This summer millions of people will get in their cars to go on vacation. The summer heat can put extra stress on your car, especially if you are running the air conditioning, so you want to make sure it is properly tuned up before hitting the road.
Here are a few tips to keep you safe on your travels and stretch your dollar the furthest with your local mechanic or dealership:
The first thing you should always look at before a long trip is the condition of your tires and braking system. If the tires are wearing below the recommended level you will want to replace all four for safety. During this service you should also have the brake pads replaced to cut your labor cost, as they will already have removed some of the parts blocking their access. You can also negotiate for a free alignment if you are purchasing the tires from the same place.
Topping off all of your fluids, especially the coolant, is important to keeping your engine running properly. If you go to the dealership you can often get these simple tasks done for free during an oil change. Make sure you shop around as you can almost always find a coupon for an oil change for $20 with the extra services such as topping off fluids and filling your tires included for free. Most locations will also rotate your tires which is important to extend the life. They will always try to sell you more services when unnecessary. A dealership will almost always recommend that you replace your air filters which they might charge $100. Kindly tell them no thank you and go ahead to your local Wal-Mart where you can buy the filters for $10 and replace them in a few minutes. You have now taken care of a variety of maintenance tasks for only $30!
Your spark plugs and wires are another part that you can look into repairing yourself to save a significant amount of money. Your local automotive parts shop can help you find exactly the right parts that you need for your car and the tools required in just a few minutes. They are always helpful and can point you in the right direction for replacing both of these items which is very easy to do in 30 minutes on your own.
These simple tips can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars when tuning up your car for summer travels. Always remember to get a second or third quote when any major repairs are mandatory to protect yourself from getting ripped off. If you are not sure what a repair should cost visitautoservicecosts.com to learn more about automotive preventative maintenance and their associated costs.