Tips to Avoid Costly Car Repairs
Automobiles can be a nightmare. The good news is that there are some relatively easy things you can do to keep your car running its best and, ultimately, save you money. The three main strategies are: preventative maintenance, use free resources and do it yourself.
First and foremost, keep up with your general maintenance. This includes: oil changes, check ups, etc. What people forget about is the little things that they can do on their own like checking the tire pressure or checking your fluid levels. These are things that even the most unknowledgeable car person can do because the levels are marked right on the tire or fluid casings. The main thing to remember is to make sure that you are using the right type of fluids for your car. There are several different viscosity levels for all of your fluids and it is important to stick with what is recommended.
Second, use free resources. You might not know this, but most national car part places will read your computer for free when your check engine light goes off. This alone can save you $50-$75 that a repair shop would charge you for doing the same thing. At the very least, it will give you a direction to go in and a heads up before taking it to the repair shop. Information is power and if you research average cost and labor charges, you should already have negotiating power when you go to a service shop. Another great place to look is the internet. There are tons of free resources online and some helpful people as well. You can post to several forums and ask questions regarding your specific problems and get some helpful feedback.
Finally, do it yourself. You would be surprised how easy it is to do maintenance on your own car. Starters, alternators, some hoses and belts, etc. can all be changed out with little to no experience and with normal tools. If you don’t have tools, most part stores will loan or rent you tools. There are also helpful videos and diagrams on the internet that will help you see exactly what you are doing. Changing out a starter alone, could save you $80-$250 in labor costs.
Remember, with everything you attempt, to always check instructions and safety guidelines before doing any work yourself. If you can be safe, schedule preventative maintenance, use free resources and try to “do it yourself” you will greatly reduce the cost of repairs. At the very least, you will learn something new and be better prepared the next time.
