Archive for the ‘Auto Advice’ Category

A couple of months ago, I needed to replace the timing belt on my 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer. I called a Mitsubishi dealer and got an estimate of $950 to replace my timing belt and water pump (I finally got this quote after I called this dealer, was put on hold, and got disconnected for three times!). I also posted this job at AutoSally and not too long, got a quote of $502.05 from Import Auto Service for timing belt and water pump replacement. I saved 47% on my auto maintenance / repair cost! I was also very satisfied with the quality of service provided by Pradeep from Import Auto Service. Later, my Corolla needed a 15k factory scheduled maintenance and a Toyota dealer quoted me $209 for the job. I posted this job again at AutoSally and Catoctin Automotive quoted me for $138.75 (I saved another 34% on my auto maintenance / repair cost).  Read the rest of this entry »

When you bring your car for an oil change, sometimes the guy tells you that you need to replace your car’s wiper blades. Of course, he also says he can do it for you for $25!  Do you know it is easy to replace your car’s wiper blade and you can save up to $15 if you do it yourself?  Well, if you don’t know yet, watch this video and start saving some money!

This article was written by our guest author, Chuck Bonner.

Sure, you can stretch your budget a bit by driving carefully to get the best fuel economy from your car, but gas is not the only cost of operating your car. Here are three things you can do to make your car’s brakes last longer, and so save money on this routine maintenance item. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know that fuel efficiency is reduced by 1% for every 3 PSI that tires are under inflated? So, if your tires are under inflated by 10 PSI, your gas mileage is reduced by 3.3%. With $3 per gallon gas price and 15 gallon fuel tank, this means your under inflated tires cost you $1.5 on each fill-up. So, you better check your tires’ pressure now and make sure they are properly inflated. If you don’t know how, just watch the video below courtesy of Yokohama.

An OEM part is a replacement part manufactured by the manufacturer of the original part installed during the original assembly of your car. When you buy a new car from a dealership, all parts installed in your new car are OEM parts. OEM parts can be packaged under the name of the car manufacturer (e.g., Ford Genuine Parts, Genuine Toyota Parts, Volvo Genuine Parts, etc.) or “genuine parts” or under the name of the part manufacturer (e.g., Delphi, Monroe, Bosch, etc.) or “OEM parts”. However, OEM parts manufacturers are usually prohibited to sell their parts directly to the market for a certain period of time. Both genuine parts and OEM parts have exactly the same specifications and quality. The only differences between a genuine part (usually sold by car dealerships) and OEM part (usually sold by independent auto part stores) are packaging and price. In most cases, genuine parts are much more expensive than OEM parts. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was written by our guest author, Jason Miller.

One of the easiest ways to improve the gas mileage for your car is checking the tire pressure in all four tires. Simply doing this routine tire maintenance can save fuel and increase the life of your tires. A government study concluded that by correctly maintaining your tires is like getting 2 “free” tanks of gas a year. With today’s fuel prices that could easily be $140! You will also increase the life of your tires and could save at least one new set of tires during the life of your car. Read the rest of this entry »

Recently, I reviewed my credit card statement in detail and was surprised to find out that both myself and my wife spent a lot on gasoline every month. It was only $30 – $35 per each stop at a gas station, but when I summed all gasoline receipts for a month, I got almost $450! There should be a way to reduce this gasoline expense so, I did my research and found various, useful tips to reduce my monthly gasoline expense below: Read the rest of this entry »

If a repair shop has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), it means BBB has determined that the business meets accreditation standards which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. BBB accreditation does not mean that the repair shop’s services have been evaluated or endorsed by BBB, or that BBB has made a determination as to the business’ product quality or competency in performing services. Read the rest of this entry »

In order to earn a AAA-Approved Auto Repairs™ designation (see our Approved Auto Repair Directory for the location of the facility nearest you), an auto repair facility must meet stringent AAA standards. Facilities are judged on the following criteria: Read the rest of this entry »

There are many honest, qualified independent mechanics you can find in your local area. According to a survey of owners of almost 350,000 vehicles conducted by the ConsumerReport.org in 2008, people who used independent mechanics were generally more satisfied than those who had their car serviced at a dealership. However, sometimes finding the one you can trust can be a very challenging task. And, if you don’t do your homework before selecting a mechanic who will work on your car, you may end up with one of a few bad guys out there. Recently, the Attorney General of California sued 22 chain repair shops to stop a “massive bait-and-switch scam” in which customers were offered cheap brake specials and then charged hundreds of dollars more for unnecessary repairs. Read the rest of this entry »