How To Save On Car Repairs

You’ve just gotten through the holidays.  You may have some credit cards to pay off or are looking to pay off your debt in the New Year.  You may have plan to pay off your bills, but what about your car repair budget?  A real downer can be shelling out the bucks for a pricey car repair.  Another big downer is a pricey car repair on an expensive vehicle.  Luckily, regular preventative maintenance can save you a lot of money on car repair.  Average car repairs in the U.S. hover between $300 and $400.  Do you have that socked away for a rainy day? Here are some of the priciest car repair costs:

1. Problems with the turbo.  To prevent turbo problems, be sure to use a quality motor oil and check it regularly. 

2. A faulty cylinder bay gasket.  You’ll spend somewhere between $400 and $900 to fix a cylinder bay gasket, plus intense labor costs.  Keep your engine from overheating by maintaining coolant levels.

3. Transmission issues.  Lack of oil and poor maintenance cause many transmission issues.   Routine maintenance is key to maintaining your transmission.

4. Seized Engine.  Cars have systems that detect engine issues.  A seized engine will cost you $1000 to $7000, so don’t ignore that engine light.

5. Fuel Injectors.  When one goes out, you have to replace all of them.  Change your fuel filter in order to prolong the life of your fuel injectors.

6. Replacing Hybrid Inverter Assembly.  Hybrid parts are not always readily available, which adds to the expense.  Usually the only warning for this issue comes from the check engine light, so if you’re a hybrid owner, pay attention to that light.

7. Replacing the camshaft.  The camshaft controls how your engine intakes air, so keep your valves clean and make sure you’re changing your oil on schedule.

There are other factors that skyrocket car repair costs.  Older cars need repairs more often.  Those in the Western US also shell out a bit more for maintenance than the rest of the us.  Luxury car owners have added costs, with the Audi A8 and the Mercedes-Benz G Class, being the most expensive to repair. Many luxury cars require specialty parts that may be difficult to source and/or require mechanics that have had specialty training. 

How to save on car repairs then?  The key is routine maintenance.  Many of the priciest repairs are due to skimping on regular preventative maintenance.  Luckily, we have great AutoZone coupons to help you save. Not finding what you need?  Check out Auto Parts Warehouse.  We’ll have the right Auto Parts Warehouse coupon for you to save! The upside for everyone is that many routine car repairs are ones that are inexpensive or you can learn to do yourself in your own garage. 

Now that you know some of the vulnerabilities and extra expenses associated with your vehicle and ways to prevent them, it’s time to invest in preventative maintenance.   We’ve got codes to help you save on all your car’s needs from AutoZone and Auto Parts Warehouse.  Get under the hood and get ready to save!

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1. https://blog.mint.com/consumer-iq/15-of-the-most-expensive-car-repairs-042012/

2. http://www.forbes.com/2008/05/05/cars-expensive-repairs-forbeslife-cx_jm_0505cars.html