All About Weddings Journal

Keep Your Car In Tip-top Shape

Jan 21

 

Auto repairs are not fun at all. However, you can see the light if you know what you're doing. Do you have to do the repairs on your own? Is there a way to not feel like you're going through a bank robbery when getting a mechanic to do the work. Keep reading to find out some great answers.

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Before allowing them to repair your vehicle, verify that the mechanic has A.S.E. certification. This certification means that the technician has passed a written test and has over 2 years of experience under his or her belt. This means you have the best mechanic performing maintenance on your automobile.

If you hear a squealing sound when you step on your brakes, it is likely that you need new brake pads or rotors. Do not wait to have a mechanic check your brakes. There will be more damage to pay for and it is also dangerous to drive your car if your brakes are not functioning properly.

Be sure and regularly check your radiator. Keep your car running then shut the engine for several minutes before opening the hood. Don't open your radiator if your car is running. Check how much fluid is in the radiator with a dipstick and keep in mind that you should always mix coolant with water before pouring it in your radiator.

Purchase motor oil on sale and in discount stores and keep two or three bottles in the trunk of your car. Check your oil every time you fill your gas tank. If you find that your oil level is low, you will save lots of money by having your own oil on hand rather than purchasing it at a gas station for inflated prices.

To save a trip to the auto repair shop, you should take a look at your owner's manual. Here, you may find hints or perhaps answers to questions you may have about your vehicle. It can be quite helpful to know the size of your engine or its configuration, which is usually found in the manual.

If you are having work done on your car, make sure you get a written estimate beforehand. The estimate should include what is being repaired, the parts that will be needed and the anticipated cost for labor. It should also say that they will call for your approval before doing any additional work which exceeds the amount or time specified.

Don't ignore small annoying sounds or problems. These tiny annoyances, such as noisy brakes, are usually cheap to fix. If ignored, however, they can usually lead to much more extensive problems and expensive repairs. Replacing worn brake pads now is much cheaper than having to replace the pads, rotors, brake lines, and calipers later.

Take your vehicle to a full service car wash a couple times a year for an extensive cleaning, inside and out. This removes most of the soil and helps preserve the interior of your car. This can pay off when you want to sell or trade your car in for a newer one.

The warning lights on your dashboard have an important function. Refer to your car manual for explanations. They're there for a reason. If you ignore them, you could end up with expensive problems down the road.

If you need to fix a scratch or paint over an area, make sure you select the right color. Check the owner's manual to see if you can find a code for the color of your car or look for a sticker located under the hood or on the driver's side front door to find the color code.

Wash and wax your car on a fairly regular basis. This will prevent it from becoming eroded. Many people go get paint jobs to cover the process of erosion. You can avoid having to pay for this if you make sure that your car is very well taken care of.

Keep a log that includes information on any maintenance that you have ever done on your car. To make things easy, put this log in your glove compartment box. If there is an issue with your car, this information can help the technician figure out what is going on much more quickly.

Keep your car manual in your car. In fact, keep the manual and any other documentation your car may have, including details on past repairs, tune-ups and more. The more data points your auto repair shop has to look into an issue, the better chance that they'll be able to give you a strong idea about what is going on with your car.

How do you feel after reading this article about dealing with your auto repairs? Imagine fostering this new confidence and continuing to grow it with new knowledge. No longer should you feel inadequate when it comes to making decisions regarding your automobile repairs. Take the bull by the horns!

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