How To Save Money On Car Repairs

As we all know, cars themselves are expensive. They are often one of the most expensive purchases we will make in our lifetime. With the cost of the vehicle itself along with the maintenance and fuel, the prices soon add up to even higher than we may have anticipated. In fact, according to GarageWire, UK drivers spend £21 billion a year on vehicle parts.

Car repairs can be related to evil necessaries, they’re one of those budget breaking costs which we struggle to avoid, even if we try our hardest. Depending on the damage to the car, the prices can easily go way higher than most people can afford. Unfortunately, when your car is damaged and urgently needs to be repaired there is no way around avoiding payments. But, that does not mean you have to pay the full price for every slight inconvenience. Thankfully, there are still ways you can save money in these situations.

Do It Yourself

Before you jump right in thinking you can do everything yourself, you need to be cautious of the vehicle itself. There are certain things which you will be able to do, and certain things which can only be completed by a mechanic. However, don’t forget that the smallest, most simple jobs can easy make a mechanic the most money. Therefore, prices could potentially be a lot higher than expected.

To gain an understanding of what you can do, we advise you to read the owner manual as there will be plenty of information in there. If you cannot find what you’re looking for in the manual, you could try turning to Google for answers. One of the most common DIY maintenance tasks people attempt is changing the filter and swapping it for a new one. The task is simple but again, not something everybody knows how to do. Thankfully, just like we mentioned above, the instructions are located in the manual meaning your risk of creating further problems is very low.

Buy Used Parts

There are plenty of car parts that you can purchase second hand. This is because many of them actually rarely wear out. At the moment purchasing used car parts is easier than ever, you could visit a scrap yard or shop online to find exactly what you’re looking for. With shops being forced to close last year thousands of businesses within this industry have been forced to begin online transactions. Therefore, car parts can now be bought online from warehouses and posted straight to your door instead of picking them up at the back of your local maintenance shop. Despite being typically cheaper, there are some instances where they could potentially be more expensive than the newer options. Therefore, you should take the time to shop around and look for all the potential choices before finalising any purchases. Some of the most common places people find used car parts include:

Scrap yards
eBay
Professional online businesses

If used car parts are essential but currently out of your price range why not try borrowing a personal loan. These can help you with your DIY attempts and even support you if they go wrong. For more information click here.

Try Preventing Any Problems

Even though looking into the future and predicting what is going to happen is impossible, trying your best to prevent any issues definitely isn’t. With cars being so essential yet expensive, the majority of drivers are aware of the common issues that could occur. Therefore, why not make the most of your existing knowledge and do everything in your favour to help your car run smoothly.

Keep your tires inflated to avoid car repairs

Ensuring your tires are inflated is a crucial element of maintenance to avoid paying for repairs. Nobody wants to be driving around with deflated tires potentially leading to damage to the rim. But, not only this, your tires actually have many hidden benefits. Having inflated tires will help you save money on fuel as it enables your vehicle to travel further without having to fill up.

Fill the fluids to avoid car repairs

If the level of fluid in your vehicle is low, you know you’re not heading down the right track. Checking and monitoring the fluid should be done every few weeks in order to stay one step ahead. You can easily purchase more to top up the levels in shops like Halfords or again, online.

Maintain the battery to avoid car repairs

Lastly, you should be wary of your car’s battery. If you do not use it for a long period of time it could potentially go flat and you will not be able to get from A to B. However, if you put in the effort to maintain your battery, you’ll be able to steer clear of a mechanic and their pricey car repairs.