I hate spending money on car repairs, but for our family, it just makes more sense to maintain our current vehicle rather than buying a new one. I wanted to share with you a few ideas on saving money on car repairs.
1. Always check direct mailers/flyers for auto service coupons. This may seem obvious, but about a month ago I almost threw out a postcard from a local dealer - until I realized it had a coupon on it for a $14.99 oil change. I normally wouldn't go to a dealer for an oil change (as there are a lot of cheaper options), but this deal was hard to beat. I had a great experience at this dealership, and I'll keep my eye out for more coupons.
2. Check various websites for deals. A couple of my favorites are Valpak and Coupon Clipper. Also, sign up for "e-mail clubs" at local dealerships or service centers. I've gotten some pretty good oil change deals this way as well.
3. Consider buying the parts yourself and using a mobile mechanic. OK, so I need to be honest with you - I don't always get the best deals. In 2009, the regulator for my rear window in my Jeep broke. I don't know anything about cars, but basically without this part, the power window does not work and it will not stay up. Unless you use duct tape. LOL! So, I paid a whopping $174.88 for a cheap plastic part, and then even more for labor. Fast forward 2 years later...it broke AGAIN! And of course, it was not under warranty anymore so I was out of luck. But...I checked out amazon.com, and figured out that I could buy the same part for literally a fraction of the cost.
Look at the price!! Even with the Amazon.com shipping cost, the dealer still charged almost $100 more for a plastic piece. The part on Amazon is made of metal and should last a lot longer than a year and a half.
Before you actually buy the part, scout around for a mobile mechanic in your area. I found my guy by posting on Facebook for recommendations on an actual repair shop - I'd never even considered a mobile mechanic. A friend recommended a mobile mechanic that she knew from church, and I thought I'd give it a try. I was intrigued that someone would actually come to my house and fix my car - and I wouldn't have to drag my toddler to a dealership for hours. What a great idea!
If you don't know any mobile mechanics in your area, start by asking friends for any suggestions. You can also try a google search and use "mobile mechanics" with your city - just be sure to make sure they are licensed! Also, be sure to check google/yelp for reviews of the mechanics. You also want to make sure they're OK with you supplying the parts - I think most are cool with that, as long as they've seen the car, diagnosed the problem, and can make sure that you will buy the correct part. If you're nervous about getting the right part or if Amazon doesn't carry it - then definitely have the mechanic purchase it for you. You might pay a little extra for the service, but I would bet it would still be a lot cheaper than taking it to a dealership.
My guy serves the Northeast Phoenix/Scottsdale area, and he is awesome. His name is Kelly Castle. You can e-mail me for his phone number if you're interested. He just fixed BOTH of my rear windows (yep, the Jeep is falling apart!), had it done within 3 hours, and saved me literally hundreds of dollars. Thank you, Kelly!!
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