3 Tips To Make Auto Repair Bills More Affordable
Does it sometimes feel like it costs too much money to keep your vehicle on the road? Do you want to squeeze a little more life out of your car so that you have more money for the holidays? There comes a point in time when it can cost more in yearly repairs to keep your vehicle going than it would cost to just buy a newer model. Unfortunately, not everyone has the money available when this time arrives. However, there are often a few things you can do to squeeze at least a couple more months out of your vehicle, including the following:
Used parts: There are some parts that can never be reused, including things like hoses or the brake pads. There are also plenty of parts that can be replaced with used ones instead of going straight to new parts. While pre-owned parts may wear out faster than brand new parts, the greatly reduced cost can outweigh this small downside. Things like window motors, alternators, and transmissions can all be either reused directly or refurbished into like-new condition for use in your vehicle. Talk to your mechanic about the possibility of using non-new parts in your next auto repair.
Multiple shops: Sometimes, something that is cheap at one shop is going to be expensive at another and vice versa. It may be more convenient to let one shop handle every auto repair you need, but this can be harder on your wallet than you might otherwise expect. Always get estimates from multiple shops for the different work that needs to be done instead of assuming that the cheapest shop last time is going to be the least expensive shop this time. You might even find that something that one shop deemed to be absolutely necessary was actually a just-in-case measure that can be put off until you have more money available.
Avoid credit cards: Unless you have cards with 0% interest, you should always try to avoid paying for your auto repair bills with a credit card. The interest payments can greatly increase the cost of whatever has been put on the card or cards. Instead of using your credit cards, ask the shop if they'll set up a payment plan for you. While not every shop will do this, it's not uncommon to find ones that will. They may charge a small fee for doing this but it's almost always going to be less than the cost of putting everything onto your credit card bill and paying it off over time.
To learn more about auto repair, contact a mechanic in your area.
Share