6 Smart Ways to Save Money on Car Repairs and Avoid Mechanic Rip-Offs - Anne Cohen Writes (2024)

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Filters, fluid levels, brakes, and wiper blades. After a while, it all wears out, so necessary repairs and regular maintenance of your car are important. Car repairs can be a big blow to your wallet, especially if you don’t know much about what goes around under the hood. It is frustrating and stressful when you realize that your vehicle needs some “refreshment”, but you don’t know what the problem is or how much it is going to cost you.

Let’s take a look then at some of the simple ways how you can make this problem more bearable and get a better deal when you finally drive your four-wheeler to the mechanic.

Find a Reputable and Trustworthy Auto Repair Shop

Essentially, what you are looking for is a trustworthy mechanic who knows what they are doing and values their customers. The best choice is someone who specializes in your kind of vehicle and has certifications in several repair classifications. Ask around, and see if your friends and family members can recommend a good mechanic. Contact more shops, check a couple of online reviews and auto forums, or simply stop by to check out the staff and working environment. Sloppy repairs mean frequent returns and more money spent on an unsatisfactory service.

Do Your Own Diagnostics

If you own a modern vehicle, use the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) technology to determine the problem. You can use it at home or with a smartphone. When a problem occurs, it signals what the malfunction is and how to solve it. Perhaps it is something that you can do yourself, instead of paying a mechanic for a repair. Also, the internet is full of free online resources that can you guide through some of the basic vehicle inspection tasks like checking the fluid levels, brakes, wiper blades, tires, etc. A huge number of these diagnostic works can be performed in your garage.

Buy Parts Online

Some specialized stores out there tend to offer quite competitive prices – even if you take into account their shipping fees. What’s even better is that some of these reputable online shops such as Carparts2u offer quality aftermarket parts that often can’t be found in small local stores. So, when you are sure what the problem is and the mechanic gives you the estimated price of replacement, don’t be lazy – hit the web, check a couple of stores, and see what is the best deal you can get. Believe us – the amount of money you can save this way is not trivial.

Learn More About Usual Repair Charges

Here, we are not talking about the price of different car parts. We are talking solely about the very repair. Of course, if you want to pay more for faster repair time or premium service, that is perfectly understandable. After all, the safety of your vehicle has a strong impact on the safety of your family. But, for comparison sake, you need to get informed about the usual cost of certain repairs and what items are forming the final price. For instance, you don’t want to pay for inflating the tires, if you get that for free in other shops.

Put Some Effort Into Regular Maintenance

Using regular oil requires an oil change every 3,000 miles. Nowadays, you can find environmentally safe synthetic oils that last 7,000 miles or more, thus saving money on less frequent oil changes. High temperatures are bad for the car battery. Tighten the cables and use a mixture of baking soda and water to clean the corrosion. Frequently check the tire air pressure. Tires release air naturally, and low pressure causes them to wear out fast and affects gas mileage. For more reliable readings, check air pressure when the tires are cool.

Do It Yourself

Last but not least, we have to point out that probably the best way to save money is to educate yourself and get to know your vehicle best. You will find part specifications (wiper blade and tire sizes, types of oil, filters, and other) in the owner’s manual. Even though they look terrifying at first, fixing common problems is easy, regardless of your abilities. This can literally save you hundreds of dollars. All you need, for starters, is to believe that you can do it, and you will see that there is no need for professional help. Everybody has to start somewhere.

Save money on auto repairs by being a smart car owner. Do your research and learn about your vehicle mechanism and how to keep it healthy. You’ll save yourself a great deal of money and feel more capable and comfortable by learning how to fix it in your own backyard. Otherwise, get as much information as you can about local auto repair shops and find a trustworthy mechanic. Your effort will be well rewarded.

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