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A car can be a time and money sink if it is not taken care of properly. You should have a good working knowledge of the vehicle model you own, however, there are other things to read up on as well. Continue reading for some great tips to save money and time.
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. Add some blankets, a flashlight and some batteries in case your car breaks down at night.
Ensure you regularly inspect your radiator. Let the car run a couple minutes, shut your engine and open up your hood. Be careful not to open your radiator if the car’s running. Check the level of fluid in radiator and add any if necessary. Be mindful that some coolants are meant to be mixed with 50% water.
Look for online reviews about your chosen body shop. This lets you know how other customers have felt. You can then use that information to pick a shop that you can feel comfortable giving your money to.
Be wary of auto technicians who perform unneeded repairs on your vehicle. A mechanic that’s good will tell you whether or not a pert is beginning to wear out, but they’re not going to replace things without your permission first. Don’t trust a mechanic who has done repairs without asking.
Make sure you are receiving OEM parts. OEM parts means that part was produced by the manufacturer specifically for your make and model of vehicle. While generic parts may be cheaper, you’ll never know how good the quality is. Although you save money in the short term with generic parts, its not really a deal if they have to be replaced again in a few years.
Are your headlights clean? Dirt from driving can build up on your headlights and block some light. Use a reputable glass cleaner to get the job done efficiently.
Verify that a prospective mechanic is familiar with your specific car. There can be a lot of differences between vehicles, even though the base components are similar. If you aren’t sure, take your car to get serviced at the dealer.
A spare tire and a jack are valuable items to have in case of an emergency. If you purchase a new car, you should have these in your trunk. You would hate to be stuck out in the road and be forced to spend money on a tow. Changing that tire yourself can save you the cost of towing.
Avoid fluffy, silly keychains, or find a way to separate your auto key from that bunch of keys on the chain! The ignition on your car is not devised to hold all the weight, even when you don’t consider it heavy. Particularly, if you notice that the key is hard to extract from the ignition, you need to make a change!
Checking your tire pressure can help save you money and wear and tear on tires. Be sure your tires do not have something embedded in them. If you see anything wrong with them, get the problem fixed right away. It’s dangerous to drive on faulty tires.
Learn all you can about your car and its parts. There are a few different kinds of parts. New parts are newly created to the specifications of the manufacturer. Refurbished or reconditioned parts ate those that have been restored to working condition. Parts that are salvaged are used; therefore, they cannot be altered.
If you have been having minor car issues, you should have them checked out. An issue that might seem minor could end up turning into a nightmare down the road.
Never let a mechanic tell you that you need to have your entire engine flushed as normal maintenance. This service is very expensive and it isn’t necessary unless you have neglected engine care for some time.
Most people don’t look at the manual in regards to their vehicle. You need to learn the manual so that you can find information right away. Your manual tells you all that you should know about how you can maintain your car yourself.
Test Drive
After fixing the brakes but before you test drive it, bleed the brakes. After this, pump the fluid in the brakes. You are trying to find leaks in your device to make sure there are no problems. Now you can take your car out for a test drive on roads with light traffic. Go slowly at first until you’re certain your repair has been made properly.
Have your receipts from auto repairs in an accordion file inside your car. Consider separating records by maintenance type or by year. This way you will have all the details to hand if they are required for other mechanics down the line. This will also come in handy if you decide to sell your vehicle and want to let the buyer know about how much you invested in the vehicle.
If you get a quote from a mechanic that is over $200, ask for it in writing. A written contract between you and the mechanic regarding repairs is your best insurance if you happen to end up in court. Another advantage to the estimate is that you can ensure the mechanic will focus only on the repairs needed and not extras.
Ask Questions
Always ask questions when dealing with your mechanic. Don’t just concern yourself with the price; rather, ask about everything that has to do with the repairs. How long will the repair take? What’s being worked on? Find out how much the new parts cost. You can ask questions that arise. Your basic knowledge skills will shine through, and this could be important if the issue strikes again.
As mentioned earlier, learning some basic repairs for your car has many long-term benefits. Besides teaching others and relying on yourself when you’re having car issues, you can save tons of cash. Keep the tips you’ve read in mind so that you can perform those repairs.