Auto Repair- Now What?
It’s inevitable, you are driving down the road and you hear a loud knocking coming from the back. It’s not coming from the trunk and it’s not coming from a flat tire. What do you do?
- Keep driving, it will eventually go away.
- Stop and check to make sure you didn’t put a live body in the trunk.
- Turn the radio up and if it’s either A or B you’ll know.
- Pull over safely and inspect the vehicle.
- None of the above
Hope you picked “4”. While 1, 2, or 3 seems comical it does happen. Safely pull over and inspect your vehicle. If you can’t pinpoint the cause then do your due diligence and find an auto repair shop or dealership that can help you. Is your vehicle under warranty? It’s a no-brainier, take it to the dealership. If it’s out of warranty check local listings for auto repair. The auto repair shop should have a good reputation. You can check out reviews on almost any auto repair shop.
What should I be paying for Auto Repair?
To ensure that your repair costs are in-line with the rest of the world, simply Google the problem and you’ll get thousands of responses. For example, I put in “cost for a broken shock on an F-150” I got a ton of responses, even a few “how to repair it yourself “videos.
Albeit, I may know how it supposed to be repaired, I’ll leave it to the professionals who, more than likely will offer some kind of warranty. Preventive maintenance is a good way to ensure that your vehicle is always road ready. Follow your manufactures recommended maintenance schedule. If you do that, you have a good chance that your vehicle will be along for the long haul.
If by chance you have to leave your vehicle for an extended time for repairs, check to see if your insurance covers rental cars. Or, now that we are in the 21st century, call on one of the ride share companies and get a ride.
If your vehicle is beyond repair, it may be time to shop for a new vehicle. The internet can provide you with all kinds of choices. You can even get financed before you shop. What a concept!
Tips and more…
Here are some additional tips when you have no other choice but to get your car repaired.
- Shop around for the best repair facility (Cheap Price=Cheap Repairs)
- Determine if the cost of the repair is going to be more than the vehicles value. (Maybe time for a new car)
- Most vehicles have what I refer to as “two- ofs”. (If one break pad is bad, a good chance another one maybe bad. Bald front tire? Guess what… you have two sets of “two- ofs’”) the “one ofs” rarely break. When’s the last time you had a “bad steering wheel” that needed to be replaced?
- Get a warrantee! Sometimes all you have to do is ask.
If you find this information useful (and you should) please share it with your friends, family and your neighbor who has the car sitting on the blocks next door.
Okay, one more item. If you have credit problems, bad credit, slow credit and you need Auto Loans for Bad Credit, come to the professionals (Yes…Over 25 years in the auto lending business) at New Roads Auto Loans. See you on the road….
