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Guide to Car Repair and Maintenance |
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Page 3 of 8
Mr. Thrifty Principle # 2: Keep a log of repairs and routine maintenance, and beware of “up sell” tactics
A few years back, Mr. Thrifty bought a small pocket notebook that fits in the glove box of his car for $0.59. That $0.59 has saved him hundreds of dollars! How? By keeping notes on all repairs and scheduled maintenance, Mr. Thrifty knows when and when not to have certain work done on his car.
Today’s mechanics often live two lives: part auto mechanic and part salesman. Some are honest and sell you only what you need, and some are not. Don’t get tooled by greedy auto mechanics looking to increase their month end bonuses by recommending unnecessary car repairs: after getting any maintenance work done on your car, write it down in a log.
For example, last week Mr. Thrifty was getting his oil changed (with a coupon, of course!) at a local quick lube place. After about 10 minutes in the waiting room which was full of out-of-date magazines and even more out-of-date coffee, a somber looking technician came into the room and asked to speak to Mr. Thrifty. The mechanic pulled Mr. Thrifty aside and pulled out two white pieces of paper with transmission fluid on them. One was the test strip and one had a drop of transmission fluid from Mr. Thrifty’s car. With a pained expression the mechanic explained that Mr. Thrifty’s transmission fluid was dirty and needed to be changed immediately for only $69.99. Not to fear, Mr. Thrifty had his $0.59 notebook with him that revealed he had the oil in his transmission changed 20,000 miles ago, and the next transmission fluid change was not due for another 10,000 miles (most cars need the transmission fluid replaced every 30,000 miles). Mr. Thrifty politely declined the up sell attempt, and walked out of the store with an additional $69.99 in his pocket. No car repair upsell here!
The log also helps with warranty issues. Most car repairs are covered under a warranty for a fixed length of time. Recording the car repair (with a date) and saving your receipts makes it easier should you ever need to bring it back.
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Car Repair