How to Avoid Wasting Money on Unnecessary Car Repairs
Cars are expensive investments so, naturally, owners want to take the best possible care of their cars in order to protect their investment and ensure their car functions as smoothly as it can.
In your quest to protect and maintain your car, be sure to watch out for your car dealership or garage recommending they carry out unnecessary services or repairs that you simply don’t need. Unfortunately, it’s not always in your garage’s best interests to steer you towards a lower cost solution to your problem. Read on to learn to spot the most common and avoidable traps.
Less Frequent Oil Changes
Whilst the common notion is that frequent oil changes help with the smooth and efficient running of your car, this isn’t necessarily the case. Changing your oil is especially expensive and modern oil is designed to enable drivers to travel further than ever before in between oil changes. According to the latest statistics, cars can run up to 10,000 miles without needing an oil change, which is vastly further than the 3,000 miles quote that many garages will claim.
Before you take a trip to the garage, ensure you are familiar with what your car needs. Often, garages will often upsell you other services or premium products. If you just need a basic oil change, then ensure you get just that!
Avoid Caliper Add-Ons with Brake Pad Changes
Brake caliper replacements are the number one service that garages will attempt to upsell you on. In most cases, when brake pads are replaced, they rarely need anything else changing alongside them. If your mechanic is recommending a full brake replacement, it is often worth taking your car for a second opinion as, in most cases, this is unnecessary.
Don’t Splash Out on Premium Tyres
People often think that expensive tyres are superior, but this is not necessarily always the case. Unless you spend a lot of time driving at top speeds or cruising on rough roads, budget tyres can be just as good, last well and, ultimately, keep you safe. Premium tyres are significantly more expensive, but you don’t get much bang for your buck with this, and you are unlikely to notice a difference with everyday driving. Instead of buying the most expensive tyres, look for tyres that have good reviews and are safe to know what tyres best fit your car.
Also, remember to check your tyre pressure often. If your keep your tyres topped up with air, they will last longer. Your car manual will have information on the correct amount of air for your car model. Ultimately, taking good care of your tyres is more important than spending extra money on the most premium tyres on the market.
Change, But Don’t Flush, Your Transmission Fluid
Your car’s transmission fluid is responsible for keeping the gears working smoothly. Because most car owners are concerned about the expense of changing their transmission if it gets damaged, garages will often play on this by recommending you flush the fluid completely. In truth, all you need is a transmission fluid change.
Not only are flushes expensive, but they can actually cause damage to the car’s transmission. Instead, it is better to replace the old fluid little by little, as this keeps your car running smoothly without risk and without causing problems.
Check your car manual to see how often you should change your transmission fluid or, if you are unsure, consult a trusted garage. Ultimately, caring for your transmission in the right way will save you a huge amount of money in the long run.