When you have the keys to your car, the world is your oyster. It gives you the ability to travel the world and go wherever the road takes you. This also means that it may break down at inconvenient times and leave you stranded somewhere. The following tips will assist you in getting your car working once again.

Always have a good battery charger in your car. This is a common cause of breakdowns, and carrying a charger helps other drivers as well as yourself. Locate the points the battery charger should be connected to so you can easily jump start your own vehicle.

Talk with your technician to determine if they have worked on your car before. A mechanic who has experience with the make and model you are driving will be able to diagnose issues quickly.

Wash your car regularly to prevent rust from becoming a problem. Every car is going to rust in the future, but this can be delayed if you just get all of the chemicals and salt off your car when you can. Wax your car often to protect the paint, as often as you can.

Referrals are a great method for finding a great auto mechanic. See if co-workers, friends, neighbors, or family members have any recommendations. This will let you figure out what kind of price you’re dealing with and if you’ll be satisfied with the work that is done. People will let you know if their experiences were good or bad and how honest the auto repair shop was with them.

Before paying an auto repair shop for work done to your car, take it for a test drive to see if it is working properly. People often don’t do this, realizing afterward that the problem still persists.

Ask your mechanic to use OEM parts. These are original components from the manufacturer. Generic parts may cost less, but you cannot really tell if they are the best quality. What could be a good deal in the present won’t always be the best thing to for you later, so try using OEM parts when you’re able to.

Find a mechanic who has experience with the make and model you drive. There are certain specifics which he needs to know before doing any repairs. If you don’t think the shop you are going to really knows what they are doing, take your car to the dealer instead.

Keep a spare tire and jack in your trunk. Typically, if you have recently purchased a car, you should have these items already. You don’t want to end up stranded somewhere and get stuck paying a lot for a tow. You can save a lot by doing it yourself.

Think about finding a mechanic who does repairs in his or her own garage. Mechanics who work from home are often able to charge less because they don’t have the overhead that shops do. This can help the home mechanic out and save you a lot of money over the charges of bigger repair shops.

Take off all of your keychain charms; just use your key. Your car’s ignition is simply not designed to hold all that weight, even if it may not seem that heavy to you. If your key starts sticking, you need to change the tumblers and eliminate the troll buddy that’s weighing down your keychain!

Getting your vehicle fixed does not necessarily mean you will have to spend a fortune on repairs. Many times it is possible to fix your own problems. Use what you’ve learned here going forward, and you should do just fine.