Prior to letting a mechanic touch your vehicle, ensure that they are A.S.E certified. The basis of this certification is that your mechanic has over two years of experience and they have passed appropriate testing. This will ensure that you have the cream of the crop working on your vehicle.

TIP! Do not underestimate the importance of having an emergency kit in your car. Your kit should include jumper cables, tire changing tools and maybe some extra gas.

When you car has problems, you should shoot to have it on the road as soon as possible. Not having a vehicle can significantly hinder your life. Keep in mind that it doesn’t always have to cost an arm and a leg to have repairs done. There are a great number of repairs you can easily perform yourself.

Always ask lots of questions when your car is at the shop. You should ask about the problems you have and what to do to avoid them in the future. One of the best ways to save on car maintenance is to prevent problems in the first place. A little money spent for prevention can save thousands in the future.

TIP! Keep all of your car records handy. Store them inside the glove compartment just in case you have to see a mechanic all of a sudden.

Inspect your radiator once in a while. Warm up your car a little, shut if back off and pop the hood. Refrain from opening the radiator when your car is on. Use your dipstick to check fluid levels and mix water with coolant ahead of pouring it in.

Whenever your car undergoes repairs, make sure you have the written record of what was done. Having detailed records will be useful if you need to perform more repairs on your vehicle. Without them, you may end up paying for more diagnostic tests, and it will be more difficult to learn where the issue is stemming from.

TIP! Look for online reviews of different local auto shops. These reviews will inform you of the company’s quality, customer service satisfaction rates, etc.

Your car should be washed regularly so that rust doesn’t become a problem. Although all cars rust at some point in time, it is possible to delay this from occurring by washing off salt and chemicals immediately. Utilize quality waxes to keep the paint looking new.

Test drive your vehicle after repairs before paying the auto repair shop. A lot of people forget to test drive their vehicle and pay for repairs that did not really fix their problem.

TIP! Are your headlights clean? Dirt from driving can build up on your headlights and block some light. Use a quality glass cleaning product and improve the situation dramatically.

Record each repair that you have done on your car. If your car has issues in the future, it is useful to be able to give your mechanic all such records. Not maintaining these records will likely mean you have to spend more money because diagnosing the problem will be harder for the mechanic to do.

Keep your eye out for mechanics that do not measure up. If they do not answer you directly, you may want to find someone else. Since it is important to trust the person who is repairing your car, don’t hesitate to look elsewhere for a person to repair your vehicle.

Key Chain

Ask if your intended mechanic is experienced with the make and model of your car. There are many similarities between vehicles but some issues are specific to certain makes and models. It may be worth the extra cost to have a specialized dealer fix a major problem with your car.

TIP! Keep a spare tire and a jack with you all the time. Most new cars come with them.

Avoid attaching your car keys to a heavy key chain or detach your keys every time you drive. Ignitions are not meant to hold so much weight. If your key sticks, install new tumblers and use a lighter key chain.

Replacing your own taillights and headlights is an easy way to save money. Some vehicles have a simpler system than others, but you can save a lot by doing it yourself regardless of how complex your system is. Speak with people that you’re familiar with if you know they’re good at repairs.

TIP! Remove unnecessary key chains. Your car’s ignition is simply not designed to hold all that weight, even if it may not seem that heavy to you.

Inquire about labor rates and overall cost before handing your keys to the mechanic. There are many unscrupulous mechanics who are not upfront about their costs and policies. Since it’s your car, you have to know the cost of repairs. Some shops have the repair times established by certain manufacturers. Other shops may charge an inflated rate for a minor repair that should be done within a shorter period of time.

Look at flashing lights on your dashboard and learn what each one signifies. They are located there to assist you, so use them to your advantage. If you ignore them for a long time then you’ll just have an even worse problem later on.

TIP! If money is especially tight and you are desperate to get your car repaired, consider contacting the auto repair department of your local vocational school. You will be giving students a learning experience as their teacher looks on to be sure the job is right.

You do not have to always take your vehicle to an expensive repair shop to get it running again. A lot of the time your problems can be solved when you’re at home. Use the things you’ve gone over here and you should be back to driving in no time.

Don’t allow people to sell auto parts to you that say they’re going to last forever. Most of the time this is just a way for them to get their hands on more of your money. For example, you can find cars that come equipped with “lifetime” fluid in their transmission. Though the change time on transmission fluid is very long, it should be swapped every 80,000 miles.

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