Posted on 12/17/2014
Gone are the days when, if your car needed to be serviced, you would simply drop it off at the trusty corner garage. These days, there are several “flavors” of car repair shops that you can choose from. If this comes as a surprise to you, or if you are confused as to which one to choose, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of these different types of repair shops. The dealership. If your car is still under warranty, then you have little choice but to bring your car back to the dealer for repairs. Otherwise, you risk your warranty being voided. In addition, if a recall has been issued for your particular model and make of vehicle, you can only bring it to a dealer for service. The advantage of bringing your car to the dealer is quite obvious: The mechanics who will work on your car are specialists who have been specifically trained to work on your particular make of car. Given their training and expertise, they are more likely to quickly identi ... read more
Posted on 12/12/2014
Prevention is the best cure is as good advice for cars as it is for people. If you want to keep your car in good working order for a long time and save yourself from expensive car repair bills, you have to ensure that you have good car maintenance habits. Here are some basic car maintenance tips that can help keep you away from the car repair shop. Familiarize yourself with your owner’s manual. By knowing where to find information in the manual, you may discover that what you thought was a problem was actually you doing something wrong with the controls. Tune up your car on its specific schedule. The 100,000-mile tune-up recommendation is just a myth. The frequency with which you should have a tune-up is dictated by factors such as the conditions with which you drive your car and your driving style, as well as the recommendation of the manufacturer. Maintain your tires. Don’t ignore your tires until you get a flat. Among the maintenance tasks that you should regularly do i ... read more
Posted on 12/8/2014
One of the main reasons that people hesitate to bring their cars to the shop to have them serviced is their fear of having to deal with a mechanic. But the longer you wait, the higher the risk of whatever is wrong with your car will become worse. Here are some tips for communicating with a car mechanic. Before you go to the shop, however, you should first write down all of the things that you noticed are wrong with your car. Don’t hesitate to use your own words as long as you are sure that you are communicating clearly. Be as detailed as possible. If you’re driving and you notice a problem, make sure to write down everything that you’ve noticed as soon as you’ve arrived at your destination, in order to ensure that you have captured all the details. You should also have the right mindset when dealing with a mechanic. There are many people who don’t see car mechanics as professionals, but simply as semi-skilled workers who tinker with cars. Keep in mind that ... read more
Posted on 12/5/2014
Learning to properly communicate with a mechanic can spell the difference between getting the problem addressed properly and having to wait while he figures out what’s wrong with your car. Since it is your vehicle, it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with your car so that you can help the technician pinpoint what is wrong. Here are some tips on how to improve your communication with your mechanic so that he can more easily diagnose the problem and get your car back on the road without delay. Know your owner’s manual. The manual should look like your college textbooks, with underlined sentences and dog-eared pages. If you put off reading the manual because you are afraid that it would be difficult to read, try opening it. You might be surprised at how much useful information you could learn from it. Make a habit of writing everything down. The moment you sense that there is something wrong with your car, you should start jotting down symptoms that you notice ... read more
Posted on 12/3/2014
When it comes to dealing with car repair shops, most people would want to just drop off their cars to have them fixed, and then forget about it until it is time to pick it up. However, this will likely ensure that you will not get the high level of service your car deserves. Keep in mind that your car is one of your biggest financial investments and so you have to take good care of it. Here are some tips that can help you get the most of your car repair shop. Knowing is half the battle. Go through your owner’s manual frequently so you’ll know the ins and outs of your car. Familiarizing yourself with the manual will also make it easier for you to identify what the problem is and you can either resolve it yourself or be able to communicate it to the mechanic. Document everything. Each time your car is maintained, keep a record of it and bring those records to the shop. This will ensure that the mechanic does not perform any redundant repairs that have already been done and s ... read more