Get a second opinion on a $1,800 car repair quote from the shop's own inspection video

Try it yourself

What you get

A plain-English, item-by-item check of a repair quote against the shop's own video and the maker's maintenance schedule, plus a plan for a second opinion.

Tools

• An AI agent that can read photos and video (he didn't say which one)
• The shop's quote and inspection video

Time / cost: Not stated in the source

Steps

1. Photograph the shop's written recommendations and prices, and save the inspection video.
2. Give both to your AI and ask it to compare each recommended repair with what the video actually shows.
3. Have it check each repair against the maker's maintenance schedule for your car and mileage, and explain what happens if you wait.
4. Ask it to check the paperwork (plate, VIN, mileage) for mismatches.
5. For anything that may be needed, get a second opinion and a same-scope quote from another well-reviewed shop before you approve work.

Copy-ready prompt

Act as my independent car-repair second opinion. I don't know much about cars, so explain everything in plain English.

What I have:
- Car: [year, make, model], [mileage] miles
- The shop's written recommendations and prices: [paste them or attach a photo]
- The shop's inspection video: [attach it or paste the link]

Do this:
1. List each recommended repair with its price.
2. For each one, check what the video actually shows at the relevant timestamps. Say clearly what the footage proves and what it can't prove.
3. Check each repair against the manufacturer's maintenance schedule for my car and mileage.
4. Rate each one: needed now, can wait (and roughly how long), or not supported by the evidence.
5. Tell me what could happen if I don't fix each one.
6. Check the paperwork for errors (my plate, VIN and mileage).
7. For anything that may be needed, write a short script I can use to ask 2 or 3 well-reviewed local shops for a second opinion and an out-the-door quote for the same scope.

Don't book, approve or pay for anything. Tell me what you'd do and I'll decide.

Prompt written by AgentPlays from the source. Fill in the [brackets] and approve before anything is sent or bought.

Watch out: An AI looking at a video can't measure wear. Use it to ask better questions, and follow a mechanic's advice on anything safety-related, like brakes, steering or suspension.

Proof / source

Self-reported The author's post on X, with screenshots of the agent's report: video frames, an assessment of each joint and a script for calling other shops.