4 Tips for Saving Money on Car Repair and Maintenance

If you own a car, it is paramount that you maintain it to allow it to offer you some great service. Car maintenance and repairs can sometimes be quite costly. 

These machines are subject to wear and tear and therefore need regular maintenance to ensure all parts are functioning properly. This article highlights some of the ways you can save on costs in the maintenance and repair of your vehicle.

Shop Around

It is important for you to do your due diligence when looking for the best place to have your car repaired. Get in touch with friends and family who have had their cars repaired before to seek some referrals. 

You can also visit the auto repairs shop website and have a look at the various client reviews. This will help your source auto parts stores that offer the best deals with great service.

Regular Maintenance

Ensure that you maintain your vehicle on a regular basis according to your vehicle’s service manual to help you keep your vehicle in great shape for years to come. This way, your vehicle will develop fewer problems in the future, thus saving you a lot of money on repairs. 

In addition, with regular maintenance, your vehicle will operate at optimal performance, therefore, allowing you to enjoy your money’s worth. Have your filters replaced, and get some tire repair services such as retreading.

Go for Quality Products

Get quality products when you take your vehicle for maintenance. Quality products have a lasting effect, and this helps your vehicle remain in good shape for a long time. 

When you invest in cheap products such as oils and filters, these may go bad after a short while or even affect your engine’s performance. 

This will, in turn, lead you to spend more money on the repair of your engine and also make regular trips back to the repair shop, which can be quite costly.

Negotiate on Prices

It doesn’t hurt to negotiate for discounted prices. This will save you some money which you can use for other meaningful activities. In addition, strive to become a loyal customer. This will help you receive quality services at a good price. 

Being a loyal client may earn you some extra services at no cost because of the personal relationships you have made with the mechanics.

It is always important for you to read the owner’s manual to help you know at what mileage you are required to take your vehicle for maintenance. 

The manual will also help you understand how to best operate your vehicle to avoid unnecessary breakdowns that may cost you a lot of money on repairs.

4 Suprising Ways to Save Big on Big Auto Repairs on a Shoe String Budget

You're driving down the highway and your check engine light chimes. You begin to worry as your engine temperature rapidly elevates. 

Smoke rises from the engine as you pull to a stop on the shoulder. Opening the hood, you hear the sound of sizzling coolant on the engine block. The head cracked on your motor, producing not only a mess and added inconvenience, but a repair with a very hefty price tag. 

What are you doing to do?

Many of us have had to deal with a similar situation. Vehicles are imperfect, meaning that they are capable of breaking down at any time. 

Sometimes, the required repairs are quite expensive. If you find yourself in this situation, there are four ways you can dramatically reduce the price of your repair and get you back into your car quickly.

1. Do the Work Yourself

For most auto repairs, a significant cost in the repair at a garage or service center is labor cost. If you are mechanically-inclined, this could be a chance to save some major dough. 

Some jobs require a lot of time, so if you are willing to source your own parts and spend your weekend completing repairs, you could reduce your repair bill from thousands of dollars to hundreds.

2. Visit a Scrapyard

If you are comfortable doing repairs yourself, many parts can be found in salvage vehicles that have deeply-discounted prices over new OEM parts. 

Visit a pick-a-part style scrapyard, like U Pull & Pay, and ask for your year, make and model. Most sites will have a very similar vehicle. If you remove the parts yourself, you can get your car running for a fraction of the price.

3. Borrow Tools

If you have not had the chance to get a lot of specialized tools, you can typically go to an auto parts store and rent a tool. 

This is significantly cheaper than buying a special tool you may only use once.

4. Avoid Dealer Service Centers

If you are not comfortable doing the work yourself, take your vehicle to a local and trusted garage. 

Dealership service centers tend to have higher labor rates and higher part costs. By finding a small garage, they usually know the best ways to save you some money. This could be by using remanufactured or aftermarket parts, or charging a lower labor rate.

The next time you find yourself needing an expensive repair, keep these tips in mind to save yourself a lot of money.