Auto Repair: Are You Hurting Your Vehicle?

When it comes to auto repair considerations, more people are hurting the lifespan of their car than probably know it. Perhaps this is an indication of the extraordinary factory warranties that come with some of the newer vehicles. Perhaps it's just a side effect of drivers knowing less and less about what's going on under the hood. Whatever the reason, it is causing vehicles that should be lasting years and years to go under in half their natural lifespan. Cars today should be ready to last longer than ever, but in practical applications, they aren't. Here are some of the reasons yours might not, either.

Ignoring Your Car's Warnings

Those orange and red lights that show up on the dashboard occasionally aren't just for decoration. Learn what they mean and what to do when they show up. Sometimes the Check Engine light means nothing more than a loose gas cap. Sometimes it means your engine could disintegrate imminently. You don't know until you take in to a mechanic who can run a diagnostic check, which is one of the most important aspects of modern auto repair. Don't assume the light is going to get brighter when it's really serious. Take it in now.

Giving Your Own Diagnosis

This is a growing problem, especially with the advent of the internet. In the old days, the only people who gave mechanics their amateur diagnosis were those who had plenty of experience with auto repair themselves. Today, anyone can enter some symptoms into a search engine and come back with some results. But these results are often very misleading. When you tell your mechanic that you think the problem is such and such, that's where they are going to focus their energies. You could even wind up having something replaced that has nothing to do with the actual problem.

Wasting Money

There is a lot of comfort that comes with finding a good mechanic, but if you take the time to learn a few simple auto repair techniques, you can put a lot of money back in your pocket. An oil change can be a hassle without a hydraulic lift, but there are other things you can do that are quite easy. These include replacing the windshield wiper blades, changing out the light bulbs (including the headlights), and switching out the fuses. Even someone with virtually no experience with cars can handle these jobs and they can do it for a lot less money than it will cost at a shop.