Auto Repair: Tips That Can Keep Money In Your Pocket

Jan 20
08:33

2012

Andrew Stratton

Andrew Stratton

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Anyone facing major auto repair is going to naturally be concerned with the cost. Here are some tips you can use to make sure you aren't paying more for your repairs than you should be.

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Anyone facing major auto repair is going to naturally be concerned with the cost. Few people have thousands of dollars in the bank,Auto Repair: Tips That Can Keep Money In Your Pocket Articles just waiting to be thrown into a new transmission or an engine overhaul. Unfortunately, it happens. And it usually happens when you can least afford it. On the other hand, there are some tips you can use to make sure you aren't paying more for your repairs than you should be. If you continually walk out of a mechanic's shop wondering how on earth the bill always comes to so much, you might benefit from changing your approach.

Find a Trustworthy Shop

This is the number one way you can avoid getting ripped off. Don't just pick an auto repair shop at random. Do your research. The internet makes this easier than ever before. If you run a shop's name through a search engine and it comes up with endless customer complaints, you'll know to find somewhere else to take your vehicle. Now, every shop is going to anger someone at some point, but you have to look at the whole picture. See what people in your community are saying and don't keep going back to a shop that you suspect is taking you for a ride.

Don't Offer Prices

Too many people walk into a shop and start ruminating on how much they think the auto repair will cost. Now, if you're in a reputable shop, it won't matter, but this won't always be the case. A dishonest mechanic will see this as a wonderful opportunity to bring the price to a figure you've already deemed reasonable. It won't matter if the price you uttered was two hundred dollars more than the repair should have cost. If you must speak of the price, make sure you know what you're talking about first, and then throw a lowball figure out there.

Know What The Manual Says

Drivers constantly get talked into doing things they have no need for. The mechanic doesn't know better than the manufacturer, nine times out of ten. Often, they are just trying to upsell you and make some more profit for the shop. Don't just sign off on things without knowing if your car really needs them. Unwarranted auto repair will not only cost you money you don't need to spend, but it actually could wind up harming your vehicle. Check the maintenance table in the back of your owner's manual and follow the schedule written there.