We live in a culture where some professions consider tipping to be a standard requirement for services rendered. So how about when you take your car for service or repair? Do you tip mechanics? There are no hard and fast rules to tipping an auto mechanic, but there are some things you should consider before forking out cash to your mechanic.
Do You Tip Mechanics?
On the plus side, mechanics do tend to help you determine a lot of things that you don’t know about your car, such as when to replace shocks.
A tip could get you preferential treatment if you frequent one particular auto repair shop. Naturally, this isn’t something that you should expect, but it is something that can potentially happen and make you glad you tipped.
Do you tip mechanics a large or small amount? If your mechanic has been working past his shift replacing your timing belt for hours and you hand over a $1 bill, don’t expect the mechanic to be too happy. On occasions like this, it’s better to hand over a $50 bill.
Never assume that whatever you are paying for your car is going directly to the one repairing it. Much of the money that you are forking over goes to the auto repair shop because they pay their mechanics an hourly or flat rate. Take that into consideration when you tip.
Ask before you tip. Sometimes, auto mechanics are not allowed to take tips, so ask the mechanic first if it’s okay to give a tip. An alternative may be to approach the manager of the auto repair shop and ask if the mechanics are allowed to take tips. This will save you the awkwardness of the mechanic having to refuse your money.
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