A woman has gone viral on TikTok after calling out what she saw as some oddly performative behavior from her local mechanic during a routine oil change. Amanda Rae (@.amanda_rae_) said she recently went in to get her oil changed when the mechanic pulled out the dipstick and showed it to her.
“They really do just be coming around with the stick and they’re like, ‘Look at the oil,’” she joked in her now-viral video.
But in that moment, she said, she was stumped. Is she supposed to ask follow-up questions? Praise them for doing their job? Just… nod?
As of Thursday, her post has racked up over 427,000 views—with some viewers chiming in to say the move isn’t as pointless as it looks. Several explained that showing customers the dipstick is a transparency tactic: proof that the oil was actually changed.
What’s a Dipstick, and Why Are Customers Seeing it?
An engine oil dipstick is a tool used to check how much oil is in your car’s engine. It’s usually a long, yellow-handled metal rod that dips into the oil pan and has markers to show whether your oil level is too low or just right.
While it might seem like a throwaway moment during an oil change, there’s actually a reason mechanics often pull out the dipstick and show it to customers.
One former mechanic explained on Quora that he’d always show the dipstick after a change so customers could see, firsthand, that the oil was both fresh and filled to the proper level. The clear, golden color of new oil stands in stark contrast to the dark, dirty oil it replaced.
“If they showed you the dip stick immediately after having changed the oil, you are seeing the new oil with your own eyes and you can see that it is full,” another ex-mechanic wrote. “Now you can’t come back and complain [that] they didn’t fill it all the way.”
Commenters on Rae’s Video Backed That Up
“They’re showing you that the oil is full, they’re not showing you the oil lol,” one person commented.
Another added, “It’s so you can tell they actually changed it and aren’t scamming you. Dirty oil is black and fresh oil is golden.”
It’s also a subtle nudge: You can check this yourself with your own dipstick, and maybe you should.
Viewers Recount Awkward Exchanges With Mechanics
Commenters on Rae’s video said the dipstick isn’t the only thing mechanics like to show off. If they’re trying to upsell you, some joked, they’ll bring out other parts—like your dusty air filter.
“They do be coming round askin about that air filter and the typical response is nah I’m good,” one viewer said.
“Don’t forget the dusty filter presentation – and then they’re like ‘ok bye,’” another added.
Others said it’s all just part of the experience, a sign you’re getting decent service.
“I like how they always show it to you like they’re a waiter with some fine wine,” one person quipped.
“It’s like the Dairy Queen blizzard upside down thing they do before they hand it to you,” another said.
One commenter even joked, “I say, ‘Proud of you.’”
But not everyone was mocking the moment. One mechanic chimed in to admit that sometimes, the dipstick reveal is as much for him as it is for the customer.
“Proof they put it in,” he wrote. “Cuz sometimes they be forgetting and by they I mean me.:
Motor1 has reached out to Rae via a TikTok comment. We’ll be sure to update this article when we hear back.
