How To Do Preventive Maintenance On Your Vehicle

Whenever your vehicle breaks down, your only concern should be getting it running again. It's very hard to get around when your car is not working. However, you needn't break the bank to have your car fixed. There are a lot of basic repairs you can do yourself.

Keeping a battery charger in your car is a good safety investment. This is a common cause of breakdowns, and carrying a charger helps other drivers as well as yourself. Familiarize yourself with how the charger hooks up to your battery.

Prior to handing over your keys, be sure you have a good idea of the repair cost. If you don't understand something, ask questions until you do. You don't want to be shocked by a huge bill to pay.

Keep your car clean to prevent rust. All cars will rust up eventually, but you may delay it considerably by ensuring all chemicals and salts are washed off quickly. A good wax can help you keep your paint job protected well.

Know your auto manual very well, or at least dog ear important pages. When you have to get repairs done on your car, you are going to need to be knowledgeable about your car's information. What you think may be an issue, may not be at all according to the manual.

Be careful of mechanics that do unnecessary repairs to the car. They should contact you before doing any extra work. If a mechanic performed a repair you did not authorize, you should not take your vehicle to them twice.

Always ask your mechanic for OEM parts. This means that they've come directly from the manufacturer. Generic parts might be cheaper, but they may not be good enough quality. Though you may think you are getting a deal with generic parts, in the long run, you will end up paying double than you would have if you had gotten OEM parts.

Look for signs that should serve as a warning that your repair man is no good. If a mechanic is not giving you straight answers or cannot explain repairs in details, you should keep looking. It's best to feel that you trust your repair person, so don't hesitate to move on.

Clearly, repairing a vehicle need to require an expensive visit to a mechanic. You can easily solve minor problems by yourself. These tips will get you back to driving in no time.