This is a completely random guest post that we have today, and it is all about ways of saving money when our car needs a little looking after.
This is not one of our usual topics, but then this morning, when Dizzy and I were going for a little drive, a car sped past and smashed the glass in our wing mirror! The wing mirror was also worse for wear, but Dizzy did a pretty good job with the tape. 🙂 It has left us with no glass though! And after fussing about costs and visiting a garage during lock down, we used one of these tips of finding our own glass and backing online! It will even be here within two days, and Dizzy can just pop it in when it arrives.
We hope you find this guest post helpful, and let us know your own (easy and SAFE) ways of making some car repairs just a little cheaper. 🙂 xxx
Shop around for repairs
Different repair centres may be able to charge different rates. Providing that you know what is wrong with your vehicle, you may be able to collect quotes from different repair centres over the phone. There may even be friends and friends or friends with mechanical knowledge who you can turn to for cheap repairs. Just be sure that you trust whoever you happen to hire – some repair centres may charge low rates as a way of making up for a bad reputation and you may end up with a botched repair by choosing them.
Source your own parts
If your car needs new parts, you may be able to save money by sourcing these yourself. Many repair centres aim to make a profit on any parts that they have to order in. By ordering these parts yourself, you could save yourself money. These are sites online that you can buy cheap car parts from. Make sure that you know exactly what part you need first.
Go DIY
It may be possible to carry out small repairs yourself. If you’re the type of person that likes to put their DIY skills to the test, consider looking online at video tutorials. Repairs such as replacing a headlight bulb or replacing a brake pad are fairly straightforward on most cars and don’t require too many complex tools. Steer clear of anything electrical as these repair jobs can be dangerous if you get them wrong.
Understand your legal rights
If your car was damaged in an accident and you were injured, there may be the possibility of claiming legal compensation. This money could help to cover car repairs. There are plenty of personal injury attorneys with skills and experience that can help you make a legal claim. There may be other instances where you can claim compensation such as a botched repair job or damage to your car from a construction accident.
Know when to cut your losses
If you’ve got a cheap car and you’ve already had to get repairs, it may be worth considering cutting your losses and getting rid of the car. Some dealerships may still buy your car even if it’s damaged. Alternatively, you may be able to sell your vehicle for scrap. This could give you some money to put towards a new car. When shopping for a new vehicle, prioritize reliability so that you don’t end up in the same position a few months down the line – sometimes it’s worth paying a little more upfront so that you’re not paying quite as much in the long run.
I’m lucky I have a honest mechanic around the corner from me – so I feel blessed for that but early on, I used to take the car to the dealership for repair for every little burp and hiccup… I’m not as brave as you and Dizzy with DIY though!
We wouldn’t normally be! But as it is only the mirror, we felt we could manage. Although, you’ll never believed what happened. It came today, perfect size and shape. Dizzy and I put it on, but we got abit scared as it’s glass, so only pushed it lightly. Went for a little drive, all fine. Got back, slammed the door shut and it fell off! Smash! So we’ve ordered another one… might not turn out to be cheaper trying to do it ourselves… 🙂 xxx
I am smiling though it was certainly not funny and yes, costly. Too bad that person had to whiz by you and damage your mirror and of course not stop. I would do the same thing, pushing lightly as I’d be afraid it would shatter in my hands. Do you have some heavy gloves or even dishwashing gloves you can use to push harder to make it stick?
I got Sid to do it! And he did get it on! Luckily it has not fallen off (so far). 🙂 xxx
Good that Sid tackled that job – now don’t drive over any big potholes! If your area is anything like Michigan, you must watch year around!