Your car may be your most valuable possession, because you need it to travel to every place you go to. Perhaps you’re not educated on cars, but would like to learn more. If that is the case, continue reading to learn simple maintenance tips.

When you have problems with your car, you may not need to visit a mechanic. Many things can be easily fixed. It’s possible to find the information you need online. If it’s not hard to fix, try it yourself.

You don’t want rust to attack your car so take the time to wash it on a regular basis. Cars are all destined to rust, but the process can be slowed by keeping salt and chemicals away from the paint whenever you can. Using a wax will protect the paint job significantly.

A good referral makes it much easier to locate a trustworthy mechanic. Speak with others you know to see if they can recommend someone to you. This gives you the opportunity to find out about costs and the overall quality you can expect. People will let you know how their experience went.

Check online for reviews of local mechanics. This lets you know how other people who have tried this mechanic before have felt about their experience. You can use the information to find a place you’ll feel comfortable spending your money at.

Remember that getting OEM parts is important. These are the manufacturer’s original parts. Although using generic parts may provide some short-term savings, it’s impossible to know whether or not they’ll hold up as well as OEM parts. It may seem like you are getting a deal now, but it may end up costing you a lot in the future.

A spare tire and a jack are essential items to keep in your trunk. Nearly every car has them equipped standard. You don’t need to be stuck somewhere you don’t know and need to pay a lot for towing. It is a whole lot easier and cheaper if you do it yourself.

Basic Tools

Assemble an auto repair kit and put it inside of your trunk. You’re going to need to have some tire changing tools in this kit at the very least. Make sure you have a wrench that can loosen the lug nuts on your tires. Basic tools such as screw drivers, wrenches, socket wrenches, torque wrench and other basic tools are also handy to have. Don’t waste your money on bad quality tools. Solid and sturdy tools are ideal so you don’t have to worry about them malfunctioning.

Be sure to ask for detailed pricing estimates before leaving your car with a mechanic. Make sure you’re asking questions if you’re not sure about the shop’s rates. Know where the estimated prices come from. Some stores are able to give you an estimate for how long they’ll keep your car. A manufacturer may consider a relatively minor repair to be an all day job.

Look on your dashboard for any hazard lights that go on. These warning lights are meant to help alert you to potential problems. If you ignore them, the problem will only become worse than it is now.

It is important to look after your vehicle and maintain it regularly. Simple maintenance can help you avoid the mechanic and save you money. Use what you have learned here the next time you find your car behaving strangely.