When you don’t know how to maintain your car, it will cost you money. In addition to knowing some basic facts about your car, there are other things that can help you out. Continue reading for some great tips to save money and time.

Get referrals to find a great auto mechanic. Talk to your friends and family and ask if they have any recommendations. You can learn a lot about the overall quality of a person’s work, the price, and the level of customer satisfaction. People will let you know what kind of things they had to deal with and if the person was honest.

A record of maintenance and repairs should be in your car. Put these records in the glove compartment in your car for easy access. The auto repair professionals will want to look at those records. These documents can help the mechanic figure out the problem quicker.

Before you pay the mechanic, test drive the car to be sure that it is actually fixed. A lot of people don’t try to drive their car first and they figure out the hard way that it wasn’t repaired later on.

If you’re headlights don’t appear to be as bright as they once did, you may want to check their cleanliness. Greasy residue from a road can deposit on them sometimes and that dirt can reduce the light they’re putting out. Use glass cleaner to wash any dirt away from them.

Assemble repair tools and keep them in your car, so you are prepared at all times. The tools you need include tire changing equipment, which usually come with a car. If the necessary lug wrench and jack are missing, replace them. You should probably get a few screwdrivers with various shapes as well as different wrenches like for this kit. Don’t buy low-quality tools. Invest in quality tools that don’t break in the middle of a critical repair.

Do not let a mechanic work on your car before knowing about their prices and how much they charge for labor. Some repair shops have details about their rates posted on the walls, but you should not hesitate to ask about rates if you do not see any information. You must be able to tell how the repairs are being billed to you. Some stores are able to give you an estimate for how long they’ll keep your car. Some minor repairs might be considered as an all day job by some manufacturers.

Be certain to understand when your oil needs changing. You have to change it regularly to keep your car running smoothly. Running old oil in the car could cause it to run badly so make sure you make the pertinent dates on your calendar.

Don’t try to diagnose complicated issues. Remember, you’re not a professional. The problem may seem simple, but you might find out it’s more complex. Let the auto shop diagnose it. Be knowledgeable about the details, but let the repair shop make the diagnosis.

Warranties are extremely important when it comes to auto repairs, particularly if you’ve purchased expensive parts. For any parts that you order, inquire about their warranty from the mechanic. See how long they should last and request a contract, too.

Not many people invest the time in reading their car’s owner manual. To better know your car, you should look over this manual. The manual is full of key facts about your car and how to perform minor repair work.

As discussed above, learning a few things about auto repair can help you fix small problems yourself and save a lot of money. Besides teaching others and relying on yourself when you’re having car issues, you can save tons of cash. Keep in mind the advice from this article in order to perform minor repairs on your own.