Should You Be Tipping Your Mechanic? It's Time To Settle The Argument Once And For All

The tipping culture in the United States can be a difficult to understand for some. Tipping too much, or tipping too little, can send the wrong message across, and, as a result, many people do stress about it, and can find it quite anxiety inducing. Generally, though, we all accept when and why we should be tipping. For example, in restaurants, at bars, and even when in taxis, it's largely presumed that tipping is expected, especially in return for exemplary service. Many workers, such as waiters and bar staff, rely on tips to supplement their income, and so a generous tip goes a long way, and is the perfect way to show your thanks for their service.

Mechanics, however, do not rely upon tipping to supplement their income as a general rule, but yet they do work in the service industry. Be it changing your oil and filter, repairing costly and common transmission faults, or diagnosing an annoying problem — mechanics are providing a service for us, and yet the matter of whether we should, or should not, be tipping them is quite controversial. Some believe that yes, mechanics certainly do deserve to sit upon our to-tip-list, whereas others have simply never even considered dropping their local garage some extra notes in exchange for a job well done. Ultimately, the decision comes down to the individual, but let's explore the various arguments for whether we should be tipping our mechanics or not.

Some would argue that tipping a mechanic is expected in certain circumstances. One example would be if they are working through the holidays, or perhaps they have stayed open late or opened up early to fit you in. Under these circumstances, they are clearly going the extra mile to deliver a service for you, and therefore deserve a little extra compensation as a measure of your thanks and gratitude.

In addition, it could be argued that mechanics that have built a solid relationship with you and your vehicle deserve to be given tips. These mechanics have clearly done something right in order to build up an exceptional service-based relationship with yourself, and therefore a little extra compensation is justified. Finally, tipping after a long and complicated job, such as replacing your transmission, or something equally laborious and complex, is a great way of recognizing their skills. 

It's also a way to thank them for completing a job that may have baffled and confused less experienced mechanics. In all of the above instances, it's easy to see why someone may feel compelled to offer their mechanic a tip. However, is this expected, and is it really the best way for you to show your gratitude?

The question we asked was whether or not you should tip your mechanic, not whether you could or not. While the above scenarios may leave you feeling like showing your thanks with a tip, it's important to recognize that you shouldn't feel compelled or expected to do so. The simple reasoning for this is because mechanics work out their bill based on the price of parts and amount of labor required to complete a job. So, regardless of how long or technical the job is, they're already being paid adequately for it. They should also be able to provide a quote beforehand, so you'll always know how much it'll cost to repair your car.

It's also worth remembering why you're tipping in the first place. It isn't simply to hand over money, it's meant as a way of expressing gratitude for delivering solid service. There are better ways to do this within the automotive industry — an industry that suffers from a lot of mis-trust, due to the fact many people being ripped off by mechanics. Recommending friends and family their way, or leaving a glowing review online, is a better way of showing your gratitude. These acts of kindness should enable more local folk to trust and use them, therefore providing the mechanic with deserved, long-term success, which is surely better than a one-time $20 bill.