Very good article! Heed what is said about modern cars!
I can add a bit. California has a government agency under the Department of Consumer Affairs, known as the Bureau of Automotive Repair. If, in the judgement of the bureau, a customer was ripped off, they will fine the shop, and in many cases, pull their business liscense. My experience in the dealerships there, was that they are as "safe" as any repair shop around. The other states could use the California system as a blueprint, to help in the problem.
Another problem we often see, is a shade tree or ammetuer mechanic tries to repair a problem in a modern car, only to fail because of the lack of understanding and equipment. Many people still believe you can repair your late model Impala as easily as you could that old '67 Bel Air. So why should they pay more for a "trained" mechanic?
And don't forget, mechanics are just like whores. They lay on their back and screw the public... This is simply not true. There are dishonest techs out there, but there are also many VERY good honest techs. And, as the above article states, they (the honest ones) usually don't make as much money as the dishonest ones. That's true in every sector of our society. An honest lawyer (what a concept!) won't make NEAR as much as one that doesn't care whether or not their client is actually guilty... But they can sleep at night. I know at least two of these lwayers.
FWIW, if a flat-rate mechanic doesn't have enough work to keep im busy for the week, federal labor laws allow that they must make AT LEAST minimum wage for the week, IF they spend the 40 hours at the job. Management of course, doesn't tell their technicians this, but it's true, nevertheless.
The best agency to check with, as to the honor and competence of a given shop, is the Better Business Bureau. While they have no REAL power, they keep an ongoing list of "good guys" and "bad guys". If a shop has one or two complaints against it, that may not mean anything, as you can't please EVERYONE. But if they have three or more complaints, especially in a short period of time, DANGER! WARNING, Will Robinson... Any current "member in good standing", is a shop that has been in business for more than 2 years, without a legitimate complaint against them.
Our shop was sued by an individual. It is the only time our integrity has been challenged. The judge listened pateiently to his complaint. He listened to my explanation of the "big picture". it was immediatley obvious to the judge, the plaintiff was just trying to "get something for nothing". We had fullfilled (and then some) our responsibilities to the customer. The case was dismissed, and the plaintiff was admonished by the judge, for wasting everyone's time. The point? Be sure you are right in your assessment of the complaint before taking rash action. As stated, it isn't always the technician. And customer expectations can also be a problem. Remember this is a very "technical" field. The old addage "the customer is always right" doesn't always apply. Some customers will rely more on their neighbor that "fools with race cars" for information, than they will a professional technician. We repair a lot of damaged engines due to this outlook.
In short, not ALL of us are crooks. Some of us actually give a shit!