Top tips for keeping car repair costs low
by Debra Morgan
If you find yourself at the receiving end of car damage, you may be fretting over the imminent bill from your local automotive repairer. To help you get your car back on the road without breaking the bank, check out these top tips for keeping the costs of repairing your car low.
Keep your car well-maintained
Routinely looking after your car will not only ensure you get better fuel consumption--you may be able to keep your car repair costs down in the event of a part failure or vehicle accident. It's highly recommended that you follow the service and maintenance schedule as outlined in your car's logbook or owner's manual. This is particularly important for new cars still covered under warranty, as not adhering to the recommended service schedule may void the warranty. By having your car regularly serviced and maintained, the likelihood of major repairs in the future or a potential breakdown is significantly diminished.
Source your own parts
If your car is in need of a replacement part, sourcing the part yourself can save you some serious money. Aftermarket parts can be purchased online and through parts retailers for a fraction of the price. Alternatively, you may be able to find a suitable part from a local auto wreckers for a much cheaper price than new, while also saving on freight costs. This is a particularly frugal decision if you have a common vehicle make and model, and you need to replace a panel--often you can pick up a panel in a matching colour from a wreckers, saving considerably on the cost of auto spray painting.
Compare quotes when choosing a repairer
When you're looking for the lowest price for your car repairs, don't be afraid to shop around when choosing a repairer. A quick phone call to several of your local car repairers may return significantly different quotes for the same repair job, without costing much more than a few minutes of your time. Make sure you enquire about what is covered by the price quoted, and ensure that the repair work is guaranteed for at least a year after the job is completed. The franchised dealer for your car make is often the best place to have your car repaired, particularly if your car is covered by warranty; however you may find that a reputable local service centre can do the same job for a much lower price.
For a competitive quote on your car repair work, contact your local professional car service centre, like Timber City Motors, today.
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About Me
I've been running an auto service shop for the past 30 years. The trends in cars have changed a lot over that time, and cars are becoming a lot more complicated and automated. People can't fix many items on their own cars any more as you need a computer to diagnose most issues. People use their cars a lot more these days as we live further away from workplaces and schools so it's important for me to be able to get cars back quickly. I have had to keep learning about how the new cars run and I keep a lot of hints on this site so you can all learn the things you can do to make your cars run better.