Penny Pinching: Auto Repair
Posted by mmetz on February 18th, 2010
Driving along you start to hear it. A clank, bang, squeal, snap, or pop and you know it’s not good. This is the sound of your wallet about to drain at the hands of a mechanic. Well it’s time to plug that drain and start saving hundreds of dollars on your car repair.
Most problems with a car turn out to be something very simple and take a mechanic under twenty minutes to fix, for the low price of three hundred bucks! Save the cash and use some of these tips to get your car running again without having to take a second job.
Look it up: Don’t just stare at the engine and wait for the solution to pop out at you, take the time to research what’s wrong. The internet is the best place to start when you hear an odd noise or something isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. Go to an online search engine and type in the year and model car you have and the problem it’s having. Most of the time, there will be a hand full of people who had the same issue and they describe what was wrong and how they fixed it. If you can’t find anything online, consult a friend who is a car guru to get their opinion. Between these two options, you are bound to find the source of your auto woes.
Parts galore: Once you find the culprit, shop around to find the best deal on the part you need to fix it. Buying the first part you find is silly, look around at different auto part stores and haggle for the best price or try going to an auto junk yard, these places are perfect for bargain parts.
Auto shop 101: Now that you have your parts it’s time to start fixing! Haynes.com is a perfect place to pick up a repair manual for around twenty five bucks that details the entire inner workings of your steel beast.
Fixin’ time: Now that you have the parts and step by step instructions, it’s time to fix her up. Even if you don’t have the tools, call a friend over who does and ask to borrow their tools or their time. Grab a pizza and make it fun and you will have your car running in no time.
Before you run to the mechanic for every little squeak, creak, or beep your car has, take the time to research the problem and you could get that mechanical monstrosity up and running for a fraction of the cost!
What is the most you had to pay in mechanical medical bills to fix your ailing vehicle?
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