‘He’s testing you’: Woman goes to the dealership because of a noise under the hood. Then the mechanic asks her for a diagnosis
Typically, when one brings their car to a mechanic, they only have a vague idea of the problem.
The driver may have done a few internet searches to understand what’s gone wrong. Or, they might have limited car knowledge that gives them some context as to what could be the issue with their vehicle. But if they’re bringing the car to a mechanic, it generally means they can’t resolve the issue themselves.
Sometimes, mechanics try to take advantage of this fact, with several internet users either questioning whether they were overcharged or directly accusing mechanics of performing services that the car did not need.
However, TikTok user Natalia (@natalialately) had a different experience—one that made her feel like the dealership “got” her. Here’s what happened.
What happened during this woman’s visit to the dealership?
In a video with over 350,000 views, Natalia says she took her car into the dealership because “it was making a weird noise.”
But when the mechanic came to look at her car, he asked her a question that she found surprising.
“The technician is like, ‘Do you know what's making the noise?’” Natalia recalls. “And I was like, ‘No.’”
The mechanic then suggested that the two start the car and then take the vehicle for a test drive to diagnose the issue. The car makes the noise, prompting another question from the mechanic.
“He's like, ‘How would you best describe the noise?’” Natalia says. “And I was like, ‘I don't know. How would you best describe the noise? You just heard it!’”
“He's like, ‘Do you think it's the engine?’” she continues. “Asking me! I'm literally the last person you should be asking what it is, because I don't know the difference between the transmission and the engine … and I have no desire to learn, right?”
Finally, the two took the car back to the dealership, at which point Natalia was given a loaner car. It was her same model, only the 2025 version.
“And he's like, ‘Hey, by the way, we can give you a free appraisal in case you want to trade your car in for this one,’” Natalia says. “And I was like, I know … they don't charge for appraisals. I've never gotten charged for an appraisal, but whatever, sure, let's do it. I fell for it.”
Now, Natalia says she’s considering the new vehicle. As for her old car, the problem turned out to be a collapsed engine mount.
What happened here?
Regarding Natalia’s car, engine mounts can collapse for a variety of reasons. Per GMT Rubber, the mounts could have been installed incorrectly, fluid can leak onto the mounts, an accident could have dislodged the parts, or aggressive driving habits can all contribute to collapsed engine mounts.
That said, engine mounts can also simply collapse with time. Depending on the make and model of the vehicle, J.D. Power estimates that replacing the engine mounts will cost an average of between $446 to $498.
As for whether dealerships intentionally give out nicer loaner cars to encourage the purchase of a new car, few dealerships have admitted to doing so. However, many drivers have accused dealerships of engaging in the practice.
@natalialately
'Sounds scammy AF.'
In the comments section, users speculated as to why the mechanic asked Natalia the questions that he did.
“He’s asking those dumb questions to assess your car knowledge, to see how much they can screw you for,” wrote a user.
“Sounds scammy AF. Get your car back and take it to an independent mechanic. Get a recommendation. Don’t trust the stealership,” added another. “Many see a woman and immediately go into scam mode.”
“The dude just wanted to have a conversation with a pretty girl,” offered a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Natalia via Instagram and TikTok DM.
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