk to the customer first to grasp their understanding of cars.

“If I do something and you could go home and you can check it yourself, you might go, well what’s going on here.”

Nathan said he’s charge some women an extra 10-15 per cent. Picture: iStock

It comes after a TikTiok video of Sydney-based influencer and dietitian Alice Bleathman went viral after claiming she has to spend twice as much money than men to have her van fixed after trekking around Australia.

“I hate being a girl sometimes. I know that so many other women struggle with this,” she said in the video.

“I’ve had two men try to come and fix my van and do bits and pieces and charge and whatever, and it’s like they take you for a ride because you’re a female.

“Because I don’t know any different they just do such s*** job and then I have to go and pay another person and it’s so frustrating because you just feel like a f***ing idiot.”

The influencer is trying to get her van fixed after trekking around Australia. Picture: TikTok/@alicebleathman_

Alice Bleathman has claimed mechanics are charging women more than men. Picture: TikTok/@alicebleathman_

“I end up spending twice as much money because they don’t do a good job because they think I don’t know any better and it’s just like far out sometimes I wish I wasn’t a f***ing girl.”

Ms Bleathman added she’s “so sick of it because it happens all the time”.

Many women agreed with Mr Bleathman in the comemnts, sharing their own experiences of being overcharged.

“I’m single & have the same problem. Two plumbers came, quoted $3750 to fix a ‘major’ problem. Family friend’s mate is a plumber, he came checked it out, $375 to replace a faulty valve,” one person commented.

“This is so true … I have to get hubby to talk to them so they don’t rip me off,” another added.

“This happens to me all the time with my (car). It’s such a s***ty thing to experience. Head up chick x,” another said.

However others claimed this also happens to men.

“I am a man with enough mechanical experience and they treat me the same way hoping that I say nothing and just pay, they lie all the time,” one commented.

“It’s not just girls, it’s all trades taking advantage. Honest people are hard to find,” said another.

– With NCA NewsWire

Originally published as ‘Rip them off’: Aussie mechanic exposes the dirty industry secrets