What You Can Do to Pay Less on Auto Repairs

There’s no getting around it – your car is a necessary part of your daily life. Whether you use it to drive yourself to work, take the kids to school, pick up friends, or any and all of the above, your car is vital to your life. And when your car needs repairs, they can be incredibly inconvenient, and not to mention costly. Here are some tips for what you can do to pay less on auto repairs.

Regular maintenance

It may seem counterintuitive to do to the auto shop or the mechanic more often to save money, but the reality is, if you are doing frequent check-ups on your car, you’re going to save money on repairs in the long-haul. When you make frequent trips to the mechanic (at least every six months) for check-ups and routine maintenance, you’re less likely to be surprised by huge car issues that require expensive repairs.

Here’s a list of some of the routine maintenance you should be doing on a regular basis to pay less on auto repairs overall, according to Cars Direct:

• Every 3,000-5,000 miles: Get your car’s oil changed. Also inspect transmission fluid levels, coolant levels, power steering fluid levels, windshield washer fluid levels and wipers, tire pressure, and all exterior lights.
• Every 6,000-8,000 miles: Get your car’s tires rotated.
• Every 15,000 miles: Replace your car’s air filter.
• Every 30,000 miles: Replace your car’s power steering fluid.
• Every 60,000 miles: Replace your cars brake pads, brake fluid, radiator hoses, and timing belt. You should also get the HVAC inspected.

Another important maintenance element of your car is the tires themselves. You need to pay special attention to tires since they are one of the most important safety features of your car. There’s no hard and fast mileage rule for tire replacement, but in general, you should replace your tires when the tread depth is too low, or at least every six years. According to Nerd Wallet, you can use the “quarter and penny tests” to check tire tread and see if they are in need of replacement.

One secret that most car owners don’t realize is that you should check your car’s owner’s manual for tips on exactly when certain routine maintenance elements should be conducted. Although the mileage counts above are great reference points, these do vary slightly from car to car, so you will save yourself some money by doing your due diligence.

Shop around

One of the best ways to save money and pay less for your auto-repairs is by shopping around. Unless you have an established mechanic that you’ve been going to for years and completely trust (and sometimes, even if you are in this situation), you owe it to yourself to get multiple quotes, especially when it comes to major repairs. Plus, in the auto-industry, since many auto-shops are independently owned, you can easily come in with a quote from another shop and ask them if they can do it for less. They won’t always oblige or be receptive, but you can at least try. It may help you save a little (or a lot) or money!

To seek out other local repair shops, turn to review sites to do some research before you even leave the house. This way, you’ll be able to get digital “word of mouth” from other customers and get inside information on pricing, service, and repair capabilities.

Conversely, if you do find a mechanic or repair shop that you go to routinely, and you’ve developed a good relationship with them, you likely will be able to save money and get the best repair rates possible from someone who you give repeat business to, and who you already have a rapport with. In many cases, your best bet is to shop around for mechanics at first, but after you find one who you get along with, and who provides great service at a reasonable price, commit to them as your preferred mechanic. They’ll be more likely to offer you solid deals on repairs.

Do it yourself

With many car repairs (as long as they’re not major), you can usually do them yourself. Especially with so many tutorials available on YouTube, and other online resources, you can get the instruction you need, sometimes in a step-by-step format, to complete basis repairs from the comfort of your own driveway.

Rule of thumb, though: do not try to attempt a repair on your own if you suspect something is seriously wrong with your car, like a failing transmission or an engine replacement. In those cases, you are much better off taking you car straight to the dealership. For example, if you drive an Elantra and you are having serious car issues, you should take your car to your local dealership to make sure major repairs are completed genuine Hyundai auto parts. With smaller repairs, you can get away with generic replacement parts, for crucial repairs to major systems should be made with brand-specific parts.

No one likes dealing with car maintenance because it’s often confusing, complicated, time-consuming, and costly, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. Follow these instructions and you’ll begin paying less for car repairs!