These days, everyone is looking for a deal. And rightfully so: Everything feels more expensive. Perhaps it’s reality, perhaps it is perception. Either way, couponing and Grouponing are popular. Generally, all parties in a coupon situation are privy to what’s going down: A customer is lured in by sale pricing in the hopes they’ll either spend more or become return customers. For Plant City, Florida’s Mozalez Auto Repair (@mozalez_autorepair), it had been a winning formula. Yet recently, Mark Morales, the owner of Mozales Auto Repair, took to TikTok to vent about a particularly problematic customer and to explain why he "shut down" Groupon. As Morales explains, he initially accepted Groupon because it brought in customers. But there was a downside since it brought in customers he viewed as difficult and overly price-sensitive. He explained this using language that drew notice in the comments. "I just had a situation," he says. "A girl comes up, ‘Hey, my mom, she bought a Groupon." But like any coupon, the Groupon has boundaries. In this case, the oil change on offer is for up to five quarts of oil. After that, the customer is responsible for the remaining oil, at a cost of $10 per quart. The vehicle that purportedly requires service is a 5.3L Chevrolet Suburban. According to the mechanic, if that model vehicle is newer than 2017, it requires almost eight quarts of oil. That’s three quarts of oil at full price. Morales explains this to the customer. Now she’s got to call her mother. That’s where things get really unpleasant. During the call, after the mechanic has explained things, the mother starts cursing. She calls him a mother[expletive] who’s just trying to "get over on somebody and make more money." He alleges that she ends the call saying, "Just take the money from Groupon and do your mother[expletive] job." The mechanic is taken aback, and the customer is mortified. She says she’ll cover the cost herself. ‘Thank You; No Thank You.’ But by now, Morales has come to his own decision and declines to service the vehicle. "Thank you; no thank you. I don’t need your money," he says. The kicker? Morales alleges that this woman (the mother) has already tried these bullying tactics. "This isn’t the first time this [has happened]," he says. "She’s done it before." The internet overwhelmingly supports the mechanic. One account, NickOfTimeAuto (@nickoftimeauto), that seems familiar with Mozalez Auto Repair says, "I told you man, you don’t want the bottom feeder customers that the majority of those Groupons and specials bring. I’m not just talking, 25 years in business and booked 7-10 days out I’m telling you these people shouldn’t be your focus. Keep doing what you are doing and eventually your referral and repeat business will give you more then you need." The user, A Glimpse Into My Life (@skylarsbackyard), offers a little commiserating perspective: "No one ever reads anything. I deal with this all day. My favorite is when they say you have no idea who I am!!! No sir I don’t know who you are but I don’t have to worry about who you are if you throwing a fit over $35." However, one attentive user does ask a sociologically inflected question: "Good story but what type of people are ‘ghetto’ just curious, writes Big_jefe85 (@big_jefe85). What To Do If You Feel Like You’ve Been Bait-And-Switched It can feel—for everyone—that we’re living through the scammiest of times. A generous reading of the situation would suggest that both the mechanic and his potential customer have been in situations where they came out feeling taken advantage of. The site, My Florida Legal, reports, "Auto repair rip-offs consistently rank as one of the most common categories of consumer complaints throughout the nation." To avoid opportunistic service, the site suggests shopping around, getting a quote before any work is done, cross-checking any warranties on your vehicle, and getting a copy of the work done on your vehicle. After the repair is completed, ask about parts and labor warranties. Finally, in the case that you think you’ve been cheated, you can file a complaint with your state’s appropriate consumer services bureau. Failing that, there are internet reviews. In this situation, the oil change was not operationally critical and was likely easy to resolve. But it does illustrate the frustration and fear that unsavory encounters sow on both sides: the customer and the purveyor. For his part, Mark Morales told Motor1 that he’s not sure what happened with the Suburban that needed an oil change because the vehicle’s owner hung up on him. But, "I have not heard from them or Groupon or seen any bad reviews," he wrote in a text message. As for his relationship with Groupon, though he’s "submitted to stop the campaign," it’s still running. So he’s price-matching it for anyone who comes in. Fair. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team