owc6

I'm in agreement with not generally tipping someone who earns a living wage, so it never occurred to me to tip the mechanic.

In fact, it's just the opposite; a couple of months ago, Mr.owc6 and I were out to lunch, and the owner of the shop I have been taking my Corvettes to for over ten years bought us lunch. He was there with two of his mechanics.

defaria

You mean you didn't get a ticket for PUI!

JimNeedsC7

I no doubt should have.

I also should have had my driver's license revoked many, many years ago too, but thank god that has never happened.

neogenesis

Of course not. He, uh......"tipped" the officer (if you catch my drift )

cv67

Give him an 8 ball and tell him to hurry the fk up

Z06 1of38

I'm going to go watch the tipping scene from Reservoir Dogs now.

Language. NSFW

Kenny94945

Well, at a dealership?
How do you know who will be the mechanic on your car?

These days most mechanics are on flat rate, so cash is king, and if your tip is too bring out more quality work...that equals time. So what is an extra hour (or two) of flat rate pay in your area, $60, $100? Would that be the goal of tipping to give your repair special care over the flat rate "slam" repair?

In other words...I am rambling...I have no conclusion to the OP questions.
However, if the weather is hot, cold soft drinks always bring a smile to a crew and I would consider those drinks a tip and yes I would.

JerryU

My MO is to stand behind an open service bay door at the dealer or tire shop while they work on my car. Chat with the tech and reinforce I think a lot of my car as "I know he does!" I tip assuming they do a good job, which by me being there is usually the case. The amount will depend on the job.

Recently did just that at the dealership where I asked to have my camber adjusted to reduced negative camber from what typically comes with a Grand Sport. The car came with from -1.4 to -1.7 on the 4 wheels, within the wide GM spec on the high side. I requested (in a written doc I gave to the service writer who gave it to the mechanic,) -0.6 to -0.8 at the low end of the GM spec. The doc also showed the GM specs and range.

This was done on warranty at 400 miles. His only obligation was to put it on the machine and if all was in the Green say it's fine. (Actually one toe was out, which he also fixed and set all toes to centerline.) In fact he invited me into the bay to look at the numbers on the Hunter alignment machine as he made the adjustments!

Well deserved $20 tip! I do the same at the tire shop I use for the Vettes, and often a $10 tip. Never had a wheel marked!

Perf n Restore

My take and position on tipping.

I usually try to get a sense of the type of person I would tip. Would a tip make any difference in the service?
Bar tender, service personnel, etc.

If I feel it would then, I ALWAYS tip first. Tipping after the service is performed is generally to late to change whatever level of service they have provided.
Slipping the bartender a $20 before or when I order, is almost always a benefit to me .
The service tech who services my oil furnance always does a great, neat job when I tip him before the work starts.

So...if you give the GM tech a tip before he starts work I am sure he will pay attention to what he is doing.

Works for me....

rmorin1249

When I picked up my car after the TC and fuel sending unit replacement I gave the Service Manager a tin of 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies that my wife baked. I asked him to share them with everyone who helped fix my car and put it back together.

davepl

It's funny because I was watching a Grey's Anatomy rerun last night and the patient tried to tip the doctor $50.

That's kind of how I feel about tipping mechanics. I have no reservation in expressing my appreciation or buying a gift but cash just seems weird for a professional to me. Maybe it's different for guys mounting tires and so on but I figure the Corvette Tech at a GM dealer has made his way up the totem pole a little ways.

Grand Slam

After a local shop repaired my car (hit in parking lot, should have been easy repair but two other shops botched the job and my car was in the shop for 7 months for a one or two-week job) I asked to be able to attend their morning all-hands meeting. It was a really hot day. I couldn't bring beer so brought a case of soft drinks for the staff and told them how much I appreciated their quality work. I also wrote a letter to my insurance company telling them of my satisfaction with the shop.

After I got my car back I invited the shop owner to drive my car. We spent an hour or more driving through the local foothills. He enjoyed that a lot.

None of my actions were expensive or required much time but I know it was appreciated.

Footnote: I was hit 4 more times (apparently Magnetic Red Corvettes attract metal cars) over the years and always got great service from the shop.

dndrsn

Do you tip the trooper for doing his job when you get a speeding ticket?

GR Jay

I have been very well blessed so my wife and I usually tip pretty heavy at the restaurants we frequent, 25% to 30%. We give our garbage man and mail carrier $100 every Christmas as well. The service we receive is worth 10x what we pay. I have never considered tipping a mechanic but I have to say I have been pretty fortunate because I have not had to use a dealer for anything other than oil changes in 20 years.

village idiot

i thought I clicked "new thread"

defaria

What gets me are these semi-fast food places where you order but you end up bussing your own table. The people that work there really do nothing in the way of service to be judged above average or anything like that. They often put a tip jar out there... so I took it...

(actually a take off on a comedian's joke about tipping...)

Myfourth1

When I bring my GS in to have the brake pads replaced on Tuesday (Powerstop Ceramic z26) I asked the service advisor (who I've known for 10 years) if I slip the tech a $20 could he clean the barrels of my black wheels when he removes them to do the pads? His answer was "absolutely, no problem."

SSTG

It's partially because Service in most cases is so bad that when you find someone who actually does a good job you feel like they should be rewarded.

I am a Mechanic in the HVAC field and although I get offered a tip every so often I politely decline and ask them to help someone in need with it. I get paid very well for my profession and feel that's what I should do.

That being said, I have and will continue to tip other Service providers if I feel they did their job very well. You get better care by doing so in my experience.

Finally, the biggest "tip" I can ask for is when a customer requests me only for their needs with future calls. I make life long friends and its job security!

village idiot

Tipping culture is completely out of control.

davepl

You need to tip more so you don't GET the ticket