Tag: Auto Repair

Buying Do-It-Yourself Automotive Equipment

Buying DIY Automotive Equipment
Everyone is getting into do-it-yourself (DIY) projects these days, and that even includes fixing your car. Without proper training there are certain aspects of automotive repair that you shouldn’t attempt yourself since there may be safety issues involved. However, more and more people are finding that with the right automotive equipment there are many things you can repair yourself at a fraction of what a mechanic would charge you.
If you are new to DIY auto repair, you may want to read your car’s manual to become familiar with the various parts of your car. You may want to start off with a simple job such as changing a tire or changing your oil. There is very little equipment associated with these two tasks so you won’t have to worry about spending a large amount of money if things don’t work out.
If you’re looking to start a more involved project, such as replacing your brake pads, you’ll want to make sure you get the proper equipment since this isn’t a job you want to botch up. Before you head to your local automotive equipment and tools supply shop you may want to check online for details. For instance, there may be certain tips and tricks that may make things run more smoothly, or recommendations on brands. There are plenty of websites and car repair communities that can offer advice.
Getting the Best Deal
There are plenty of places you can go to for the necessary equipment. Many major box stores carry a huge variety of auto products, as well as chain supply stores, and even mom and pop shops. Buying online is also a great opportunity to get some amazing deals, but make sure you know what you’re buying since returns can be costly in terms of shipping.
The most important things to remember is take your time and never cut corners on any auto repair job. Safety is key and you should always follow manufacturer’s recommendations.

Anyone who owns a car knows that it is a matter of time before something will need to be repaired. If you take the time to learn a little more, you can save a lot of money and unneeded stress. Make good use of the tips you just read if you need to get your vehicle fixed. Being knowledgeable is definitely an advantage when dealing with repair shops or performing repairs yourself.

Never underestimate the value of keeping an emergency car kit handy. You need to have tools in your kit that will allow you to change the battery, help you get some extra gas and tire changing tools as well. Blankets, matches, a flashlight, extra batteries, cans of food and some water help, too.

Ask a mechanic any questions you may have regarding your car when bringing it in to their shop. Ask about any problems you are having, and find out if there’s anything you can do to keep your care healthy. One of the best ways to save on car maintenance is to prevent problems in the first place. A little money spent for prevention can save thousands in the future.

Be sure and regularly check your radiator. You should let your car run for a few minutes, shut the engine and open your hood. Never open the radiator while the car is on. Use a dipstick to check the fluid level in your radiator and mix some coolant with water if you need to add more fluid.

There are certain repairs that you can do yourself. Many situations can be self-remedied. If you would like to try it, you can research on the problem online. If it’s a quick repair to make, you can save yourself some cash by doing it yourself.

Car issues can ruin your day. Car repairs can be expensive. But with the right knowledge, you can prevent many issues and even save some money when you do have to use a mechanic.

Chilton Manuals And Repair Guides

Almost anyone who has ever worked on a car for any length of time has immediately realized the benefit of having Chilton Manuals on hand. Chilton repair manuals have the longest history of any repair guide in the automotive industry, and they have both earned and maintained their well-deserved reputation by providing both car owners and professional mechanics alike the most comprehensive information available on specific vehicles. Regardless of whether your passion for cars tends toward to the classic or runs fast toward the high performance, a Chilton Manual is an absolute must if you plan to be working on your own vehicle. In fact, newer cars are almost impossible to work on—and equally unsafe in certain instances—without the advanced electrical diagrams found only in a Chilton repair manual.

The Chilton Publishing Company originated in 1922 as a publishing house for automotive periodicals. Over the years, their publishing expanded to include other industries, earning a reputation as the premier authority on mechanical information and repair. The company has always prided itself on accuracy and reliability, and the trust their manuals have instilled in both laymen and professionals accounts for the wide demand of Chilton repair manuals throughout the automotive world. A Chilton Manual focuses on a specific line of cars during a set range of years (e.g. Buick Regal/Century 1975-1987). It covers all parts in the car, explaining size, feature, and function. This level of detail proves invaluable when something small on the car malfunctions, and the owner decides to purchase a replacement and install it at home. Without the specifics available through a Chilton repair manual, this would be virtually impossible. Furthermore, beginning mechanics find Chilton repair manuals useful as learning tools because they actually explain the cause and effect relationships of the automobile’s mechanical systems. For the newcomer to home auto repair, the step-by-step instructions and the detailed diagrams and photographs teach the repair process as much as they assist in its completion. It goes without saying as well that high school auto shop teachers use Chilton repair manuals more than they do their auto repair textbooks, and they train their students in how to use the manual both for safety purposes and for knowledge of the craft.

Almost everyone who associates daily with automobiles either has on hand or frequently uses a Chilton repair manual. Classic car enthusiasts rely upon them for both parts and assembly instructions vital to the restoration process. Owners of older vehicles simply cannot rely upon anything other than a Chilton repair manual simply because the typical service chain keeps pace with newer automotive models and often tells the proud owner of a vintage car to take it to a special shop or buy a new car. As we mentioned earlier, students and first-time mechanics use Chilton manuals for everything from learning how to change the oil, replace spark plugs and check manifold intake systems, and troubleshoot electrical problems by using a Chilton manual’s electrical wiring diagrams essential to understanding today’s integration of computer technology into the modern vehicle. In fact, vehicle owners doing any type of electrical work on their vehicle need to strongly consider using Chilton as their guide, as much of today’s sophisticated technology can actually pose a danger even to a mechanic skilled in traditional automotive repair but unfamiliar in new wiring and computer hardware. With a Chilton repair manual, even a professional can learn and grow as technology continues to evolve.

Are you an automobile owner? If so, it will need repairing sooner or later. The hassle of dealing with car repairs can make a person lose their mind. Luckily, the advice below can help you pick a trustworthy one.

Always have a good battery charger in your car. Batteries die all the time, but you won’t be in trouble if you can charge it. Before you drive again, figure out how to use it properly.

Don’t take an emergency car kit for granted. You need tools to change a flat tire, charge a battery, and you must have spare gas. You may also want to add some batteries, a flashlight and a few blankets in the event that you break down at night.

Get a referral if you want to see a reputable mechanic. You can ask anyone you trust, from your hairdresser to your family. Ask about how much they paid, the quality of the repairs and the customer service. People will let you know what kind of things they had to deal with and if the person was honest.

Don’t leave anything of value in your car when it’s being repaired. Your personal items can get in the mechanics way, and they may have to move them. You should also remove all the items from your trunk.

Look out for obvious “red flags” when dealing with a new auto repair company. If they are talking in circles and avoiding your questions, you should take your business elsewhere. It’s best to feel that you trust your repair person, so don’t hesitate to move on.

Auto Repair

The process of finding good auto repair shops can be difficult due to shady companies. It is in your best interest to use these tips when you have an auto repair need. A bit of effort initially can save you from a lot of heartache down the road.

Car Repair Scams: Why Traditional Scam Prevention Tips Will Cost You A Fortune

The advice is all the same for auto repair scam prevention. You’ll be told to find an ASE certified shop. Ask around. Check out several different repair facilities first. Are they clean and neat? Do they provide written estimates? Check with the BBB. Is it AAA certified? Some will even advise to “ask for the parts back.”

Traditional tips and suggestions merely put a band-aid over an infected, gaping sore. Strong antibiotics are required to address the root source of the problems in the repair industry. To provide repair customers with the above advice is like sending a soldier into combat dressed in a pink tutu. We have to stop scratching at the surface.

There has not been any “new” advice in decades. More importantly, no one has answered why car repair scams have reached an estimated 40 billion dollars per year. Moreover, why is there still no solution to stop car repair scams?

The first hurdle to conquer is the perception of the frequency of auto repair scams. Many folks just don’t believe that car repair fraud is all that bad. Some even argue that the vast majority of repair shops do an honest day’s work, and that a few bad apples are making the rest look like crooks.

This is an interesting argument, and raises a number of questions.

1) If it is only a few “bad apples,” where are they hiding the 40 billion?
2) If most repair shops are honest, why does every state warn against car repair scams?
3) Why are auto repair shops at the top of consumer complaint lists every single year, in every state?

This is even expanding across the continents. For example, just last week Australia listed car repair scams at number 4 on their top 10 consumer complaint list.

The perception of frequency gets distorted because there are a number of levels to repair scams. There are the blatant rip-offs covered in the news. For a great video visit “Repair Scams Caught on Video” @ www.repairtrust.com. Then there are the common scams such as exorbitant prices and estimates, and aggressive scare tactics to get service customers to perform services. These occur every day.

The repair scams uncovered by RepairTrust not only found the tactics listed above and more, but a powerful undercurrent of scamming at the foundation of the automotive service industry.

In reality, most car repair scams go unnoticed by the service consumer. Service customers just have no idea that they were ripped-off. This under-the-radar scamming occurs in dealerships, local shops, and franchises. Affiliation with ASE, AAA, BBB, NADA makes no difference.

An ASE patch on a technician’s arm, or an AAA or BBB sticker on the door of a service center means absolutely nothing in terms of a scam-free facility. Word of mouth recommendations can be just as devastating, as even shops that “seem” honest aren’t.

Check out “Car Repair Prices: There Are No Honest Mechanics” @ Isnare or RepairTrust for further discussion on this. Also, for NEW and FREE scam prevention tips visit the Car Repair Scam Articles @ RepairTrust.

Traditional tips are ineffective in today’s service industry. Service facilities have found new and ingenious ways of ripping people off. In truth, many of the old tips and suggestions have actually become weapons allowing service centers to indulge in car repair scams more than ever.

The car repair playing field must be leveled. Service customers need solid answers, and they need to be equipped with information, understanding, tools, and an insider’s view of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of price-gouging.

Navigating the dim underworld of today’s service centers with outdated information will cost a fortune.

Benefit of Buying Online Auto Parts

There are literally millions of websites on the internet that are waiting to be seen and there is no doubt that many of them are already selling auto parts. No matter how successful or not they may be there is no doubt that there is a whole market on the internet that is devoted to selling auto parts. In fact, whether you need auto parts for your new Toyota Hybrid automobile or you’re looking to repair the brand new Chevy Cobalt that you’re currently driving, there are plenty of businesses on the World Wide Web that will be able to help you out.

As far as purchasing your auto parts from an online store, there are many benefits to doing so and you can bet that the majority of people who already complete their auto repairs themselves assume that buying auto parts from on the internet is now the norm. Even though that may not be true and you certainly shouldn’t by your auto parts from just anywhere on the internet, there are definitely benefits to checking into the costs, and here are some other reasons that one should buy their repair parts from online:

It’s Definitely Faster

Even though the only thing that one must wait for if they are going to buy their auto parts from online is the shipping and waiting part of however long it takes from the auto parts to get to your house, the online method is definitely quicker. Oftentimes when one steps into an actual auto repair shop or auto parts business in their town or city, the actually business will have to physically order the part that you need from another warehouse and have it shipped to their retail store. After it’s shipped then it is your responsibility to go and pick it up even though you ordered and paid for it. With online services one is able to purchase auto parts online and have it shipped to them next day, if so desired!

Less Expensive

The reason that auto parts are usually less expensive than going through a retailer is because the auto parts stores online will usually be the first person that has the auto part that you need. For example, if you go to an AutoZone, Inc. retail store in order to purchase your auto parts then chances are that they will be more expensive because that retail store had to buy them from their supplier, and the chain goes on. The prices are raised throughout each time the auto parts are purchased. On the other hand, chances are that the auto parts website that you’re buying from will be able to get their products wholesale or their fees may be reduced simply because they are an online store.

When considering that you are able to purchase your auto parts from a World Wide Web store a whole lot easier, faster, and less expensive than traditional retail stores, now you can see why there are many people who are already engaging in this practice. As mentioned, there are already thousands of people who continue to buy auto parts online everyday, and the number keeps increasing as more auto parts websites start showing up more and more!

Few people realize what you can do with an automotive repair manual, a little bit of free time, some basic automotive tools, and a bit of cash to throw around

Nevertheless, for more serious problems, auto repair is definitely a must. I know some people who do automotive engine repair on their own, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really know what you are doing. Today’s cars are more sophisticated and complex than ever, and it takes a quality automotive technician to really diagnose and fix the problem. Don’t get me wrong – if you have someone there to help you who knows what they are doing, you can probably get enough help to work your way through. Nonetheless, if you are even the slightest bit unsure of your abilities, you should probably leave the auto repairs to the expert.

One of the best compromises is to let your mechanic diagnose the problem, then go and repair it yourself. One of the biggest dangers with trying to perform your own auto repair is not knowing what the problem is. Amateur mechanics can jump to conclusions and miss out on the whole issue at hand. This can cause all kinds of problems, and will usually lose you more money than you can gain by not hiring a mechanic. If you have your mechanic figure out what is wrong, however, you can still save a lot of money on labor costs by doing the job yourself. It doesn’t make sense for everyone, but for some people it really does.

Does your vehicle need fixing? Even if the answer isn’t yes right now, you have probably experienced car trouble in the past. You also know how it feels to not be sure you are making the right decisions. How do you know? Keep reading if you would like to know more about what your auto repair options are.

Be sure to ask lots of questions when taking your car to an auto repair service. You can use this time to tell them about the problems you have and to get answers as to what needs to be done. One of the best ways to reduce costs is by preventative maintenance.

Monitor your radiator. You should let your car run for a few minutes, shut the engine and open your hood. Never open the radiator on a running car. Use a dipstick to check the fluid levels, and always add the correct amount of water to your coolant before adding it to your tank.

Referrals are a great method for finding a great auto mechanic. Look to your family, friends, and colleagues for their suggestions. This lets you ask them about their experiences with that mechanic, how much it cost, and if they were satisfied. You can use their experiences to determine whether a mechanic is honest or not.

Beware mechanics who charge you for repairs which are unnecessary. A mechanic that is good will notify you of parts that show signs of deterioration and will soon need replacement, but they shouldn’t replace it without having your approval. A mechanic who has performed this practice should never be patronized again.

Auto Repair

When you use the tips below, you can solve any of your auto repair related problems. That said, keep reading and learning. You should now feel more comfortable about handling your auto repair needs.

Help with Auto Repairs Is a Cell Phone Call Away

Mobile phones have become a lifeline for North American motorists. According to the Cellular Telephone Industry Association, more than 73 million calls are placed to 911 hotlines from cell phones every year. AAA handles an additional 14 million calls for emergency roadside assistance from cell callers.

“Your cell phone can be perceived as a companion or a status symbol, but when you really need it, it can be your most important personal safety device,” said John Nielsen, director of AAA’s Approved Auto Repair Network. “Like a best friend, a cell phone can be comforting to those driving alone; they feel safer just knowing help is within reach.”

Now with assistance from AAA, this help can include referrals to trustworthy auto maintenance and repair businesses throughout the United States and Canada.

This service is a boon to those traveling far from home, or just across town, if access to the closest reputable repair shop is required due to mechanical trouble on the road.

For reliable assistance with vehicle repairs and maintenance, AAA has identified a network of approved repair facilities that include new car dealerships and independent repair shops. These shops meet AAA’s strict quality standards and display AAA’s logo. A phone call to 1-800-AAA-HELP or to a local AAA club phone number for emergency road service is all that is required to find the nearest AAA-approved shop.

Calling ahead is always a good idea when arranging for auto repairs. Find out if the shop will be open, if they have time to work on your vehicle, if the repairs can be completed in a timely manner and if they have experience working with the make and model of the vehicle you drive.

Cell phones and safety go hand in hand. However, to maintain safety, AAA suggests that motorists always park safely off the roadway when using a cellular phone.

If you’re like most people, you are likely not an expert mechanic. This is why you should do your research; you will be better prepared to repair your car whenever a problem occurs. Review this article for some terrific guidance.

Get a good battery charger to keep in your vehicle. Dead batteries are a very common problem for all car owners. Not only will you be able to charge up your battery, you can also help others whose battery has broken down. Find out where to connect the charger to your car.

When you visit a mechanic, make sure to ask lots of questions. These questions can involve issues you’re dealing with and what you can do to avoid them in the future. Prevention is a great way to save lots of money.

Check your coolant levels frequently. You should let your car run for a few minutes, shut the engine and open your hood. You should never open your radiator whenever your car is turned on. Check the level of fluid in radiator and add any if necessary. Be mindful that some coolants are meant to be mixed with 50% water.

Once a repair shop has finished with your car, go on a quick spin to make sure things are working properly. Many people don’t do this, and the car ends up with the same issues that were supposed to be repaired.

Take all valuable items out of your vehicle before taking it in for repairs. The mechanic may find that these things get in the way and they may get misplaced to where they cannot be located later. Also, remove everything from the trunk.

After reading this, you should know more about auto repair. That is why if you encounter any car issues, you should know how to fix them or find someone that can. You should have a reliable automobile.