How
to make your car run forever.
Living in poverty, on the
ramen, food stamps, keystone light, donating sperm all can by
synonymous with being a student. As students are one valuable
possession often turns out to be our car. However, cars can
be an expensive proposition if you let them be. But with a little
love and some common sense even the most inexperienced owner
can save money and headache.
The first thing everybody
should do is read the owners manual. As dumb as this sounds
there are many people who never crack the owners manual. The
owners manual has a scheduled maintenance list. Follow this
list; the best way to prevent a major car repair bill is through
preventative maintenance. Checking the oil, radiator and brake
fluid is an easy way to save a problem before it begins. Many
times large repair bills are prevented by these small steps.
A trip to the mechanic can
often make a person’s heart stop. This is especially true
if the tow truck drivers uncle owns the shop. Dealing with a
shop you are unfamiliar with is a gamble at best. This is why
it is always smart to get a reputable mechanic before you are
having any trouble. If you are new to the area ask people who
have lived in the community for a long time where they have
their car work done.
When scouting out a prospective shop look around and ask questions;
is their shop clean? Are the mechanics ASE certified? How long
have they been in business? Many mechanics, especially in the
college area, offer student discounts. Again find out this information
before any work is done to your car. Any reputable business
should be clean and be able to answer any of the above simple
questions.
What saved me the most money
on my car repair bills was taking a couple of automotive repair
classes at my local community college.
This gave me the confidence to take on some car projects myself.
Before the classes all I could do was change my oil. After a
couple classes I had the ability to give my 82 Tercel a complete
tune-up, install a new clutch and change the CV axels. Overall
I saved myself over $500! While working on your car might not
appeal to you, just having a good understanding of how a car
runs will pay big dividends in the long run.
