April 20, 2025 at 11:35 am

Auto Shop Customer Was Told They Couldn’t Pay With A Credit Card, But The Shop Didn’t Like Their Clever Alternative

by Matthew Gilligan

mechanic talking to customer

Shutterstock/Reddit

I swear, it seems like some business owners make things hard on themselves for no reason whatsoever.

That certainly seems to be the case in this story from Reddit, but the person who wrote it decided to get clever…and hilarity ensued!

Read on to find out what happened!

Repair shop won’t take credit card.

“This happened about 20 years ago.

I lived about 40 miles away from my office and did the daily commute.

Several people at the office did the same thing.

I usually worked 7-4 just so I could skip the bulk of rush hour traffic.

I don’t remember exactly how or what happened, but basically after work one day my minivan decided to quit working.

Best I can remember it was acting weird, some kind of transmission problem and just quit going.

Luckily this happened between my office and the interstate ramp.

Everything else with the van was fine, no engine problems, etc.

It was only about 5 years old at that time and I never had any trouble with it.

I deduced it was a transmission problem.

Everything runs fine, it just decided to not go anywhere when put in gear.

This oughta do it!

Picked a transmission shop out of the phone book that was not too far away and had it towed up there.

Waited around while they took a look at it and said ya they could fix it.

Don’t remember exact quote but it was probably somewhere around $800-$1,000 for the job.

Ok.

I don’t have that much cash in the bank, but that’s what credit cards are for.

They’ve got the van, I’m stuck, what else am I going to do.

They wouldn’t take me 40 miles home, but they would give me a ride locally.

I had them drop me at a motel near my office so I could at least walk to work the next day.

I got a ride home with a guy from work next day, and then carpool a day or so until the van was fixed.

Couple days after I drop it off, the shop calls and I go to pick up the van after work, shop owner gets in the car with me while I give it a test drive.

It goes, but Yuck.

Making noise, still not right.

So I tell him to try again. This is getting to be a hassle.

Another day, another car pool.

What?!?!

Next day, get the call, come pick it up.

OK, drives fine, no noise. Sounds like he got it fixed.

Pull out the credit card and owner is like “We don’t take credit cards. Cash or check only.”

Well, I don’t have my checkbook with me. I don’t say I don’t have the cash.

Ring the office and catch a ride home again with one of the guys working late.

Malicious compliance part.

I don’t have the money to pay the shop, but I do have my latest credit card bill.

The one with the little checks attached to the bottom of it.

I just fill out one of those checks, take it to the guy the next day, he accepts it and I get my van back.

Here’s the fun part. I get a call from the guy later and he’s telling me the bank won’t cash the check, they tell him it’s from a credit card company and he can only deposit it.

But he doesn’t want to do that because he’s over drawn at the bank.

Sorry, buddy!

Asks me again if I have cash, and I told him I already gave him a check.

He’s complaining to me he’s overdrawn at the bank and they’ll take that out of his deposit.

Not my problem dude.

Sweet revenge for all the hassle.”

Reddit users shared their thoughts.

This reader shared a story.

Screenshot 2025 04 01 at 7.37.48 AM Auto Shop Customer Was Told They Couldnt Pay With A Credit Card, But The Shop Didnt Like Their Clever Alternative

Another person weighed in.

Screenshot 2025 04 01 at 7.38.08 AM Auto Shop Customer Was Told They Couldnt Pay With A Credit Card, But The Shop Didnt Like Their Clever Alternative

This individual had a lot to say.

Screenshot 2025 04 01 at 7.38.29 AM Auto Shop Customer Was Told They Couldnt Pay With A Credit Card, But The Shop Didnt Like Their Clever Alternative

Another reader spoke up.

Screenshot 2025 04 01 at 7.38.47 AM Auto Shop Customer Was Told They Couldnt Pay With A Credit Card, But The Shop Didnt Like Their Clever Alternative

And this person chimed in.

Screenshot 2025 04 01 at 7.39.06 AM Auto Shop Customer Was Told They Couldnt Pay With A Credit Card, But The Shop Didnt Like Their Clever Alternative

What kind of business doesn’t accept credit cards….?

The kind that isn’t going to have many returning patrons.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.