When you have car trouble, your goal needs to be getting it back on the road. Having no car to use can be very inconvenient. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on car repairs. Keep reading to learn more about the basic repairs you can do yourself or find out more about hiring a professional.
Do not let a mechanic work on your vehicle unless they are A.S.E. certified. This certification confirms the the mechanic has a lot of experience working on cars. This means you have the best mechanic performing maintenance on your automobile.
A breakdown can happen at any time, so it is important to have an emergency kit somewhere in your car. Include a spare tire, a jack, a battery charger and a container full of gas. Do not forget blankets and a good flashlight with some batteries.
Keep an eye on your radiator levels. Let the car run a couple minutes, shut your engine and open up your hood. Never open the radiator cap if the engine is running. Check how much fluid is in the radiator with a dipstick and keep in mind that you should always mix coolant with water before pouring it in your radiator.
Do you understand what the estimated cost for your fix is? If you don’t understand something, talk to the mechanic first. Being hit with additional fees is something that you don’t want to be surprised with.
You can easily find an auto mechanic that is good if you get referred to them. Speak with others you know to see if they can recommend someone to you. This allows you to ask about the price, quality of work and satisfaction. People will let you know what kind of things they had to deal with and if the person was honest.
Whenever your car undergoes repairs, make sure you have the written record of what was done. If the car has other issues later, it can help the tech see its past records. If you do not have documentation, you may have duplicate services performed.
You should always test drive your vehicle after getting some repairs done on it. This way you can avoid paying for repairs that were not finished correctly. If you do not do this, you may have the same issue when you get home.
OEM parts should be asked for. These parts are directly from the manufacturer of your vehicle. Although using generic parts may provide some short-term savings, it’s impossible to know whether or not they’ll hold up as well as OEM parts. Getting a good deal on generic parts means you might have to purchase the same parts again and pay a mechanic to change them within the next few years.
Ensure that your mechanic is familiar with your vehicle’s make. Cars vary greatly by make and model so it is important that your mechanic is familiar with your make and model of car. Do not hesitate to take your vehicle to a dealership to have experienced mechanics work on it.
A spare tire and a jack need to be in your vehicle all of the time. Most new cars come with them. You never want to be without them, as you could end up having to pay for an expensive tow. It is a whole lot easier and cheaper if you do it yourself.
Always have a repair kit located in your car; you can put one together yourself. You’re going to need to have some tire changing tools in this kit at the very least. Get a lug wrench or a jack. Then have a screwdriver kit, socket wrench kit, ratchet set, torque wrench and adjustable wrench, too. You should not have cheap tools. Get high quality tools that will be able to withstand the test of time.
Now, you know that you don’t always need mechanics and their high costs to fix many basic auto repair issues. You can easily solve minor problems by yourself. These tips will get you back to driving in no time.
