Finding Cheap Auto
Repair in Five Simple Steps
In these trying
economic times, many are looking to save money; one of the ways to
accomplish this goal is to skimp on auto repair and maintenance.
This article will give an insider’s look into how to save the
big money.
Stretch Those Oil Change
Intervals. This is tougher than it sounds. While your owner’s
manual may suggest oil change intervals of 7,500 miles or more, many
professional technicians will try to talk you into more frequent
intervals like 3,000 to 4,000 miles. When you think about it, this
tactic doesn’t make sense to anyone. Most repair shops lose
money on oil changes, so do them and yourself a favor by stretching
those oil changes. The only reason most places do oil changes at
all is to trick you into other stuff, like air filters. Don’t
fall for it. A lot of time, oil gets dirty before it gets worn out.
Try draining your oil after 7,500 miles and running it through a
coffee filter. Throw it back in, and see how it goes. If you feel
like changing the filter, do so. Otherwise, just put the old one
back on. If your car lasts 50,000 miles, this method will have
saved you more than $400.
If You Need a Repair, Find the
Best Deal. The best way to get a great deal is to spend a lot
of time looking for one. The longer you shop, the better chance
that you will have of finding someone who can do your job “on
the cheap.” Your best bet is neighborhood kids. Usually,
they will work relatively cheaply, and you will not be expected to
pay for a bunch of overhead stuff like insurance. Also, if you get
a neighborhood kid to change your oil, you can probably talk him
into pouring the old oil between cracks in your driveway to cut down
on weeds and disposal fees. If this doesn’t work, call your
cheapest friend, and find out who he uses. The next step, which
should be avoided at all costs, is to find a repair shop. Here’s
how you find a cheap one. This first trick works for virtually any
service provider. Open the Business pages to “Christian”
or “Religious.” “Affordable” and “Fair”
are pretty good, but “Christian” and “Religious”
are better. I’ve found that people who advertise their faith
to make a living tend to be the most dependable. If you’re
checking the Yellow Pages or the Internet, look for words like “low
price” or “free.” I call these “the Magic
Value Words.” Words like “Integrity,” “Honest,”
“Dependable,” or “Experienced” are nothing
but trouble. The word “Certified” is a different story.
If “Certified” is used in conjunction with a
professional organization, beware. If, however, the word
“Certified” stands alone, you may be in good shape
still. Anyone can be certified, but organizations that certify
technicians get paid somehow, and you will probably be expected to
somehow absorb this cost. Guys who use these words are trying to
hide the fact that they expect to get paid. Sure, everyone wants to
get paid, but do you really want to pay a guy just because he’s
been doing the same thing for a long time?
Get Phone Quotes. This can
take a little time, but the rewards can be huge. Call as many shops
as possible and ask for “quotes” for as many of the
permutations of the possible work needed. Some of the better shops
may be reluctant to give prices over the phone, but some will give
prices anyway. This step pretty much separates the wheat from the
chaff. Quoting work can be time consuming, and the task is much
more difficult for someone who hasn’t seen your vehicle.
Invariably, someone will omit a part or an operation, or they will
quote an obsolete part that is not available. Others will try to
“low ball” a price figuring that they can “adjust”
their price once your car is disabled. Neither of these is your
problem. Make sure to write down the lowest number uttered by the
lowest bidder so that you can throw this number in his face later.
Once you’ve established a
baseline, try to shave the deal a little thinner. Having
identified your target shop, swing by around closing. Dress down so
that it looks like you are friends with one of the mechanics, then
walk straight into the shop. Avoid the service counter: this is
where shops try to sell you stuff. Once in the shop, find the
dirtiest, poorest looking guy, and explain your situation.
Something like “I don’t have a whole lot of money, but
I’ve got a little cash, and I need my car fixed right now”
tends to work best. If your prospective mechanic is a little slow
on the uptake, it may help to actually wave a few $20s at him. This
conveys the impression that you may be willing to pay the technician
directly allowing you to avoid needless costs like insurance, tax,
training, information systems, utilities, and rent. If your
problem isn’t immediately evident, your new “friend”
may try to charge you to find out what is wrong with it. Don’t
fall for it, say something like, “I’ll buy the beer, and
I’ll pay to have the car fixed, but I’m not going to pay
you to fiddle around. If your “buddy” objects, come
back with, “Do you want me to buy the beer or not? I don’t
have all night.” He’ll know what time it is.
Insist on a warranty.
Don’t pay for your car until you are sure that it is fixed.
This can be a problem because most mechanics doing side work in
their employer’s place of business won’t want to give
you a receipt. Give it a try, though, what do you have to lose? If
this doesn’t work, get a card from the guy with his home phone
number. Call the number before you leave. You don’t need
some hilljack pulling a fast one on you. Regarding the test drive,
trust may be an issue. Make sure that you don’t leave any
valuables lying around while you’re testing out your car. You
don’t need this guy finding out where you live and showing up
for Sunday barbeque. On the flip side, the mechanic may not trust
you. Only give him the amount of money that you can afford to lose,
and keep your test drive short. If you’re not completely
satisfied but there is some improvement, just keep on driving. The
guy probably wasn’t smart enough to write down your license
plate number anyway. If possible, while you are drinking beer and
watching your car get fixed, turn on every light and unlock every
door that you can. The mechanic will have to turn off the lights
and lock all the doors before he leaves, and this will give you
extra time to properly test drive your vehicle and to return if
things are actually worse.
Follow
these simple steps, and you’ll save all sorts of money. In our
next installment, I’ll talk about what to do if things go
wrong.
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