Car repairs are a real pain. You either have to shell out a lot of dough to get your car fixed, or s...

1. Fixing Your Car Without Breaking The Bank
Car repairs are a real pain. You either have to shell out a lot of dough to get your car fixed, or spend
your precious time making the repairs yourself. Self repair and mechanic repairs can be a pain, but
the experience can be improved with this article.
Wash your car regularly to prevent rust from becoming a problem. All cars will rust up eventually,
but you may delay it considerably by ensuring all chemicals and salts are washed off quickly. Waxing
your car helps protect the paint.
Take the time to read your car manual and know the basics of how your car works. Do not hesitate to
let your mechanic know about what you learned from the owner's manual. You might even find some
easy solutions for the issues you have been encountering.
Get OEM components. These are original manufacturer parts. Generic parts might be cheaper, but
they may not be good enough quality. A cheap, generic part is less of a bargain if it only lasts half as
long as an OEM part would.
Never leave any valuables in your car when it is getting repaired. To get the job done, mechanics
may have to remove your things and if something should end up missing, they cannot be held
responsible. Remove all items from the trunk too.
When you need a major repair done, get numerous estimates. Most shops are reliable but some
mechanics will find additional repairs to charge you more. Find shops that specialize in the job that
your car needs. You'll get a better repair on your car because these shops will know exactly what
your car needs.
Speak with friends and family about where they get their auto repairs done for some good ideas.
With the benefit of advice from acquaintances and family members, you'll be better informed about
the different options open to you. Even after getting a few names, though, do your research. If you
don't have a lot of time, take a minute to look online.
Look at all lights that flash on the dashboard and learn what they mean. These lights give you a good
indication of when your vehicle needs some maintenance. If you ignore them, the problem will only
become worse than it is now.
Make sure that you clean your car in the winter as well. Winter can be the most damage causing
time of the year for your car. The sand and salt from winter leads to rust and abrasion. Your car
should be dried thoroughly before getting back on the road again.
You do not necessarily have to go through your dealership if repairs are needed. Great mechanics
are everywhere, regardless of whether you visit a local mechanic or drive out of town to visit your
dealer. If you're comfortable with a tech, use him or her.
Take pictures of your entire vehicle before taking it to the shop to get repaired. Most shops won't
damage your vehicle, but you never know. You should document what the vehicle looks like in case
you experience this terrible thing.
There are a lot of body shops that will put older tires on your car. They do this to gain money from

2. your lack of knowledge. Prior to taking your car to the garage, use chalk to mark your tires. If the
chalk isn't there, you've been taken advantage of.
Never buy from a mechanic who promises that parts will last over the full lifetime of a vehicle. This
is usually a ploy to get more money from you. A common example is a car that has "lifetime"
transmission fluid. Though the change time on transmission fluid is very long, it should be swapped
every 80,000 miles.
Repairing your vehicle is usually stressful, but you can reduce the stress with this basic approach.
With these tips in hand, your next auto repair experience won't be so bad. Your car will thank you.