How To Save Big Money On Repairs And Auto Parts
Keywords: auto maintenance, routine maintenance, headlight repair, headlight restoration, car, oil change, walmart
We all know it is cheaper to fix things yourself. It is the same with a car or truck. The biggest expense with any repair is not the parts, but the labor. It is not uncommon for repair and service shops to be charging $60 to $70 per hour of labor. And they round to the next half hour or hour for any repair. Just go to any new car dealer and ask to have your windshield wiper blades replaced. They will charge you 10 times the price of replacements at your local auto parts store. So anything you can do yourself to save will be a big help. The purpose of this article is to show you some things you can do on your own and how to get the lowest prices on parts so you can save big and put your money towards something better than fattening your local auto dealers pockets.
First off is routine maintenance. Routine maintenance consists of items like oil changes, tire rotations, and similar. Oil changes are a must at every 4000 to 5000 miles for most every car. Do not go by what your dealer says. They want to rev up your maintenance plan and have you doing more than is required. Instead, use your owners manual. If your car did not come with one, than buy one off of Ebay. The owners manual will give you exact recommendations for every service and when and what should be done. For oil changes use Walmart. They charge around $15 for a oil and filter change and will lube your chassis at the same time. They will also check your tires and change your air filter if you desire or need it. They have the best service for the lowest price and at $15 its better to have them do it than do it yourself. Expect to pay twice this at a new car dealer.
It is also a good idea to check your tire pressure at every gas fill up. A tire pressure gauge can be purchased at Walmart or any auto parts store for a few dollars. Proper tire pressure will prolong the usefulness of your tires and help ensure better fuel economy. To most people a under inflated tire is pretty obvious, but a over inflated tire can be just as dangerous as it can lead to blowouts and loss of traction especially in wet conditions (hydroplaning). Also, check your tires for nails, punctures, slashes, anything that could be wrong with it. If you need new tires, be sure to shop around and avoid the new car dealer as they will have a huge markup on them. For instance, 1 ZR Goodyear tire for a 2002 Ford Mustang GT was $289. The same ZR tire with a different make (Kumho) was $100 installed and balanced (the $289 at the dealer did not include installation or balancing. Shop around and look at discount stores. Also look at Costco, Sams club and BJs for tires.
If you have an older car and do not care about matching the exact style you can always go to your local junk yard and buy an entire set for dirt cheap. You would be amavzed at what you might find there. A friend of mine picked up 4 tires for a 1999 corvette for $150 and the tires only had maybe 10,000 miles on them if that.
Lights and lighting on your car are an item that is routinely overlooked. If your lights are dim you could have a battery charge, alternator or dim, cloudy lenses. These are all easy to fix. A battery should be checked for its ability to hold charge at least once a year (more in extremely cold climates). An alternator can be replaced very easily, or if you do not feel comfortable a local mechanic can do it. Do not do this at a new car dealer as they will charge at least 300% more. A good tip is to go and buy the part at your local auto parts store and then inquire with the counter clerk as to a mechanic that they recommend to install it. You will save a lot and it will be professionally done. They will probably even come to your house to do it. As to your headlights, turn on your lights. If they are dim, is it the bulb or cloudy lenses? If it is the bulb, the cheapest replacements can be found at Walmart or on Ebay. It is recommended you go with brighter Xeon bulb
s as they are only a few dollars more and increase brightness and night visibility by over 20 percent. If it is cloudy headlights there is a new headlight repair and restoration kit that will restore the lenses to new. This will save you big over replacement as the average plastic automotive lens costs $250 to replace.
Checking your fluid levels routinely is a good idea. A lot of cars now will do this for you and will even alert you to when it is time to perform a certain service. It takes 2 minutes to unscrew the oil cap and pull out the dipstick. On older cars you should also look under the cap. Is the oil really dirty, sludge like, or have white in it? These all indicate something needs to be done. The first two mean it is in dire need of an oil change. The latter with the whiteness or light chocolate look means you have a blown head gasket and coolant is leaking into the engine. That is really bad and requires major repairs and can be the result of running a car too hot. Fill all fluids to the fuel full line or indicator. By routinely checking your cars fluid levels you will be ahead of the game and keep your car running better and for much longer.
Another great idea to keep service costs to a minimum and save you big at the same time is to buy 1 to 3 year old used cars with around 30,000 miles on them. Then drive them until you get 100,000 miles on it and replace it. Most major repairs rarely occur before 100,000 miles with proper routine maintenance. Use and follow your owners manual. It was written by the ultimate expert, the people who built, designed and tested your car.
For more great information, tips, safety and money saving products please visit: www.mdwholesale.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Got Bad Credit And Need A Car Loan? (1)
Keywords: bad credit, credit, car loan, bad credit car loan, credit report, interest rate, auto loan, loan Credit scores have been averaging lower and lower these days as many Americans are finding they have either spent far too much or over extended themselves too far.
Chemically Improving Your Gas Mileage In Your Car (2)
The ideal mixture found that was easiest to obtain and handle was 1-2 ounces of acetone per full tank (acetone can be found at your local hardware store or paint supply shop).
How To Protect Your Car And Treat It For Rust (3)
If rust has already started than there are treatments available for this. It is a little more involved, though. You must sand the area until the rust is gone and there is just bare metal.
Some Scams Which Usually Offered When You Go To Buy A Car (4)
Some dealerships will not let you. You will hear one of these lines so that they can try and get you into paying monthly terms for more money. State laws require that you must fill out a credit application before I can sell you this car.
Dealership Scams While Buying A Car (5)
Basically this scam works because they will up your monthly fees, and then sell your trade in for a more money than its worth. The dealership then extends your monthly payments so that they can make it appear that you are paying a small amount monthly when you don't even realize that you have committed to an extra year of payments.
How To Save On Your Auto Insurance Like George Bush (6)
This in turn is driving up inflation and the cost of almost everything we buy or need including auto or car insurance. Here's how to turn the tables in your favor and save money on your auto insurance like George Bush would if he had to pay for it.
Types Of Vehicle Fuels (7)
Here is a listing of the types of alternate fuels that are available depending on what type of vehicle that you drive. Researching these different fuel types might give you the incentive to drive a vehicle that uses a lower priced fuel so that you can save money on your transportation costs.
Best Negotiating Strategy To Buy A Car (8)
Get the tips from the internet on the factory invoice, so we won't buy any scams by the dealers. Get the calculation of the car before walk into the dealership.
Headlights And How They Greatly Impact Your Night Time Driving Safety (9)
Keywords: safety, driving safety, headlight restoration, headlight cleaning, headlight kit, night time driving Night time driving safety is a big concern lately as most accidents occur at night. Also, the severity of these accidents tends to be much more severe with more fatalities and severe injuries.
Do Hybrid Cars Really Live Up To All The Hype That We Hear? (10)
The company is backed by some of the leaders of the internet industry and shows great promise as the first non gas powered vehicle that is also a true performance car as well with zero to sixty times under four seconds!
Avoid Buying Gasohol And Avoid Buying Gas From A Just Replenished Gas Station (11)
Keeping track of your last oil change will save you money at the gas pump and increase your fuel consumption. If you are reluctant or unable to change the oil in your car on your own make sure that you fuel up at a gas station that offers you full service.
How The Internet Can Enrich Your Sports Car Experience (12)
Although learning and research may not get the blood pumping quite like an afternoon country drive or provide the sense of satisfaction inherent in a do-it-yourself repair job, they can serve to significantly improve the quality of your sports car ownership experience.
Gas Prices To Come Down Next Week Unless George Bush And Big Oil Intervene (13)
The middle class, on the other hand, pays an average 0f 30 to 35 percent of their income in taxes. Is this fair, absolutely not, but since the rich are not paying their share of taxes it has to come from somewhere.
Tips On How To Avoid Extras Cost At Closing (14)
The extras are things like rust proofing, scotch guarding etc. It seems pretty straight forward but you would be surprised at how many people get taken on these. The trickiest closing cost scam is the extended warranty because the language used is so confusing.
Best Tips For Avoiding Car Refinance Scams (15)
You should also know that the dealer's price is not the invoice price from the factory. You should know that the dealer's cost is much lower than the factory's cost.
12 Months Average For Regular Unleaded And Combine Trips (16)
Keeping the car idle for sometime before driving could costs you more on the fuel consumption. Your car is for you to travel and not for storing thing that you sometimes might not be aware of.
Reducing Harmful Headlight Glare And Increasing Your Driving Safety (17)
The easiest thing to do is just push your mirrors down. You can always readjust them later. 3) Keep your windshield clean. Dirty windshields and windows will make it much harder to see and actually add to the glares intensity.
How To Properly Repair Chips And Deep Scratches On Your Car (18)
Usually it is mix thoroughly for 5 minutes (metallic paints may require more agitation). Then using the toothpick place the paint directly in the chip or scratch. When done allow to dry for several days before waxing or polishing (some cars have a clear cote which you would then apply in the same fashion to the affected area).
Windshield Repair Will Save You Big Money Over Replacement (19)
Due to its effect on your vision and driving safety and being that the price is only around $25 it is best to see a technician trained in windshield repair.
Benefits Of Hybrid Automobiles (20)
The aerodynamic designs of the hybrids help in their energy efficiency. Look at pictures of the various hybrids on the market. The shape of the vehicle is intentional.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Choosing The Right Mechanic For Your Sports Car (1)
Even more expert owners may need a professional mechanic's assistance for some tasks. Choosing the right mechanic, therefore, becomes are very important agenda item for sports car owners. There is no surefire method of developing an ideal relationship with a mechanic, but there are things you can do to improve the likelihood of finding a great partner in keeping your car in top shape.
Caring For A Convertible Top (2)
Just like with headlight restoration, an item that was previously replaced at great expense can now easily be restored to like new condition. Before proceeding with this article, be sure to check your owners manual for required car as some convertible tops are more sensitive or may require special products or coatings for maximum durability.
Replace The Air Filter In Your Car (3)
Talk to your mechanic about your next alignment servicing. One of the ways that you can tell if your car is due for alignment is if there is a pulling on the steering wheel when you are driving.
Taking Care Of Your BMW In Orlando, Florida (4)
If you do not change your oil often enough or if you pick the wrong kind of oil you run the risk of damaging your engine and/or making your BMW run less efficiently.
Proper Car Washing, Polishing And Waxing From The Experts (5)
Do one light coat and completely buff it off. The car wax will work better than the leading brand glass treatment for rain (it will also quite your windshield wipers).
Ways To Make You A Good Negotiator (6)
These cars are flying off of the lot. It may not be available for the same deal tomorrow(Threaten to leave and they will ease up and try to change their strategy) 2.
Preventative Car Maintenance In Summer Helps To Avoid Breakdowns (7)
The next point about preventative car maintenance in summer is tire pressure. Tire pressure is important in all contexts - irrespective of whether it is for speed or for safety reasons.
Electric Cars, What Are They Up To? (8)
The Honda Civic has a weak 20 hp electric motor while the Toyota Prius has a much more powerful 67 hp electric motor. The dashboard of the Toyota looks pretty cool from the images I see on Car & Driver, it looks very futuristic.
Online Auctions, Used Car Fraud And What You Need To Know (9)
It will also reveal important issues like if the vehicle has been in a wreck or flooded. Never rely on the sellers word as to the vehicles history. Per the FTC and the Better Business Bureau, odometer fraud is a major concern in internet purchases.
Car Fraud A Growing Concern On Auction Sites Like Ebay (10)
Don't become a victim like I did - the car Farmerville Motors in Monroe, LA sold me upon a thorough examination had been involved in a possible unreported flood - no wonder the OBD system didn't work.
The Latest In Headlight Cleaning And Restoration (11)
Cloudy, yellow headlights dont just occur in old cars, they also occur on cars as recent as 2-3 years old. This corrosion and wear of the plastic headlight lenses is not only unsightly, but it is unsafe.
Proper Car Care Includes Rust Protection And Treatment (12)
Everyone hates rust and complains about it, but when you look at their cars, little if anything is ever done to stop or prevent it. As evidenced in clinical studies and research by the big 3 auto manufacturers, its not a question of if.
Multi-Purchases While Buying Gas (13)
Many people don't realize what the reason for the decreasing fuel efficiency is. Be aware of this cause or get ready to pay the price. There are many other ways that you can use the Internet to help you save money at the gas pumps.
Comprehensive Guide On Buying The Car (14)
Every car buyer knows that there are tricks to getting a car at a reasonable price. Dealerships and private sellers rarely mark the car's actual worth. Instead, they mark the price up a little so that they can clear a good profit for themselves.
How To Really Save Big Money On Buying A Used Car (15)
The dealer will use this to their advantage. Use the steps above and give them a fair offer. You want to end up at $500 over their cost and that is reasonable.
Buy Gas From A Busy Station (16)
It is always good to know what are the best places to purchase gas and when to do it. Another small but useful tips to fill your car tank and saving some more from it, the more care you take of filling your car gas the more you save yourself of other hazards that could have arise otherwise.
How To Find And Install Auto Parts On Your Own Vehicle (17)
One way that you can reduce the expense of auto parts is to go for recycled car parts. You will find that companies that specialize in recycling auto parts can offer you some really good savings.
Tips For Safer Driving At Night (18)
The other driver is less likely to see you and pedestrian accidents are awful. You will not win with a 3000 pound car going 50 mph. For emergencies pack a flashlight in your car and a reflective vest so you can be seen.
Routine Car Polishing Gives Your Car A Spruced-up, Fresh Look (19)
Clean the windows using some window cleaner. Water and a soft towel should do for the wheels; you can use some spray on tire shine on the tires to retain the new look and give them a protective covering.
Buy A Smarter Vehicle And Travel Tips (20)
By using your overdrive gears you can improve the fuel consumption in your car during highway type driving. The concept behind overdrive gears is that they decrease your engine speed, saving you on engine wear and gas consumption.
Permalink to How To Save Big Money On Repairs And Auto Parts