A vehicle listed as a "mechanic's special" on craigslist appears to be, at first glance, a remarkable deal. A mechanic's special is usually a vehicle listed far below its blue book value, with a few minor issues outlined that any competent backyard mechanic can easily diagnose and fix. This problems are usually referred to only in the vaguest of terms, such as a "clunking sound coming from the transmission" or "hissing sound from the radiator."
Of course, these problems turn out to be much more severe - such as a blown headgasket, thrashed transmission, detonated cylinder, and the like. The odometer reading is often conspicuously absent from the reading. The owner will often feign ignorance about vehicles in hopes of getting rid of it at a good price, but actually are often competent car people themselves.
The only valid use for a mechanic's special is as a parts vehicle, and only then once the owner has been talked down to a reasonable price.
Of course, these problems turn out to be much more severe - such as a blown headgasket, thrashed transmission, detonated cylinder, and the like. The odometer reading is often conspicuously absent from the reading. The owner will often feign ignorance about vehicles in hopes of getting rid of it at a good price, but actually are often competent car people themselves.
The only valid use for a mechanic's special is as a parts vehicle, and only then once the owner has been talked down to a reasonable price.
1992 Chevrolet 1500 4x4 $900 OBO - Mechanic's Special!
'92 Chevy half ton, 4x4, 4" suspension lift. Great truck, 4x4 stopped working about a week ago, slight ticking sound coming from the engine. Should be an easy fix. Call @ 555 - 5555
'92 Chevy half ton, 4x4, 4" suspension lift. Great truck, 4x4 stopped working about a week ago, slight ticking sound coming from the engine. Should be an easy fix. Call @ 555 - 5555
by freyyr March 26, 2011
Get the mechanic's special mug.A bullshit term car sellers use when they’re trying to scam someone by selling them their trashed car instead of sending it to the scrapyard.
Buyer: *Searching for cars on OfferUp*
Seller’s ad: MECHANIC’S SPECIAL!!! 2020 Mustang for sale, engine and transmission are completely blown. The front end is missing due to a high speed collision. Owes $500 in tags and I lost the pink slip. Easy fix, great deal! $15,000 price is firm.
Seller’s ad: MECHANIC’S SPECIAL!!! 2020 Mustang for sale, engine and transmission are completely blown. The front end is missing due to a high speed collision. Owes $500 in tags and I lost the pink slip. Easy fix, great deal! $15,000 price is firm.
by SonicFlare January 9, 2022
Get the Mechanic’s Special mug.1. Any Vehicle of any make or model known for inherent problems.
2. A car/truck/van/etc that is broken more often than it is running.
3. Any goofy, oddball, badly engineered, or poorly implimented component that causes a vehicle to reflect definition 2.
4. That tiny 99 cent part that breaks at the most inconvenient time and then magically ballons into a $1,400 shop bill.
2. A car/truck/van/etc that is broken more often than it is running.
3. Any goofy, oddball, badly engineered, or poorly implimented component that causes a vehicle to reflect definition 2.
4. That tiny 99 cent part that breaks at the most inconvenient time and then magically ballons into a $1,400 shop bill.
Dammit! My Thunderbird is a real Mechanic's friend! That's the fifth starter it's chewed up since I bought it!
by Talen the Twitchy January 4, 2005
Get the Mechanic's Friend mug.by Robots225 September 20, 2019
Get the mechanic hands mug.A bullshit term car sellers say when they’re trying to scam someone by selling them their trashed car instead of sending it to the scrapyard.
Buyer: *Searching for cars on OfferUp*
Seller’s ad: MECHANIC’S SPECIAL!!! 2020 Mustang for sale, engine and transmission are completely blown. It was also in a high speed collision
Seller’s ad: MECHANIC’S SPECIAL!!! 2020 Mustang for sale, engine and transmission are completely blown. It was also in a high speed collision
by SonicFlare January 9, 2022
Get the Mechanic’s Special mug.When you squat down to work on your car and you accidentally sit on a can of brake cleaner, and the nozzle sprays it up your butt.
Man, Kevin went to put the wheel back on his Mustang, and sat right on the Brakleen! Mechanic’s Bidet right in his ass!!
by kage1330 February 5, 2021
Get the Mechanic’s Bidet mug.An unscrupulous mechanic who will quote 5 hours of labor to do a 10 minute job, says ASE certifications are for pussies, and will threaten to choke a customer out if they don't mind their Ps and Qs. Has been known to pillage vehicles for loose change.
"After Mechanic Jeff did an oil change on my Oldsmobile, I found a cigarette butt on my kid's carseat and asked why it smelled like smoke in there. He said he'd check my oil if I didn't take the base out my voice."
by Humkay April 2, 2021
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