Finding a trustworthy mechanic that won’t oversell or overcharge you can be a challenge for anyone, but a Waterloo, Ont., woman has launched a new service designed to help women with the challenge.
AutoCate is a new platform which has been launched by University of Waterloo graduate and former auto mechanic Stefanie Bruinsma.
Bruinsma says women can be charged up to 30 per cent more for auto repairs than men and she believes her service can help anyone who fears being taken advantage of at the mechanic to get a fair price.
There have been a number of studies done over the years that go back to her claims, including a recent one which found that women in the US were paying more than $100 extra for car repairs.
For Bruinsma, AutoCate is somewhat of a passion project as his love of cars began with the introduction of the Dodge Viper when he was 12 years old.
“It was a crazy idea. “A giant truck engine in a frame of a car that doesn’t handle very well,” Bruinsma explained.
“I thought this was the most amazing thing ever and was like, I want to be an