Mechanic Shares Which AI Tools Can Actually Help You With Car Trouble
When your car starts making “Uh Oh” noises at a stoplight, it’s tempting to just ask a chatbot instead of calling a mechanic. After all, AI can “diagnose” illnesses, write emails, and come up with recipes when your panty’s running lean. So why not let it muse about your car trouble?
That’s the question mechanic Tim Singer, Workshop Manager at BMS Cars in Hampshire, England, wanted to answer.
Mechanic puts ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overview, and Microsoft Copilot to the test
He dove into AI’s three most popular public-facing tools to see which, if any, could actually help people with car trouble.
The experiment came as more drivers are likely turning to digital help as repair bills climb.
Singer said he was “very surprised” by what he found.
Some of the AI-generated repair advice, he said, turned out to be surprisingly accurate
He tested each platform with both general and detailed car questions. He asked about everything from an amber warning light on an Audi A3 to whether a high-mileage Renault Clio with multiple issues was worth scrapping.
He scored the responses for accuracy, safety, legality, and helpfulness.
The clear standout was ChatGPT
Singer said ChatGPT offered the most complete and technically useful advice.
It delivered enough detail to help a motorist make an informed next move rather than jumping straight to DIY disaster territory.
Google’s AI Overview landed in second place, giving shorter, easy-to-digest answers but occasionally glossing over nuance.
Microsoft Copilot finished last for being “too chatty” when clarity mattered most.
None of the platforms got everything right
The mechanic noted that all three struggled when it came to car valuations. Sometimes they gave vague or overly optimistic suggestions that could nudge a driver toward risky fixes.
He warned that while AI can point you in the right direction, it can also give people false confidence. This could make them think they can handle repairs better left to professionals.
Scrap Car Comparison, the UK’s largest scrap car service, organized the experiment to test how AI performs when faced with real-world automotive scenarios. Eight common problems were posed across the platforms, and all responses were independently reviewed by Singer in September 2025.
AI can be a surprisingly handy when you’re troubleshooting a weird noise or warning light
But it’s still no substitute for years of professional training. It’s almost always best to visit a trusted repair facility when a car concern arises.
