A mechanic's job is to inspect your car for maintenance or repairs when you visit or make an appointment with an auto repair shop. When you receive a satisfactory service, isn’t showing your appreciation through a gratuity tip just feels like the right thing to do? Learn more about the considerations to be taken into account and the proper tipping mechanics etiquette in this article.
In the repair and installation industry, people usually give an average tip of $10 on a daily basis, which could increase between $15 and $40 during the holidays. A generous tip for the mechanic would be 10% of the total bill, while a moderate tip would be 5%.
Before we discuss the nitty gritty details, a summary table of tipping mechanics will serve as your guide which you can use the next time you set an appointment in an auto repair shop:
| Ways of tipping | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| During the holidays | $15.00 | $40.00 |
| Per total bill | $5.00 | $10.00 |
Another example is that for most customers, when the bill is less than $500 in total, they usually give between $10 and $20, while when the bill is more than $500, they give at least $50. Needless to say, customers are not required to tip and are only encouraged to give within their budget and what feels right for them.
Customers hire mechanics for a variety of reasons. To make sure you go to a competent mechanic to solve the problem, you often need to make sure you discuss your concerns upfront or have your initial automobile or truck inspection. Automotive issues are known to be determined not only through surface checking. That being the case, mechanics may need to possess varying degrees of industry knowledge and skill to deliver. An initial consultation is a smart move to prevent tripling the cost of your problem.
When you have already hired the right mechanic for the job, here are a few factors to consider in calculating how much is the appropriate tipping:
Professional mechanics have different areas of expertise and most of them are recognized according to their years of service and their certifications. Most shops adhere to hiring only Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified mechanics. Therefore, you can expect a supplemental service. In any case that you hire someone who’s not, make sure to ask about their history and be upfront about your expectations as long as they are able to examine and design a plan of action for your concerns.
To fix an automobile, your mechanic may have to do some side-repairs. The difficulty in assessing, examining, and choosing the right plan of action requires a keen attention to detail and laborious work. Especially during a holiday or busy season, they may have more clients than usual since most maintenance check-ups happen at the end and start of the year.
Anyone should not feel pressured to tip. Unlike workers like bartenders and delivery drivers, mechanics are paid above the minimum wage, and it is seldom that they take an hourly rate. Most customers would say, "If you are able to purchase a car and have a budget to have it fixed, giving a tip would not be an issue." It would cost more to not have your concerns solved on your initial visit.
Mechanics are not only known to keep repair and maintenance records, but they also keep track of the inventory. They order and buy parts when it is requisite. Part of their expertise also includes knowing which parts are right for your automobile and which can align with your budget. It may take more work to look for the available parts, which can cost them more time and energy.
If you want to build a long-term relationship with the auto repair shop or mechanic, generous tipping is a must. A generous tip will motivate the mechanic to remember you the next time you set an appointment. Plus, having a great relationship or even being friends with them may lead to them being favored to work for you outside their working hours.
A mechanic's interpersonal skills are essential in meeting with clients to communicate and understand their issues well. If your mechanic has been accommodating to you all throughout the service, then it would also be a good gesture to show appreciation by tipping.
There are additional ways to express your gratitude to your mechanic. In addition to a monetary tip, a small kindness or a small token that they can bring to their family will be greatly treasured.
Here are a few examples that require little to no effort to help or show appreciation:
When the mechanic is on his or her way to deliver your truck or automobile, make sure you have prepared a space for them to park and a designated room for your car or truck. It would be much appreciated if you could clear the obstacles to have a smooth delivery.
Nothing is better than gaining a regular customer and a new customer. Aside from knowing that you were satisfied with the service that they provided, they are also more than willing to be of service to another customer in need.
If you found your auto repair shop or mechanic from a website or a social media page, make sure to take a minute or two to write a detailed review. If you can, you can also mention the name of the mechanic. People are more inclined to believe a realistic and thoughtful story, so a picture of "before and after" would make an excellent review.
Most of the time, the best way to help and show appreciation to a mechanic is to avoid adding extra tasks that are outside the scope of their job. Make it so that their only goal is to complete and focus on their job as quickly as possible, which is why you must prepare for the materials that they will require and be responsive, especially when they are looking for new automobile parts to purchase. This way, you can save them their time so they can also attend to their other clients.
Basically, being able to maneuver an emergency fix on a good day is very essential to having a safe trip or keeping your car or truck in good condition. In every instance in the repair and installation industry, we all need the attendance of a skillful and righteous mechanic. The labor, time, and expertise required to assess and give rise to a plan of action to solve our issues are intricate. When tipping your mechanic, it is advised that you do so in a way that it will not be wrongly interpreted and if you feel they genuinely deserve the tip, insist on giving it. If possible, you can intentionally give it when the manager is present so he/she will be recognized for the hard work.