Are you worried about making decisions involving your auto repair and maintenance? Have you considered doing repairs yourself? Maybe you just want to learn a little more about what you can do to find a good mechanic. Continue on if you would like a little more information regarding these choices.
Invest in a quality battery charger and always keep it in your car. Dead batteries are common, and a good battery charger will come in handy more than once. Before you drive again, figure out how to use it properly.
Be sure to read your owner’s manual to find out what kinds of fluids (oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, steering fluid) your car needs and to learn how to check and top these off yourself. Keep a few bottles of each fluid in the trunk of your car in case of emergencies.
If you need to get your car fixed after an accident, you should contact your insurance to get a list of approved mechanics. Going to an approved mechanic means your insurance will cover some of your expenses. Besides, you are more likely to find a good certified mechanic if you go to a professional chosen by your insurance company.
It is a good idea to add an injector cleaner to the fuel you put into your gas tank regularly. You will get better gas mileage if the fuel injectors in your cars engine are kept clean. Adding enough cleaner to treat a full tank once a month is usually enough to improve your mileage a little.
If you need new tires, do not get used ones from a garage or a junk yard. Used tires are not a good choice since they might be worn thin or have already been patched. Brand new tires are expensive but they are a good investment and will help you remain safe.
Take all those fun and fluffy keychains off, or make it possible to remove your car key from the bunch. Your car ignition shouldn’t have to hold so much weight. If your key starts sticking, you need to get new tumblers and no longer use that little troll head keychain!
Inspect your manual so that you know what each dashboard light represents. They’re there to assist you, so take advantage of them. Problems will worsen if you simply ignore them.
Make sure you know where your owner’s manual is and use it! If there is a problem with your car, you will be lost without it. Sometimes, an issue is simply a result of a lack of understanding. Pick it up, read through it, and see if you can figure out what is going on.
Stick with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) components. If your car needs parts, choose OEM parts over generic ones. For optimum performance, you should have the OEM parts that are up to the manufacturer’s standards. While generic parts are cheaper, they’re generally a lower quality than the original ones. This means that you may pay more later for replacements.
Have a repair shop in mind before you run into trouble. If you wait until an emergency, you may end up going with a shady mechanic who is convenient because you are desperate. Ask friends for a mechanic with a good reputation. Then when you run into repair problems, you can trust you won’t be ripped off.
If you take your car to an auto repair shop to get one thing fixed and they tell you that other repairs are needed, thank them for the information and decline the additional services. Go to several other places and get quotes before allowing them to do any more work on your car.
Do not ignore unusual noises you hear when driving. Clunks, screeches, clicks and pings are usually caused by loose parts. Take your car to a trustworthy mechanic and describe the noise as best as you can. Your mechanic will probably replace or adjust the parts that were causing the noise.
OEM means Original Equipment Manufacturer. You need to know this when replacing parts. You sound better educated on repairs if you ask your mechanic to use OEM parts. This could very well prevent someone from outfitting your car with old parts.
Learn about what the fluids in your vehicle look like. Knowing this can help you determine exactly what is leaking if anything is. Having this knowledge can help you to diagnose your problem and relay the information your mechanic may need to properly repair your vehicle. It could also even save you some money.
Always keep your ears open to the noises coming from your car. These sounds can tell you a lot about the problems that your car is having. If the sound can be described to the vehicle repair people you speak with then you may save time and money because they can diagnose what’s going on quickly.
Gas is expensive, so you want to be sure your car is getting the most efficiency out of every precious drop. That’s why you should keep a close eye on your check engine light. When it is lit, it means your car’s operating system is experiencing technical difficulties. This could be a problem with the coolant sensor, the mass air flow sensor or the crank shaft sensor. All of these work together to keep your engine at the right temperature. That’s why it’s important to see a good auto mechanic right away if your check engine light is on.
Don’t stress yourself over your car repairs. Just focus on the issue at hand, use these tips and take care of business. Educating yourself with the basics means that you can handle problems when they occur.