Flat Tire

Many of the rescues could have been avoided.

We are going to start with the disclaimer: do not try this at home. Ever.

Many of us rely on our cars for some of the most important day-to-day tasks. If something goes wrong, it can be a very scary and stressful experience. Some -- not all, of course -- unscrupulous mechanics prey on that fear in order to make unnecessary repairs that drivers don't need. Watch out for these five unnecessary repairs and upsells the next time you take your car in for service.

Keeping your tires properly inflated is a very good idea. An under-inflated radial can increase wear while also decreasing performance and fuel economy. But if the state of California can help it, under-inflated tires may soon be a thing of the past.

Imagine you're on vacation. You rent a car for your month-long stay in Mexico. You feel pretty comfortable passing on the optional insurance and go along on your merry way. All goes well until one stormy evening. Somewhere in the night you have a blowout. You phone it in and the people at Hertz tell you, "No problem, just bring it back and we'll replace the tire." Done. Report filed, agent tells you no worries again, there won't be any charges.