A mechanic in Texas turned heads with his observations about how dramatically prices have gone up in the past year.
TikToker @skylr.m from San Antonio, Texas, admitted that he doesn't know anything "about politics" but felt the price jumps he's been witnessing in real time are "pretty crazy."
In a viral video, the mechanic starts off in the back of the shop, offering a sneak peak into some of the spare items stored back there. There's a billboard with prices on it that had been flipped inside-out to reuse. On the underside, the price for an original change just a year ago was $39.95.
The board had then been flipped to the other side so new price of $59.95 could be displayed instead.
Then that billboard was abandoned in the back room and replaced with a new one, because the price had been increased again to $69.95.
Then, just a week after taking those video clips, the TikToker received a mailer which showed the prices at $79.95, nearly $80 for just a basic oil changes. Literally double what they had been less than a year ago. Upgrades were priced at $90 and $120, which he said are "competitive" with other mechanic prices in the area.
What was alarming to TikToker @skylr.m wasn't just the price leap, but the fact that the prices were not reflected in the costs of the items that were being provided to the customers, or in the cost of labor for his employees. More money was being demanded of the customer, but the shop itself and its employees were not seeing pay raises.
You can watch the video here:
Some TikTokers were disgusted by how the prices were going up.
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Others were certain they knew who was to blame for these price increases.
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Some were also grateful to the TikToker for raising awareness.
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It might seem counterintuitive for a mechanic to point out questionable pricing structures in the industry in which he works, but that actually speaks volumes to how terrible it's gotten if a mechanic feels the need to speak up about it and voice concern over it.
There's no telling how much worse it will get before it gets better, but it's important that we keep talking about it and hold accountable those who have the power to make a difference.
