Regardless of how economists refer to this economy, recession or no recession, people are hurting, financially. Unemployment, flat wages and rising costs for food and gas have many hurting.
Auto Repairs can be Time Consuming and Costly.
Here are Some Simple Tips to Reduce Repair Costs and Save Money On Your Automobile
Regular Checks Avoid Costly Repairs
A properly maintained vehicle requires fewer repairs and gets better fuel efficiency. Repairing problems quickly limits further damage that can increase repair costs. Simple checks include:
* Perform scheduled maintenance on your vehicle to avoid expensive damage. Use your owner's manual to know what needs to be done.
* While driving listen for new sounds or changes in handling. Have them checked immediately to avoid bigger problems.
* Check daily for leaks. A quick glance will usually do. If a leak is found have it repaired before further damage is done. Know fluid colors so you can identify the leak:
•Brown – Engine oil
•Red and Oily – Transmission
•Bright Green or Orange and watery– Antifreeze / Coolant
•Clear or slightly brown – clutch / brake fluid
•Dark brown or slightly greenish and oily – Gear oil
•Blue – windshield washer fluid
1. A well tuned car can has a fuel consumption from 25% to 33% lower than a poorly tuned car making a tune-up cheaper than driving without it, tuning your car for better performance can save you between $150 and $250 per year.
2. Dirty air filter means more gasoline used and reduces the engine's life so you should check it regularly, maybe monthly. The air filter can be cleaned by blowing it with a hose or can be replaced. You can save about $130 per year..
3. Using steel-belted radial tires can increase the number of miles you make per year by up to 10%, saving this way about $130 per year.
4. Having under inflated tires makes your engine burn about 6% more gas so make sure you check your tire pressure regularly.
5. If your tires are improperly balanced the tread on them will be destroyed. In addition, your suspension and shock absorbers can be damaged leading to more expense on car parts and service. Balancing your tires once a year can add thousands of miles to their life.
6. If you haven’t taken the best care of your brake system and your mechanic tells you the vehicle will need a new caliper, ask if it can simply be rebuilt instead. In most cases, rebuild kits cost around $30 and the job doesn’t take very long. Compare that to over $100 for a caliper on most cars, and you can see the savings.
7. If you have an older manual vehicle, chances are that you will someday have to replace the clutch plate. The clutch plate is located on the very back of the engine attached to the flywheel. If you can remove your engine it is a very simple part to fix, and can easily be done at home, on a workbench, or even on the ground next to your vehicle.
8. Change your engine oil yourself by choosing a a good quality engine oil. Its not hard to change the oil just unscrew a bolt under the engine, after the engine is empty, tighten the bolt under the engine and pour new oil from the top. That's it.
Owners should repair minor issues to prevent costly damage, stay with their vehicle during service, and understand their bill. Owners can prevent costly repair bills with regular checks, basic knowledge, and a little attention. Automotive work involves few hassles when simple precautions are taken.
Used Car Parts can comes handy if you are a good expert in parts recognizing. You can buy used car parts from genuine resources. In this down economy many people are forced to buy used car parts.
