Cusser
+1y
Yep.
I remember my sister 30 years ago bought a Datsun truck used, I recommended that she take it to an import shop to have all the fluids changed. The shop called me, said the clutch was so ready to go that they were reluctant to even remove a leaky slave cylinder on it to fix that, said they were afraid they wouldn't be able to mount a new one on. Since the previous owner actually worked as a salesman at a local import dealer, he had told me that "his" shop had recently installed a new clutch PP/disc/bearing/etc. So I told the shop to "do nothing". I called the seller back, he confirmed the new clutch, said he even saw the truck on the lift with transmission out on his lunch hour.
Anyway, I took a look (no repair manual, etc.) I unbolted the clutch slave, it actually looked OK, the fluid leak was from the clutch master and had worked its way down the outside of the lines. I got a new clutch master or repair kit, fixed that.
Sister had the truck another decade, never once had an issue shifting, clutch slipping, clutch hydraulics, etc. So that ranks as the one of the three times a woman in my family was the target of a mechanic rip-off that I can officially confirm.
By the way, the others were my mom with a recall on her 10-year old Cadillac, dealer told her the heater core was leaking, $2500 fix. I asked her how big was the puddle in the garage, she didn't have any leakage and wasn't low on coolant. I told her to take it to mechanic I use (like once a year, but I've sent a bunch of new business to him), he tightened a hose clamp, and no charge.
The third was Mrs. Cusser took her "new to her" 1988 Suburban in for an ATF change at a transmission shop in 1995, as I'd never seen automatic before. Shop claimed the fluid was so black and bad that they couldn't do a change, all they could do would be to rebuild (actually disassemble and check for $150, and if you refuse a rebuild you get a box of parts) or put back the old fluid (like how do they retrieve that from R2D2 ?). I went there, they showed me pan shavings 9didn't look bad to me), I told them just to button it up. Anyway, after driving 50 more miles that day, I went to check her ATF level, found that the fluid was pink like it should be, so I called transmission shop to inquire how black fluid could become pink. They said they'd call me back to discuss, and it's been 21 years now, so I doubt that they'll call.....anyway, I did the ATF and filter change myself that they were afraid to do....was fine...