Going to the auto shop isn’t always a pleasant experience. It turns out, some mechanics have similarly negative feelings about the shop.

Many fear that they will be ripped off by their mechanic, or that they’ll try to upsell them instead of just fixing the problem.

Mechanics have their own frustrations with the profession—frustrations that go well beyond being perceived as potential swindlers.

One mechanic has sparked discussion by claiming that he’s given up his shop due to the issues that modern mechanics face. He’s convinced the industry is done for.

What’s Going On In The Auto Shop Industry?

In a video, TikTok creator JJ (@4seasonauto) says he recently gave up his auto repair shop.

For his first reason, he says that dealers “gatekeep” things, making it hard for “independent startup guys” to do their jobs.

“They have a monopoly,” he says. “They are literally the mafia.”

JJ isn’t alone in this complaint. In 2024, the Auto Care Association commissioned a survey of over 400 people working at independent auto repair shops. The survey found that 84% of respondents considered access to vehicle repair and maintenance data a top business issue, with 63% saying they had daily or weekly problems performing routine repairs due to access restrictions.

Not only that, but around half the respondents stated that they had to send as many as five vehicles per month to a dealership because they couldn’t get the necessary data.

Data restrictions are extremely costly for mechanics. The survey estimates that data restrictions cost independent shops $3.1 billion annually.

Exacerbating the issue, some cars require specialized tools that may be difficult for shops to acquire. The survey notes that 45% of respondents regularly encountered repairs that required tools they considered too expensive. These tools averaged upward of $2,400.

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How Do Customers Factor In?

Another issue JJ says is impacting the industry is customer expectations.

“Customers suck. Nobody wants to pay for [expletive] diag,” he says, referring to diagnostics. “It doesn't matter that you got $20,000 in [expletive] diag equipment back there. They don't want to pay for [expletive] diag.”

He further states that, when faced with the option of an expensive, quality part or a cheap, low quality part, they tend to choose the cheaper one.

“They don't know the difference, and if you try to explain to them the difference, guess what? You're scamming them. You're conning them. You're out to get them,” he fumes.

This sentiment is supported by surveys of other working professionals. According to a 2026 report, around half of shops say customers are delaying or declining work. About half the respondents further claimed that customers were more cautious about approving non-required work, and 54% said that fewer customers were coming in consistently for proactive maintenance.

When they do come in for routine maintenance, some customers complain about costs. A few may even bring in their own, lower-price part to install instead of the one recommended by the shop, which many professionals say is a bad idea.

Even though mechanics often have valid reasons for recommending more expensive parts, this can be difficult for customers to understand. Consequently, some may feel that they are being scammed. One study from ConsumerAffairs found that almost 80% of respondents said they did not always trust mechanics, with 9% claiming that they never trust mechanics. Only 17% believed that they were always charged fairly by mechanics.

Other Mechanics Agree

In the comments section, other people in the industry echoed JJ’s complaints. Others piled on with their own reasons for growing disillusioned by the profession.

“I woke up this morning with a customer who canceled a job when I already purchased the electric rack and pinion from the Subaru dealer. It is ridiculous,” wrote a user. “I’ve had my shop open since 2016 and it is extremely difficult.”

“I spent crazy amounts of money to begin my life as a Mac Tools dealer. Being told that I would have support through the system and ensure I knew how things worked. [Needless] to say I had not one ounce of support,” offered another.

“I’ve literally had a conversation yesterday, mechanics literally sell their soul when they become owners (co-owner here),” added a third. “It’s hard to be a good person and a mechanic.”

We’ve reached out to JJ via TikTok direct message and comment.

 

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