Wait, They Fixed What? The Most Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs Ever!

by AutoExpert   |  18 September, 2023

Share :

Ever taken your car to a mechanic and gotten a quote for a repair that left you utterly puzzled? You’re not alone. We’ve been down that rabbit hole, and boy, is it filled with some strange twists and turns. So today, let's dig into the wildest, most random, and completely unnecessary car repairs ever.

Blinker Fluid: Yes, You Heard That Right!

The infamous blinker fluid "repair" has become something of an automotive joke. A mechanic might tell you it needs changing, but spoiler alert, blinker fluid isn't a thing. Your blinkers work on electrical systems, people!

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

Did You Know? The joke has been around so long, there are actually gag gift bottles of "blinker fluid" you can buy.

The Muffler Bearing: Say What Now?

You read it right—the mythical muffler bearing. It's another invention of the mechanic's imagination that simply doesn't exist. But let’s be honest, it does sound somewhat plausible, doesn’t it?

Crazy Fact: Some people have actually fallen for this and have paid upwards of $200 for this nonexistent repair. Ouch!

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

The Flux Capacitor: Not Just For Time Travel

Remember "Back to the Future"? Well, some mechanics will actually claim your car needs a new flux capacitor. Unless your car is a DeLorean and you're heading back to 1985, you don't need one.

Movie Magic: The original flux capacitor from "Back to the Future" was auctioned off for $60,000!

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

Replacing Air in Tires with Premium Air: Seriously?

Yes, folks. Some repair shops offer to replace the regular air in your tires with "premium air." We still haven’t figured out what makes the air premium, though. Could it be the whiff of a summer breeze?

Oddly True: Believe it or not, there have been reported cases where people shelled out $100 for this.

Random and Unnecessary Car

Cosmic Alignments: When Your Car Needs An Astrologer

We've even heard of mechanics claiming that your car's alignment issues are because Mercury is in retrograde. Yeah, astrology for cars—that's a new one on us too.

Starry-Eyed: Car astrology isn’t mainstream, but there are articles on what type of car suits each zodiac sign. Can’t make this stuff up!

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

The Turbo-Encabulator: A Glimpse into the Future?

Ever heard of the Turbo-Encabulator? If a mechanic ever tells you this needs replacing, head for the hills. It's a fictional machine engineers have joked about for decades. Despite its mythical status, the Turbo-Encabulator has an amazingly detailed, pseudo-scientific description.

Mind-Boggling: The Turbo-Encabulator even has a "manual" and technical videos explaining its function, all completely fictional, of course.

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

Reverse Headlights: Seeing Backwards?

Some mechanics with a sense of humor may tell you that your reverse headlights need replacing. Now, unless your car has the ability to light up the road behind you like it’s a spaceship, reverse headlights are not a thing.

Flash of Light: Did you know that some concept cars actually incorporate rear-facing lights for enhanced night-time visibility? But they’re not called "reverse headlights."

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

Sound-Activated Windshield Wipers: The Clap On, Clap Off Phenomenon

What if you could activate your windshield wipers with just a clap or a whistle? While it sounds like something from a spy movie, some mechanics might insist you need a system update for your “outdated” sound-activated wipers. Just a heads up—these don’t exist. Yet.

Fun Fact: There are, however, wipers that sense rain and activate automatically, but clapping won’t do the trick!

Random and Unnecessary Car Repairs

The Verdict: Watch Your Wallet!

So, the next time you're at the mechanic's, keep an ear out for these tall tales. While it's mostly all in good fun, you definitely don’t want to be that person who actually pays for these things. Always get a second opinion, folks, especially if you’re asked to shell out for “premium air” or a fresh batch of “blinker fluid.”

Recomended:

Everyone Says Pop-Up Headlights Were Banned, but That Is Not What Actually Happened - Photo
Others
Everyone Says Pop-Up Headlights Were Banned, but That Is Not What Actually Happened

Few automotive features can make a parked car look as alive as pop-up headlights. Turn the switch and two neat sections of bodywork rise from the hood, pause with theatrical precision and reveal the l

AutoExpert
This Talking Datsun Hid a Tiny Six-Track Record Player Beneath the Dashboard - Photo
Others
This Talking Datsun Hid a Tiny Six-Track Record Player Beneath the Dashboard

A new car speaking to its driver no longer feels remarkable. Navigation systems issue directions, safety assistants complain about lane markings and voice controls wait patiently for somebody to remem

AutoExpert
Honda Built Navigation Before GPS Using Helium, Transparent Maps and a Glowing Green Dot - Photo
Others
Honda Built Navigation Before GPS Using Helium, Transparent Maps and a Glowing Green Dot

There was a time when getting lost required some commitment. A driver would unfold a road map across the steering wheel, locate two towns that appeared to be printed directly on top of one another, th

AutoExpert
Your Front Brakes Do Most of the Work, So Why Did the Rear Pads Wear Out First? - Photo
Others
Your Front Brakes Do Most of the Work, So Why Did the Rear Pads Wear Out First?

The usual explanation sounds perfectly logical. When a car slows down, its weight moves toward the front. The front tires carry more load, so the front brakes provide more of the stopping force. That

AutoExpert
Rubber Is Naturally Pale, So Why Did the Automotive World Make Every Tire Black? - Photo
Others
Rubber Is Naturally Pale, So Why Did the Automotive World Make Every Tire Black?

A bright red car, a metallic blue car and a taxi painted the color of a highlighter will normally leave the factory with exactly the same footwear. Black tires. The color seems so inevitable

AutoExpert
A Fatal Hand-Crank Accident Helped Change the Way Every Car Starts - Photo
Others
A Fatal Hand-Crank Accident Helped Change the Way Every Car Starts

Starting a modern car requires so little effort that the action barely registers. Turn a key, press a button or let the vehicle recognize that its driver has climbed aboard. A second later, the engine

AutoExpert
You Installed the Correct Battery, but Your Car May Still Think the Old One Is There - Photo
Others
You Installed the Correct Battery, but Your Car May Still Think the Old One Is There

Changing a car battery used to be one of the cleaner bargains in home mechanics.Remove two terminals, undo the clamp, lift out the old battery and fit the new one. The clock might need resetting a

AutoExpert
Highway Rumble Strips Are Designed to Sound Awful, but Making Them Quieter Could Save Lives Too - Photo
Others
Highway Rumble Strips Are Designed to Sound Awful, but Making Them Quieter Could Save Lives Too

One tire wanders across the painted line and the previously quiet cabin erupts with a harsh mechanical growl. The steering wheel trembles, the seat vibrates and, for half a second, it feels as if some

AutoExpert
People Once Wanted Car Radios Banned Because Listening While Driving Seemed Far Too Dangerous - Photo
Others
People Once Wanted Car Radios Banned Because Listening While Driving Seemed Far Too Dangerous

A dashboard without a radio now looks unfinished. Even the most basic car is expected to provide music, news and something to fill the silence when traffic has stopped moving but the clock has not.

AutoExpert
The Seatbelt That Chased You Across the Door Was America’s Cheaper Alternative to an Airbag - Photo
Others
The Seatbelt That Chased You Across the Door Was America’s Cheaper Alternative to an Airbag

Open the door of certain 1980s or early 1990s cars and a small buckle begins travelling along the roofline. Sit down, close the door and the shoulder belt glides toward the B-pillar, hopefully passi

AutoExpert