When you have car trouble, your goal needs to be getting it back on the road. Not having a vehicle can significantly hinder your life. That said, you don’t need to shell out tons of money for fixing a car. You can attend to a lot of basic repairs yourself.
You should always have an emergency kit available in your vehicle. You need tools to change a flat tire, charge a battery, and you must have spare gas. Do not forget blankets and a good flashlight with some batteries.
It is not a waste of money to own a battery charger for your vehicle. Dead batteries are common, and a good battery charger will come in handy more than once. It is important to not only have the battery charger but to know how it works as well in case you are alone.
Every time you have your car fixed, regardless of the reason, you should take note of it. Having detailed records will be useful if you need to perform more repairs on your vehicle. Without them, you may end up paying for more diagnostic tests, and it will be more difficult to learn where the issue is stemming from.
If your headlights seem dim, they might just be dirty. Sometimes, dirt from the road transfers over to your lights dim them. Before taking your car into the mechanic for this, try giving the headlights a good cleaning first.
Do not be afraid to ask lots of questions whenever you take your vehicle to the auto shop. Your questions should focus on issues that your vehicle has, as well as what you can do in the future to prevent them from occurring again. When you understand what’s going on and put preventative measures in place, you will save a lot of money.
Before taking your car in, ask friends for referrals. With the benefit of advice from acquaintances and family members, you’ll be better informed about the different options open to you. Still, you want to follow up by doing other research. At the minimum, take a look online to see what others are saying about the shop as well.
Take all the fluffy and fun key chains off, or remove the car key. The ignition cannot hold the weight of a big key chain. If your key begins sticking, the tumblers need replacing.
Before allowing an auto shop to do repairs to your vehicle, ensure you are aware of the total cost. If something is not clear, clarify it with the service adviser or mechanic before starting any repair on the car. If you do not communicate with your mechanic, you might be surprised with additional fees once you receive your bill.
Before giving your car to a shop, ask them about their fees. Some repair shops display their rates, so read them carefully and be sure to ask about anything you don’t fully understand. This will give you a better idea of what you will be billed. Some service shops have estimated times for repair, establish by the manufacturers. Other shops may charge an inflated rate for a minor repair that should be done within a shorter period of time.
Take multiple pictures of your car before taking it to a new shop. Though the majority of such shops are trustworthy, some shops strip vehicles for profit. Be safe rather than sorry.
Referrals are your best best when searching for a trustworthy mechanic. Look to your family, friends, and colleagues for their suggestions. You can find out about a mechanics quality of work, their price, and overall satisfaction. Those close to you will be able to give you an honest retelling of their experiences with certain mechanics.
Find out if the technician is certified. Look for the NIAE seal of approval. A person with this certification will more than likely give you good service.
Read your owner’s manual when you get a new car. You should read your manual all the way through at least once. After reading this manual, you can perform a lot of repairs yourself.
Understand your manual and mark important pages. This will help you when it comes time for you to visit your mechanic if a major problem occurs. You may also find answers to your problems, inside.
Have you ever wondered what OEM means? These initials mean Original Equipment Manufacturer. Keep this in mind when you are having parts replaced on your vehicle. If you ask for OEM parts, it will look like you know what you’re talking about. This will make it less likely that the mechanic will attempt to install parts that have been previously used.
When you have paid for a new part, ask the mechanic to return the old one to you. If they refuse, this could mean that they didn’t replace anything. Be wary if this occurs, and make sure to press the issue.
Keep a record of any vehicle repairs. Future problems can be easily solved when auto technicians have access to past records. Without these records, you may have to pay more money, and it may be harder to find where the problem is coming from.
Filing System
Have a plastic accordion file to put all auto repair receipts inside. You can set your filing system any way you desire. Some people choose a chronological filing system while others may choose to divide them into the types of maintenance or repairs that were performed on the car. Whichever method you utilize, maintaining a record of the auto repairs you have will significantly help your mechanic whenever your vehicle needs more repairs. In addition, it will help you know if a certain repair did not live up to your expectations. This will be very valuable to keep in mind.
Check online reviews for any mechanic you’re considering. These reviews can give you a good idea of the satisfaction that the customers had. After gathering information, you can select the right shop for you.
As you can see, fixing your car does not have to require taking your car to the shop and paying an arm and a leg to the mechanic. Most of the time, you can fix the issues yourself. Apply the tips from this article and spend more time maintaining your vehicle to prevent issues.
