YOU can imagine the scene; you step into your car at 7:30 a.m, insert the key and -nothing. Immediately, you realise that your car has broken down and that you certainly won’t make it to work on time. Instant panic sets in as you contemplate how you are going to get your car repaired and wonder how you are going to find the money to carry out the work. How can you make this so much easier on yourself?
Where you have previously purchased a car new or relatively new from a dealer, you will quickly find out that the highest expense is not necessarily the purchase of the vehicle, it’s the expensive cost of having it serviced and sourcing replacement parts. The first time you need to have work and parts that fall outside of your warranty, you will quickly see how the dealers really make their money over the course of the time that you own the vehicle.
Once you are out of the warranty period, you are free to have your car serviced wherever you choose, but after the recession of the last few years, everyone needs to look at car repairs on a sensible budget.
The challenge of your car breaking down, when you least expect it, is that you are forced into a situation where somebody needs to repair your vehicle as soon as possible, to get you back on the road so you can carry on your normal lifestyle without resorting to public transport and the difficulties that may incur.
Unless you had the forethought to add an emergency fund into your budget planning, the cost of repairing your vehicle may be more than you can handle from your current salary and savings. It feels like there is nothing worse than having to spend money on a vehicle that should have broken down, and then paying interest on the money you have borrowed to complete the repair.
One of the most productive ways that you can make this easier on yourself and your bank account is to carry out regular maintenance on your vehicle. Whatever the local advice for your vehicle is, carry out oil changes exactly as they are required. The air filter is usually quite simple to change and the best way to drive safely and continue to get the best miles per gallon, is to regularly ensure that your tyres are pumped to the exact air pressure that your vehicle’s manual suggests.
You can learn to carry out these simple tasks yourself with the help of a friend, a mentor, a neighbour that knows exactly what they are doing and is keen to show you, or with the help of a YouTube video.
Fortunately, there are many people who are experts in vehicle repair and will be pleased to carry out the work that you cannot complete yourself, at a cost much lower than the dealer, but you won’t receive the dealer’s warranty on the work. Usually, these experts will be found by word-of-mouth and are often very busy people because they complete their work well and charge far less than the extravagant dealer rates.
By keeping on top of maintaining your vehicle, you will save yourself from higher expenses over the longer term and you will ensure that your vehicle stays roadworthy because it is regularly checked, serviced and repairs are carried out before they force a breakdown. This is one of those circumstances where common sense wins through.