Eight Tips To Save Thousands On Car Repairs
Eight Tips To Save Thousands On Car Repairs
A vehicle is an investment and it is important to maintain that investment through maintenance in all stages. When it comes to taking care of your current vehicle, the purpose is to keep it running as long as possible to maximize your return on investment (ROI). Not everyone is into the mechanics of vehicles but it is important to at least know the basics about what you own.
You rely on your vehicle more than you’d like to admit since it takes you to work, the grocery store, and it can get you somewhere in case of an emergency. It is a form of freedom. Care about your vehicle (even if you’re not a car person like me) because it takes you where you need to go.
Below are a few things to know when it comes to maintaining one of your most expensive investments.
Educate Yourself
Many dealerships and body shops will rip you off – if you let them. This can come in the form of unnecessary work, unnecessary products, or overcharging – it’s just business. Especially if they sense the person taking the vehicle in for service is not knowledgeable about the mechanics of a vehicle they can abuse that ignorance. Car talk can come across as a bunch of jargon which is why it is important to educate yourself since knowledge is power when it comes to knowing what needs to be fixed, how much parts and labor should cost, and getting second opinions if necessary.
There are free resources such as YouTube videos and your owner’s manual that are great tools to use.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Maintenance prices will depend on various factors but in comparison to buying a new vehicle, repairing your current vehicle may be the cheaper option (if the car is worth it). The manufacturer is also important because some vehicles have a better reputation of longevity than others (I will not get into the politics of American made vs foreign made vehicles). Having a vehicle with good MPG and a warranty can also save you money in the long run. Buying a car is not only about the price to get it off the lot but maintenance costs are also a factor in your total cost of ownership (TCO). Luxury vehicles cost more to maintain because parts are more expensive and they may also need to be special ordered.
I went through this phase where I wanted to buy a new car for the sake of having a car that looked “cool”. This was purely esthetic since there was nothing wrong with the car I had. I realized that I’d rather not have a car note, lower MPG, a bad reputation of longevity, higher maintenance, and higher insurance costs for the sake of my ego (which needed to be reappraised).
Be Proactive
I work in IT and I was told “the best day in IT is a day when no one knows you’re there”. This means that being proactive in identifying potential issues before they become a problem can save you a lot of headache. In this case, no one will need you to fix anything (or remember you are there) if you were proactive before something became a problem.
Moving parts are inevitably bound to break at some point. Warning signs are not to be ignored or endlessly prolonged before fixing. This can lead to more expensive repairs in the future or unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicle. Strive to not just put a Band-Aid on the issue with a temporary fix but to correct the root of the problem to prevent reoccurrence.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is important to the resale value of your vehicle and it also makes it look nice. Keeping the exterior washed as well as the interior clean and vacuumed are important. If hand washing is not your thing there are many reasonably priced automatic car washes that have free vacuums. When it comes to cold climates, during the winter season the salt on asphalt can rust the undercarriage of your vehicle. This is why it is especially important in the winter to get car washes with an undercarriage option to avoid corrosion.
DIY
Vehicle maintenance is gender neutral. When it comes to the basics of vehicle maintenance, you should know how to do it. This can save you time spent at the body shop and money since there is a labor charge. Basic things such as changing your wiper blades, head/tail lights, cabin/engine air filters, changing your oil, topping off your oil, checking tire pressure, and changing your tires are important to know how to do even if you do not always do them yourself.
Buy Your Own Parts
Buying parts online are usually heavily discounted. Parts can be bought from Amazon, Pep Boys, AutoZone, eBay, RockAuto (OEM and aftermarket parts), and Advance Auto Parts to name a few. Some stores offer coupons and promo codes that can be used for additional discounts.
Utilize Free Services
Many body shops and dealerships charge to diagnose problem codes. Toyota for instance charges $140 to simply diagnose by connecting an OBD scanner. AutoZone offers this service for free and they will print you out a report. You can either buy parts from them as a DIY project or take the report to a body shop to fix for you. This takes the guess work and human error out of the equation.
When Should You Go to a Body Shop?
Obviously if your vehicle (or vehicle components) are still under warranty you may want to take advantage of that since these services can be covered already. Some warranties cover the life of a part, a certain amount of miles, months, or years. If the fix is too risky to repair yourself posing a threat to your safety or it’s something that can cause permanent damage to your vehicle, you may want to take it to a reputable body shop and let the professionals handle the dirty work. After all, owning a vehicle does not mean that the vehicle has to own you.