Broke Down Car? Try These Tips And Tricks

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When you don’t know how to maintain your car, it will cost you money. There is more you can do besides being familiar with the make and model of your car. Read the following article to help you save both time and money.

Battery Charger

Get yourself a good battery charger, making sure to keep it inside the car. A dead battery is more common than you think and you will be able to help other broken down drivers if you have a battery charger with you. Take a few minutes to learn how to use it properly before you get in a situation where you need to use it.

Never underestimate how important it is to carrying an emergency kit inside your vehicle. Your kit should include jumper cables, tire changing tools and maybe some extra gas. Also pack a few blankets, some batteries, and a good flashlight.

When you take your car to the shop, ask plenty of questions about your vehicle. Your questions should focus on issues that your vehicle has, as well as what you can do in the future to prevent them from occurring again. An ounce of prevention can save you a lot of money over time.

Your radiator needs to be looked over regularly. Let the car run a couple minutes, shut your engine and open up your hood. Never, ever open the radiator while the car is still on. Check the amount of fluid in your radiator with your dipstick and remember to mix the coolant with some water.

Make sure to study your owners manual. When you’re trying to get something repaired on your vehicle, you’ll be able to get more assistance if they’re able to read information quickly about your car. By knowing the manual, you may actually find you can fix some issues yourself.

Make sure that you have car records on file. You may want to have them in the glove compartment, so you can get to them easily if you need an emergency repair. Any mechanic who works on your car is going to want to see them. This will facilitate quicker diagnostic processes.

Buy OEM parts. These means they are parts that come directly from the manufacturer. While they often cost a little more, they typically work better for longer periods of time. Although you save money in the short term with generic parts, its not really a deal if they have to be replaced again in a few years.

Before dropping your car off for repairs, remove any valuables. If something is missing, it will be your fault if you do not take it out. Empty both the trunk and glove compartment.

Have you noticed that your headlights aren’t shining very brightly? If so, ensure you are cleaning them regularly. Sometimes a greasy residue from the road can be deposited one the lights and hold dirt that reduces the amount of light they put out. Before taking your car into the mechanic for this, try giving the headlights a good cleaning first.

Learning about repairing your car just makes sense. Besides being able to teach others and rely on yourself when you have car trouble, you can save lots of money. Keep in mind the advice from this article in order to perform minor repairs on your own.