Do you feel like you lack the knowledge to handle a breakdown? Don’t you wish you had the knowledge and confidence to deal with minor car problems on your own? Maybe some better knowledge about choosing a good mechanic is for you. Read on to find out more about your options.
Consider keeping a high quality battery charger in your car. Dead batteries are a common problem for many drivers. Additionally, having a charger with you will allow you to aid other motorists in similar need. Find out where to connect the charger to your car.
You absolutely need a good emergency kit inside your vehicle. Include a spare tire, a jack, a battery charger and a container full of gas. Blankets may be added, some batteries and a flashlight for if you have a trouble with your car at night.
Get your car washed often to keep rust at bay. Salt and other harmful chemicals will speed up the rusting process. If you want to avoid rust at all costs, do your best to clean the car thoroughly after contact with these substances. A good wax is your best friend: a friend that will protect that shiny new paint job for a long time.
Ask your mechanic to use OEM parts. These are original components from the manufacturer. Generic parts may cost less, but you cannot really tell if they are the best quality. What may seem like a deal now can cost twice as much as buying OEM in the first place.
When taking your car to the mechanic for repairs, never leave valuables in the car. They will likely be taken out and may be lost. Remove all items from the trunk too.
Headlights will sometimes dim over time, but often is just a matter of cleaning them off regularly. Headlights often accumulate grime and other debris during normal use. A good quality glass cleaner will help to clean them right up.
Spare Tire
You may not be a mechanic, but your trunk should always have a spare tire and a jack at the very least. A majority of cars come equipped with them. Being stuck without a spare tire and jack means you will have to get your car towed. You can save a lot by doing it yourself.
Speak with people you know to see how they deal with repairing their vehicles. They have used mechanics before and can fill you in on their experiences. You should still always do some research on the person they tell you about. At least look for online reviews of those recommendations.
A daring do-it-yourself approach isn’t always the best idea. Always have someone around to assist you in case there is an emergency. Buy only the highest quality tools that will last and not break under pressure. This is very true for things such as tire changing tools. Keep in mind that a jack needs to securely hold up your vehicle, especially if you’re going to be under it. This is why you should get a high quality hydraulic jack with stands.
When you fill your car with gas, check tire pressure. Check your tires regularly for embedded items and for uneven wear patterns. If there appears to be a problem, have it checked out as soon as possible. You never want to drive on bad tires.
If you cannot afford to get your vehicle fixed, get in touch with local vocational schools that train mechanics. You can pay much less for service since students are still learning how to repair cars.
One of the trickiest ways that shady mechanics rip customers off is by adding repairs that weren’t agreed to in the beginning. Some shops use this tactic to try and get you to spend more money. Tell them you have to think about it before accepting the deal.
If you just bought a car, and you realize there is a problem, get in touch with the manufacturer. This may be a recall situation but the manufacturer needs to be aware of the issue for the recall to occur. Usually, manufacturers will repair your car.
When you get a diagnosis, take some time before you decide to get the repairs done. Call several other places to get quotes on the same work the original mechanic says you need. If someone else is cheaper, pay the shop for labor thus far and go elsewhere.
Let your mechanic know that you do not want to spend more than a certain amount on unauthorized repairs. If you drop your car off to be assessed for services, don’t give the repair shop carte blanche to make the repairs. Tell the mechanic to give you a call if the repairs will exceed a certain dollar amount. They will know you are watching closely then.
You need not feel helpless when it comes to auto repair. Start applying the tips you just read, do more research on auto repairs and find someone who can show you how to do minor repairs. Now you know what to do, so do it!