Effective Ways To Save Money On Car Repairs
Car repairs are an expense that many car owners overlook. If you’ve got an older car, it is likely that you’ll need to pay more frequent repairs due to wear and tear. Owners of newer cars may be able to take greater steps to avoid damage, however eventually - no matter how carefully you drive and how well you look after your car - things will start to break.
While it can be wise to set aside some savings for repairs, there are other measures you can take to reduce the sting. This includes finding ways to reduce the price of repairs. Below are just a few different examples of how to do this.
Use your network
Many of us know a friend - or a friend of a friend - who’s good at fixing cars. They may be a mechanic by trade, or they may just be very handy. Either way, it’s worth reaching out to these people, as you may be able to get ‘mate’s rates’. Just make sure that the person you’re paying to repair your car actually knows what they’re doing. In many cases, it’s safer to use these connections solely for minor everyday repairs like brake pad replacements and headlight bulb replacements. There’s less risk of things going seriously wrong when undertaking these repairs.
Source your own parts
Instead of letting a mechanic buy parts for you, consider sourcing your own parts when getting repairs. Mechanics will usually try to make a small profit on any parts they order. By buying parts yourself, you can save a few dollars and will only have to pay a mechanic for their labour. There are lots of sites online where you can buy various parts - including niche parts like Tesla model 3 car parts. It’s worth shopping around to find the best prices. Of course, it’s important to make sure that you know exactly which part you need, so that you don’t waste money on the wrong part.
Know when to go DIY
There are some repair jobs that you may even be able to carry out yourself - providing that you’re confident and patient enough. You should probably avoid big jobs like engine repairs or transmission repairs. However, smaller repairs like replacing spark plugs or fixing wing mirrors may be possible to carry out with limited experience just from watching a YouTube video. The key thing to consider is ‘do you have the right tools?’. There’s often no use investing in expensive tools for a repair you’ll only carry out once.
Shop around for price quotes
Many of us are loyal to one repair center. But have you ever considered that you may be able to get cheaper rates by using another mechanic? If you know what needs fixing, it’s possible to ring up different repair centers and collect quotes there and then. You can then go with the cheapest quote to save money.
Check your insurance/warranty
This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people forget about what they’re covered for. Certain repairs like scratches may be covered by your insurance. If you’ve recently bought a car from a dealership or manufacturer, certain forms of wear and tear may meanwhile still be covered by its warranty. In both cases, this cover could potentially save you from having to pay anything.
