A mechanic warned customers about getting tricked into buying new air filters by showing them how auto shop workers can pull a fast one.
Mechanic Valeriy Seredich (@valera12345og) often posts helpful tips for car owners on his TikTok account. In a recent post, Seredich shows a simple upselling trick mechanics use. It involves the car’s cabin air filter.
Seredich acts out a scenario in his video, playing the part of the mechanic. At first, he removes the cabin air filter from the inside of the car.
The video then cuts to him holding the air filter over a garbage can. He showers it with trash, including debris and an empty can of Red Bull.
Then it cuts to the mechanic holding up the purposefully dirtied air filter.
“I’ll show you your cabin air filter. It looks like it needs to be replaced,” he says to an imaginary customer.
How to avoid the air filter upsell
It can be hard to find a trustworthy mechanic, as Seredich suggests. In fact, another mechanic also sounded the alarm after he found a piece of paper under a cabin air filter.
The paper was blocking the airflow and could have caused major damage. The mechanic claimed another auto shop put the paper there as revenge after the customer said they didn’t want a new filter.
If you’re in the market for a good mechanic, AARP advises sourcing them through family and friends. For further protection, it also suggests finding a mechanic who is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
The dirty filter trick is a common one
Seredich’s video received almost 75,000 views. Users who work in auto shops claimed that the TikToker’s ploy was a trick in widespread use.
“Worked with a technician that saved a dirty cabin filter with leaves in it and he would just show that to every customer claiming it’s theirs,” claimed one person.
“Worked at a shop the manager would rub the air filters in dirt, I quit right after I saw that,” said another.
@valera12345og How to upsell #mechanic #automotive #how #to ♬ original sound – valera12345
Customers also seemed aware of the tactic. Many said they avoided the drama by simply changing out their own air filters.
“My husband can do it,” said one.
“Bro they recommended replacing my ‘dirty’ cabin filter literally 2 days after I replaced it with video proof on TikTok,” claimed another.
However, some mechanics argued that customers refuse to change their air filters no matter what condition they are in.
“Nah I’ve seen whole rats nests on them and they still refuse a replacement,” said one.
One car owner also agreed with this assessment.
They recalled, “I remember when I was desperately broke I turned down a cabin filter even though it was gross and the tech went, ‘Bro there’s a fucking French fry in your shit.’”
The Daily Dot reached out to Seredich via Instagram direct message for further comment.
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