I do, every time. Depending on the scale of the job, I've tipped from $5 for oil changes, up to $40 yesterday for some significant front end work on my son's fiancee's car. Her front winter tires developed a slow leak, and I practically cut my fingers on the exposed cords on the inside treads of her tires. So, I took it to my mechanic for a pair of new winter tires (rears are good), and an alignment. Turns out she needed outer tie rod ends as well. Total bill was $607, which my son paid, and I slipped my guy a couple crisp twenties. I don't think many people do this, and that's a shame.
Been doing this shit for 35 years and do good work, been tipped maybe 3 times.
Dealer mechanics tips go to the service advisor. Customers rarely see us.
Do you deal with a private garage or dealership? Dealers don't let you even see the mechanic now.
When we lived near Port Perry, I had a great mechanic. We used to chat about cars when he was servicing my car. Never really thought about tipping him. Wished that I had.
Friend of mine Rick is the service manager at the Trenton Canadian Tire. I also know the mechanics Dale and John. John did the work yesterday. Because it involved new tires and CT had a Black Friday sale on, that's where I went. I gave the money to Rick who made sure John got it. The other mechanic Dale is my main go to guy, and he left CT some years ago and is now the lead mechanic at Fast Freddie's (private garage) where I take all my own work. I know how mechanics get paid, and how they sometimes get stiffed. It's one place I always tip.
Quote from: shp4man on November 30, 2020, 08:29:35 AM
Been doing this shit for 35 years and do good work, been tipped maybe 3 times.
Dealer mechanics tips go to the service advisor. Customers rarely see us.
I never tip without making sure the mechanic gets it. Upsetting to hear it's so rare.
I've been tipped many times. Sometimes it's ridiculous, like $2, but I've gotten a $50 before.
Quote from: shp4man on November 30, 2020, 08:29:35 AM
Been doing this shit for 35 years and do good work, been tipped maybe 3 times.
Dealer mechanics tips go to the service advisor. Customers rarely see us.
Dealers suck for that brick wall between customer and mechanic. At my shop, I will talk to customers and show them what I'm doing to their cars.
When I had the Audi V8 Quattro :wub:, I took it to a really small (basically 2 guys) VW/Audi shop to have the timing belt done. I tipped the guy an extra $300.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on November 30, 2020, 10:20:18 AM
Dealers suck for that brick wall between customer and mechanic. At my shop, I will talk to customers and show them what I'm doing to their cats.
I hope it's nothing painful :frown:.
Quote from: FoMoJo on November 30, 2020, 10:31:27 AM
I hope it's nothing painful :frown:.
Nothing unusual. Just cat stuff. :lol:
I'm sorry guys and particularly it seems from this thread that a lot of mechanics get screwed in not getting the money they deserve but I don't tip anyone at any place I get my car serviced with the exception of a car wash where I'll tip the guys generally $5.
I feel car servicing/repair is pretty pricey as it is. I don't tip contractors who come to my house like electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, etc. I don't tip my landscaper. I don't tip delivery guys unless it's for take out food. I don't tip my dentist, doctor, or the technicians and nurses who work there. I do tip my barber. The worst is the payment iPad screens asking for tips for people who prepare my food (like at Dominos or Panera Bread, but actually almost everywhere now) but don't actually wait on the table. This is a new squeezing of the customers that started a few years ago. I never tip those. At a food truck run by college aged kids in Cape Cod, there was a baked in tip on the tacos I ordered. The price was a dollar more than the price advertised so I questioned it. When they told me about the tip I said I didn't want to tip for a take out order from a food truck so I took a can of soda and told them I'm going to take this. And the kid said OK.
My dad was a mechanic and his best friend owned the shop, so I spent time there all the time growing up. I never heard of a mechanic getting a tip. :huh:
Quote from: SJ_GTI on December 02, 2020, 06:56:45 AM
My dad was a mechanic and his best friend owned the shop, so I spent time there all the time growing up. I never heard of a mechanic getting a tip. :huh:
Mechanics often get a bad rap. Maybe not so much now, but they used to get accused of fixing stuff that didn't need to be fixed or breaking stuff so that they could charge more to fit it. Good mechanics were like gold.
Quote from: veeman on December 01, 2020, 08:21:05 AM
I’m sorry guys and particularly it seems from this thread that a lot of mechanics get screwed in not getting the money they deserve but I don’t tip anyone at any place I get my car serviced with the exception of a car wash where I’ll tip the guys generally $5.
I feel car servicing/repair is pretty pricey as it is. I don’t tip contractors who come to my house like electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, etc. I don’t tip my landscaper. I don’t tip delivery guys unless it’s for take out food. I don’t tip my dentist, doctor, or the technicians and nurses who work there. I do tip my barber. The worst is the payment iPad screens asking for tips for people who prepare my food (like at Dominos or Panera Bread, but actually almost everywhere now) but don’t actually wait on the table. This is a new squeezing of the customers that started a few years ago. I never tip those. At a food truck run by college aged kids in Cape Cod, there was a baked in tip on the tacos I ordered. The price was a dollar more than the price advertised so I questioned it. When they told me about the tip I said I didn’t want to tip for a take out order from a food truck so I took a can of soda and told them I’m going to take this. And the kid said OK.
I get where you're coming from. I refuse to tip places that tries to force it on me, and I even get vocal about it sometimes. I only tip where I consciously feel they deserve one. Proper service in a sit down restaurant, a massage or similar service (I haven't used a barber in 10 years; shave my own), young guys delivering my new sofa or large appliance and setting it up, and my mechanic. I gauge if a tip will help the person, and genuinely reward him/her for a job well done. I think about that young person getting home, and telling his/her partner that they earned a nice tip that day. For me it's kind of not forgetting where I came from.
I reluctantly accept tips because I feel like the customers pay enough already, however, I don't always feel that I get paid enough for my attention to detail.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on December 03, 2020, 08:14:37 AM
I reluctantly accept tips because I feel like the customers pay enough already, however, I don't always feel that I get paid enough for my attention to detail.
People tip because they want to. You deserve it.
Quote from: Rockraven on December 03, 2020, 07:25:26 AM
I get where you're coming from. I refuse to tip places that tries to force it on me, and I even get vocal about it sometimes. I only tip where I consciously feel they deserve one. Proper service in a sit down restaurant, a massage or similar service (I haven't used a barber in 10 years; shave my own), young guys delivering my new sofa or large appliance and setting it up, and my mechanic. I gauge if a tip will help the person, and genuinely reward him/her for a job well done. I think about that young person getting home, and telling his/her partner that they earned a nice tip that day. For me it's kind of not forgetting where I came from.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on December 03, 2020, 08:14:37 AM
I reluctantly accept tips because I feel like the customers pay enough already, however, I don't always feel that I get paid enough for my attention to detail.
Thanks for not ragging on me :lol: I was just saying what I feel. From my travels (and I haven't traveled that much) I think Americans/Canadians tip a lot more than they do in other countries. The now 20% tip they expect at restaurants (it used to be 15% I think a few decades ago) is very high. When I've tipped housekeeping in foreign countries they are very grateful. I don't think they usually get a tip. I've also always tipped tour guides pretty well in foreign countries because I know they're underpaid.
There's this independent local shop I've been taking my Infiniti QX56 to since it's now out of extended warranty and I no longer take it to the dealer I bought it from. This independent shop has been pretty good to me, not charging me for diagnostics in the past on some of my other cars, and following up with me by text (not annoying phone call) a few months after service to see if I'm having any problems. At my next service, maybe I'll tip the guy.
Quote from: veeman on December 03, 2020, 08:57:28 AM
Thanks for not ragging on me :lol: I was just saying what I feel. From my travels (and I haven't traveled that much) I think Americans/Canadians tip a lot more than they do in other countries. The now 20% tip they expect at restaurants (it used to be 15% I think a few decades ago) is very high. When I've tipped housekeeping in foreign countries they are very grateful. I don't think they usually get a tip. I've also always tipped tour guides pretty well in foreign countries because I know they're underpaid.
There's this independent local shop I've been taking my Infiniti QX56 to since it's now out of extended warranty and I no longer take it to the dealer I bought it from. This independent shop has been pretty good to me, not charging me for diagnostics in the past on some of my other cars, and following up with me by text (not annoying phone call) a few months after service to see if I'm having any problems. At my next service, maybe I'll tip the guy.
I guarantee you he won't forget it, and he'll go above and beyond for you. Shows him you appreciate what he's done so far as well (not charging for diagnostics).
I sometimes tip my flip guy because he does things so cheaply, but I also know that 100% of what I pay goes right to him
Just got tipped a $10 Hardee's gift card :praise: