Dealing with auto repairs is one of life’s most annoying but necessary chores. Nearly everyone deals with a broken down car eventually. Don’t become derailed and learn all that you can from the tips below. You will be amazed at the knowledge that you will gain.
Only choose an A.S.E. certified mechanic. This indicates passage of written testing and experience of no less than two years. That way, you can have the best mechanics working on your car.
Always have a good battery charger in your car. Dead batteries are a common problem, and you should always have a charger or cables on you at all times. Before you drive again, figure out how to use it properly.
If you have issues with your car, you can fix it yourself. Some repairs are easy to make. You can take your chances by going on the Internet to find some information to see if you can locate the problem. You can save a lot by doing small repairs yourself.
Keeping your car washed will help prevent rust. While cars are going to rust eventually, you can definitely slow this down by ensuring all chemicals are cleaned off your car as quickly as possible. Wax is also important.
Look for online reviews about your chosen body shop. This will let you know how others feel about the services they provide. Use these reviews to eliminate unreliable mechanics and make a list of mechanic you want to contact to get a quote.
You should not leave anything inside your car if you need to take it to a repair shop. If your belongings are in the way of your mechanic’s repairs, they may be moved to the side, possibly even lost. Everything needs to be taken out of your trunk too.
If your headlights are not shining as brightly, check to see if they are clean. Sometimes there is grease and/or dirt on it, and it reduces the brightness of the light. Clean theses with a good quality glass cleaning agent to get them as clean as possible.
Check and make sure that your mechanic is familiar with working on your type of car. Yes, every car has an engine, a radiator, and a gas tank, but how they are built will vary greatly from vehicle to vehicle. If you don’t think he has, go to the dealer.
Try looking for someone who fixes cars on their own property. If they’re experienced then they probably can do quality work and they don’t charge a lot either. This can save you a lot of money and help out someone who may need it, instead of giving it to a big shop.
Take all the fluffy and fun key chains off, or remove the car key. The ignition in your car can’t withstand too much extra weight, even if that weight doesn’t seem excessive to you. If your keys stick, take off some of the charms!
Know what your dashboard warning lights mean, and keep an eye on them. They are meant to help; use them to your advantage. If you ignore them, you could end up with expensive problems down the road.
Self diagnosing complex problems with your vehicle is probably something you shouldn’t attempt. Don’t forget that you are not a repair wizard. What you may see as a simple fix can really be very complicated, especially if you own one of the newer vehicles equipped with a computer. You can tell them your opinion, but leave the diagnosing of problems to the experts. Provide them with every detail of what happened and what was heard, but let them provide the final diagnosis.
Do not allow an auto repair technician to convince you that getting your engine flushed is a normal maintenance process. This service is costly, and it is not really needed unless you haven’t been taking good care of your engine.
Don’t allow people to sell auto parts to you that say they’re going to last forever. This is a trick used to charge you more for parts. There are some cars that carry a “lifetime guarantee” for their transmission fluid: this is a perfect example. While it’s not changed as much as typical fluid, it must be changed around every 80,000 miles.
Bleed your brakes after fixing them. Once you have bled the brakes, pump up the fluid of your brakes. Look for leaks and make sure the fluid will not run out. Now you can take your car out for a test drive on roads with light traffic. Start slowly so you can make sure your repairs went well.
If the mechanic does not want to provide you with a written cost breakdown, find someone else to do the job. If he does not do the work correctly, you will have a hard time recovering any damages, because you will have no proof of the work that he was contracted to do.
Should you find a repair shop that impresses you with their work, continue to use them in the future. Developing a camaraderie will ensure that the mechanic does his best work. Loyal customers may also get discounts.
Do not put regular water in the windshield wiper reservoir. The system needs windshield washer fluid, so water can damage the system. Check that compartment frequently and refill it when you need. Do not insist when the compartment seems to be empty.
Use a hose on your car mats when giving your car a wash. Dirt pieces get really lodged into the mats, and over some time they can do some serious damage to those mats. Not only do the holes look bad, but they will also let dirt through to the carpet underneath the mats.
Take the time to put these tips to use as you face your next auto repair. Never become overwhelmed again. Take the initiative to learn more about your car, the common mechanical issues and who the reputable dealers are.