My car's busted beyond all repair, but the mechanic found me a fantastic price for it - should I tip the mechanic?
April 6, 2012 10:37 AM   Subscribe

My car's busted beyond all repair. Can't drive it off the mechanic's lot. But the mechanic found me a buyer who has offered me a fantastic price for it - should I tip the mechanic for finding the buyer?

Our 1998 Mazda Protege has finally given up the ghost at 150K hard-fought miles. It is sitting on the mechanic's lot. It is not driveable without extensive repairs.

We are buying a new car this weekend. The dealer offered us a few hundred dollars for the Protege, and offer to have it towed from the mechanic's lot as well. I thought that sounded like a great deal.

When I contacted the mechanic and explained that the dealership was going to tow the car from the mechanic's lot, the mechanic asked me if he could solicit some bids for the car. I said yes. Later, the mechanic called back and told me he could get at least 700 for the vehicle from a scrap-metal dealer.

So I cancelled the dealership's tow and went with the mechanic's buyer.

My question is: should I tip the mechanic for finding the buyer? The mechanic is calling around getting me different offers...for all I know he could have an $800 offer by now. It definitely seems like the fair thing to do. What is customary?
posted by halfguard to Travel & Transportation (18 answers total)
 
Personally, I'd throw the guy 10% of whatever you got for the car just as a thank you.
posted by DWRoelands at 10:38 AM on April 6, 2012 [8 favorites]


Agreed.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:38 AM on April 6, 2012


You could, but I would bring him all of my business in the future and pay promptly. That's worth more to him.
posted by Mercaptan at 10:39 AM on April 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


Best answer: That's the kind of mechanic I'd definitely tip (10 - 15 % is my norm), plus I'd spread that mechanic's name around to my friends, and ask them to mention to the mechanic who referred them.
posted by shamash at 10:40 AM on April 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


10% seems fair to me. Plus, if he is a good mechanic he might cut you a deal on repairs in the future.
posted by zzazazz at 10:41 AM on April 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I wouldn't be surprised if he might be getting a finder's fee from the scrap yard, but he still just, at least, doubled your money. I'd say a cut would be a reasonable thank you.
posted by vohk at 10:44 AM on April 6, 2012 [4 favorites]


Yeah, I'd throw him something.
posted by spaltavian at 10:44 AM on April 6, 2012


Signs point to yes!
posted by thelonius at 10:48 AM on April 6, 2012


Best answer: I'm pretty sure that if he suggested the idea and went through the trouble of soliciting bids, he's getting paid for this. Small business owners don't tend to have the time for that sort of thing out of the goodness of their hearts (no matter how good said hearts are!) You should still tip him, however.
posted by griphus at 10:52 AM on April 6, 2012


the mechanic asked me if he could solicit some bids for the car.

He's not doing you any favor. A simple "thanks dude" will suffice.
posted by three blind mice at 11:06 AM on April 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


When you bring him business in the future, he will remember that you tipped him.

I'd do $50 and a case of beer.
posted by I am the Walrus at 11:07 AM on April 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


Best answer: And for future reference, don't sell cars to a dealer. They have little incentive to provide you with a decent deal - if they pretend to offer you a good deal, it's by increasing the cost of the car you're about to buy. There's nothing stopping you from doing what the mechanic did for you in the future. Scrap yards can be surprisingly generous with cars that are in demand - I had a 1997 GMC Jimmy with a shot transmission that I got $350 for; the yard said that with the transmission, it would have been $600 - $700.
posted by saeculorum at 11:41 AM on April 6, 2012


He may be getting money out of it or he may simply be connecting two people - a scrap/junk yard and a customer - who he does business with in order to build better relationship with both. Or maybe he's getting it in trade for used parts or a discount on future purchases or...

I vote "who cares?" You've gotten $600 you weren't going to get otherwise. Why would you begrudge 15% of found money because someone may already benefited?

Mind you, I am one of those people who doesn't believe that I am morally obligated to tip solely because people are paid poorly. So not worrying about what his arrangement is with others is consistent with my beliefs. Maybe it's not with yours. You could just ask him if he got a finder's fee and tip based on that.
posted by phearlez at 11:46 AM on April 6, 2012


Best answer: 10% is pretty normal for finder's fee/comission.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:52 AM on April 6, 2012


the mechanic asked me if he could solicit some bids for the car.

He's not doing you any favor. A simple "thanks dude" will suffice.


A few hundred dollars extra counts as "a favor" to me.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:53 AM on April 6, 2012


Just call some scrap yards and see if he's really paying the way to a great deal or if it's obvious he already took a cut out. Out just ask him.

Personally I'd save the hassle and trouble and trust him at his word. If he is taking a cut, thank him and move on. If he isn't taking a cut, tip him and buy him a case of his fav beer.

Honestly if you can't take your mechanic at his/her word then what were you thinking in using them as Your Mechanic?
posted by RolandOfEld at 12:20 PM on April 6, 2012


There's no downside to tipping someone who provided you with extra service. Even if he gets a cut from the scrap dealer, he benefited you. If you are awkward about cash, a gift cert/card to the nearby coffee or sandwich place will be appreciated. And send a thank you card he can put on the bulletin board so others will see it.
posted by theora55 at 2:14 PM on April 6, 2012


$50 and a glowing yelp review.
posted by MichelleinMD at 9:03 AM on April 9, 2012


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