So, you took your used car to the garage, dropped a fat stack of cash on repairs and the damn thing is still broken! The mechanic swears “we did nothing wrong” and he will either blame another part to be the culprit, or he will simply refuse to work on the car any longer. Rinse and repeat. Sounds familiar? Welcome to the Never-Ending Vicious Cycle of Auto Repairs.
Back in the Good Old Days…
Once upon a time, when roads were ruled by relatively simple cars, mechanics could diagnose problems faster—sometimes even while being drunk, hungover, or hell, half-asleep. Back then, cars weren’t packed with sensors, computers, and miles of wiring, so troubleshooting usually boiled down to basic mechanical logic. Parts were also simple and cheap, so nobody lost their mind if a mechanic replaced three different things before finally getting it right.
If your car wasn’t running properly, the mechanic might have first swapped the spark plugs—no luck. Then the wires—still no luck. And finally, on the third attempt, they replaced the distributor cap. Boom, problem solved! No one complained because all those parts were cheap, and even the wrong guesses didn’t break the bank.
Today? Welcome to the Jungle!
But fast forward to today, many of the cars are complex. Really COMPLEX. They have many different parts and systems which can have these famous 3 word shortcuts like: ABS, ACC, ESP, ECU, TCS, BMS, EPS, MAF, EVP, EGR, DPF, SCR, VVT, DCT, CVT, TPMS. No, these are not made up, all of these things mean something. But there are also other things like the more complex direct fuel injection, electronically controlled turbochargers, variable intake manifold, countless sensors, countless electronic modules, computers, cameras and the never ending wiring of course. To top of that, the premium more expensive cars can have additional gimmicks like adaptive suspension, adaptive air suspension, hydraulic suspension, adaptive steering, all-wheel steering or active sway bars. But that’s not all, because the newest cars can have some systems in pairs, so you can find cars with two EGRs (or two EGR circuits), two (or even four!) catalytic converters, two DPFs, or even a cooling system with 2 or 3 water pumps.
Also, lets not forget about hybrids. Of course, the hybrids from Toyota are famously reliable and maybe even not that complex. But the hybrids from the other, for example German car manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) can be just too complex, adding additional complexity to the already complex engines!
repairs can cost as much as the actual current value of the used car
So yeah, shit can be complex. That’s why the more expensive repairs can cost as much as the actual current value of the car and plenty of the mechanics are playing expensive guesswork instead of actually fixing anything.
Examples of issues and complexity
Cars can have a wide range of problems. Some are easy to diagnose and fix, while others can take much longer. Naturally, the more complex the car, the more things that can go wrong—and the harder it can be to track down the issue. So, let’s take a quick look at four classic problem scenarios:
1. Scenario: car has no power
Losing power or experiencing reduced performance is frustrating, to say the least. In many cases, the car will also go into “limp mode,” and fault codes will be stored in the system. The cause can be something simple and relatively inexpensive, such as: a faulty or clogged sensor, not properly plugged connector/eventually broken wires, boost leak or vacuum leak. However, it can also be caused by more serious (and expensive) problems like:
- faulty turbocharger
- faulty injectors
- faulty fuel pump
- clogged DPF, clogged catalytic converter
- faulty ECU
- faulty VVTi system
2. Scenario: the car won’t start
A no start scenario is a common phenomenon as well. Apart from the obvious things like the dead battery, or a dead starter motor, it can be also caused by:
- clogged fuel filter or failing fuel pump
- fuel pump relay
- crank position sensor
- injectors
- completely clogged DPF
- ECU
- faulty ignition switch
- broken or corroded wires
- electronic steering lock
- a problem with the immobilizer or key fob
- various aftermarket car alarm systems
And in the worst-case scenario, the problem could be truly catastrophic:
- A seized engine
- A broken timing belt or timing chain (which can cause major internal damage)
If your car refuses to start, always begin with the basics—checking the battery, connections, and fuel supply. If those are fine, it’s time to dig deeper (or tow it to a pro before making things worse!).
3. Scenario: car has air suspension problems
Owners of used cars with air suspension are likely familiar with the dreaded sight of their vehicle leaning to one side. In some cases, it might even sit so low it looks like an unintended lowrider—undrivable, but hey, at least it has style!
Some cars come with air suspension only on the rear axle, while others have it on both axles, which, unsurprisingly, makes them more expensive to maintain. And when the system starts failing, your wallet might start feeling just as deflated as those airbags.
Diagnosing air suspension issues is a whole different ball game, since it requires a solid understanding of how the system works. Many general repair shops prefer to steer clear of it altogether, which is why some garages specialize exclusively in air suspension repairs—and nothing else!
In general, air suspension systems tend to develop leaks over time. The usual suspects are the air struts, but rubber O-rings, fittings, or air lines can also be the culprits. The air compressor wears out eventually, and let’s not forget the height sensors, which can either seize up or break internally.
And just to make things even more exciting, there’s a valve block that can leak or fail, plus an ECU managing the entire circus—because, of course, a complex system like this wouldn’t be complete without a finicky control unit to add to the headache.
4. Scenario: car has vibrations
One of the most frustrating and notoriously difficult issues to diagnose is vibrations. With so many potential culprits, tracking down the exact cause can turn into a costly game of trial and error. Vibrations can happen at idle or while driving, and each scenario has its own set of likely troublemakers.
Common Causes of Vibrations at Idle:
- Engine misfire
- Worn or cheap aftermarket engine mounts
- Worn dual-mass flywheel
- Failing torque converter
- Internal gearbox issues
- Sometimes even the driveshafts can be responsible
Common Causes of Vibrations While Driving:
- Bent or damaged wheels
- Old/damaged tires
- Unbalanced wheels
- Corrosion on the mating surface between the wheel and brake rotor
- Corrosion on the mating surface between the brake rotor and wheel hub
- Warped brake rotors
- Uneven brake pad deposits on the rotors
- Faulty driveshafts or prop shaft
- Worn suspension bushings
- Failing wheel bearings
- Out-of-balance or worn CV joints
- Loose or damaged subframe mounts
- Engine misfire under load
- Differential issues (worn gears or bearings)
- Incorrectly torqued wheels or lug nuts
- Faulty power steering system (if vibrations happen during turns)
Vibrations can make a car feel like it’s shaking itself apart, and diagnosing them can be a long and frustrating process. Sometimes it’s a simple fix, like balancing the wheels, and other times it’s a deep rabbit hole of expensive repairs.
Congratulations, you just paid for a still broken car!
Nowadays, if your 10-15 years old common rail diesel engine car needs new injectors, a turbo, a dual mass flywheel and a DPF filter at the same time then congratulations! If you replace all of this shit with good quality parts (including labour cost) then you’ve just spent the car’s entire market value more or less (can be a bit less)! But does that increase its worth? Hell no. Used car prices don’t give a damn about how much you’ve dumped into your ride. If it’s priced above market value, it’ll just sit in a lot collecting dust. That 4-5k you spent last year? Nobody cares.
The Classic Excuse: “But it was also Worn Out!”
Shops love dodging responsibility by twisting the repair order. You say, “My car loses power.” They say, “Sounds like the turbo!” You agree, they replace the turbo, and when it doesn’t fix the problem, they hit you with: “Well, the turbo was worn out anyway!” And now you’re just poorer and still pissed off.
Anything on a used car with 150 000 – 200 000 km can be labeled as “worn out.” Sure, that turbo might have lasted another five years, but put it under a microscope, and boom—it’s not up to spec anymore. Shops use this excuse to justify every unnecessary replacement. The real scam? You pay, but your car still doesn’t work. Here’s where things get really fun. Every damn part on a car with 150,000 – 200 000 km is technically worn, but it could still have years of life left. However, the moment it lands in a specialist’s hands or gets tested, it suddenly “doesn’t meet the specs,” and boom—another expensive repair.
If an injector has done over 200,000 km and you put it on a testing bench, it most probably is not gonna pass. But was it the actual problem? Maybe, maybe not. The repair shop doesn’t care. They replace the whole damn set and guess what? Your car is still running like crap.
Find a Brand Specialist
If you have a slightly more complex car then don’t just take it to any random mechanic. Find a shop that has seen your car model so many times that they could fix it blindfolded. Big-name, brand-authorized dealer repair centers? Yeah, they exist, but good luck getting their attention unless you’re willing to wait six months or sell a kidney to pay for the repair. They’re too busy dealing with warranty work, recalls, and whatever else keeps them from actually fixing real problems.
Now, independent specialists are the golden ticket—but be careful, because any idiot can slap the word “specialist” on a website and charge you a fortune to poke around cluelessly. Googling “BMW specialist” won’t cut it. Instead, hit up car forums where real owners spill the truth. If a bunch of people swear by a certain shop, chances are they won’t screw you over. And honestly, with the way cars are mass-produced these days, whatever weird issue your car has—someone else has already suffered through it. Hell, the fix might be as stupidly simple as jiggling a damn connector and hitting it with some contact cleaner.
How to not get screwed (minimize the chance)
- Have the work order written correctly
- Instead of “Replace turbo,” demand “Fix power loss issue.” Now, if they screw up, it should be their problem, not yours.
- Get a Proper Diagnosis
- Plugging in a scanner and reading error codes isn’t real diagnostics. A good mechanic will actually test things first, not just replace random parts.
- Find a Specialist
- Don’t just pick any shop—find one that actually knows your car inside and out. A general mechanic will a lot of time throw darts at the wall; a specialist will hit the bullseye.
- Demand Accountability
- In an ideal World, if the repair doesn’t fix the issue you should have legal grounds for a refund or a proper fix. However this doesn’t always work and if they wrote up the job as “Replace turbo” instead of “Fix the issue” then it defintely won’t work.
Final reality check
Believe it or not, even the best garages and mechanics can make mistakes sometimes. After a complex repair like replacing a timing chain, it’s entirely possible that they forget to plug in a connector properly, or some random brittle plastic pipe decides to break after a couple of days they finished the job. In cases like these, don’t be too quick to grab your pitchfork—mechanics are humans, not robots (although some probably wish they were). Small mistakes happen, and old plastic parts turning to dust with age is just part of the deal.
The real test of a good shop is whether they own up to their mistakes and fix them for free (in case of old plastic parts you can’t expect a free fix obviously). If they do, cut them some slack—getting angry over honest human error won’t make your car run any better.
Unfortunately, not all shops operate with integrity. Some don’t want your business—they just want your money. These are the ones that slap in cheap, or badly refurbished parts they can find and employ mechanics who probably shouldn’t be trusted with a lawnmower, let alone a car.
Truly skilled mechanics are rare. Honest shops are even rarer. But if you follow one golden rule—make them own the repair, not just mindlessly replace parts—you might just escape the endless cycle of frustration, broken promises, and the slow but steady draining of your bank account.
