We’ve all been there. The car starts making a strange noise, always at the most inopportune moment, and your heart sinks. Oh no. What is it now? I really don’t have time to deal with a mechanic this week! And the cost?! It’s gonna cost me an arm and a leg!
I know that awful feeling all too well. That’s why, when Tate from Active Insurance contacted me to see if I would be interested in sharing this lovely infographic, I gladly agreed! I do love a good infographic! (And I also work full-time in insurance, so that could have been part of the reason, as well!) Let’s see what he has to say!
We all know that cars cost money to own and maintain; on average, a sedan costs $9,122 over its lifetime and Americans spent an average of $750 annually on car maintenance in 2013. Sadly, 27% of Americans report being unhappy with repair services they’ve received from a mechanic, with cost being the top offender. In fact, unnecessary auto repair is consistently ranked among the top causes of consumer complaint in the U.S. annually – so what can Americans do to lower car maintenance costs?
Engine problems, tires and rims, and timing belts are the most common car parts require repairs from mechanics. Engines are the most important part of your car, meaning they encounter problems more often than other parts. Tires have a 2-4 year life span, but poor road quality can damage tires and shorten that life span. Timing belts are difficult to remove and replace, requiring intensive (and expensive) labor.
However, these common repairs aren’t typically the most expensive car repairs. A blown motor can cost up to $4,000 to repair, while a transmission replacement can run you $1,800 to $3,500. A head gasket replacement and labor can cost between $1,200 and $1,600, and an air conditioning compressor can cost up to $600 to replace, plus additional service charges.
Be smart and avoid common scams, like a verbal estimate followed by a higher final charge or charging for services that are advertised as free, by visiting mechanics that your trusted family and friends recommend. Look for shops endorsed by the AAA with ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certification, and ask for clarification on repairs or costs you don’t understand. Pay in full only after the agreed-upon repairs are completed, and get a second or third opinion if the repairs seem very expensive or intensive. Finally, help keep excellent mechanics in business by recommending them to family and friends.
I am loving having all of those tips and all of that information right at my fingertips in this graphic! Thanks so much, Tate!
What about YOU? What is your best tip for making sure you don’t get scammed by a mechanic?
Due to the amount of comments from all of my wonderful readers, it is not always possible for me to respond to each one. However, I absolutely do read them all, and if you’d like to address something specific, or have a question for me, please don’t hesitate to email me at Kristen@theroadtodomestication.com. I will respond to your email as soon as possible! Thank you for visiting the blog!
These are great tips. My BIL is a mechanic, so we usually get out of it pretty easily!
interesting read and by the way, love your site. very clever. some of these things i had never thought about and hope my shop doesn’t ever replace anything on our cars with used parts or such. my biggest issue for car repair is always tire pressure gauges, so annoying. thanks for pointing out some great things to think about.
Great tips. We recently got a new car and upgraded from a 2003 to a 2014. We are making sure to keep up n oil changes and other maintenance. Thankfully we have an honest mechanic too and don’t get scammed.
Hubby takes great care of our vehicles, but we have had some issues lately. Repairs are so expensive!
I love this graphic. So much good info. Sometimes the best way to save money on car repairs or avoid being scammed is to perform regular maintenance on your vehicle. That way you can build a good working relationship with a shop you can trust.
Wow! What a cool infographic. We don’t have to spend much on repairs because have some great friends we call upon for advice and quick fixes when something goes wrong with our old Ford SUV.
Cars are so expensive. I am hoping to make mine last for 12 years.
Wow! Love the infographic – this is again, just what I like to know – thank you!! I’ll be saving this great info
Since I already posted here – I will also share this great info! 🙂
Loved the infographic! This is a great post and some awesome information on how to save on the costs of auto repair! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I hate dealing with car mechanics! Normally my husband has to do that part of life’s tasks and we just talk about it and ask around when they say we may need something more than was agreed upon.
These are great things to think about. I am so lucky to have two great mechanics I can trust. There are some shady characters out there.
Luckily, we have a good mechanic that we’ve known for years. My son in law has plenty of stories of being scammed for car repairs, so we don’t plan to change mechanics any time soon!
Those are amazing tips. I usually go to 2 mechanics for a quote.. It helps me save a lot of money
Great tips! I think I got off lucky not having to deal with cars. Hubby and I have an agreement. I do the house, he does the cars.
This is such a useful graphic. Thank you! I’m upset that North Carolina has the highest cost of auto repair. What the heck!!
I have yet to find an auto mechanic I truly trust! Recommended or not they seem to see single women coming and take full advantage.
Great information here, Kristen. We found a trustworthy mechanic years ago and have stuck with him. Auto repair is to expensive. We do need to look out for ourselves!
Thankfully, my husband works on our cars and fixes them, but in the rare occasion we need to take them somewhere, he’s pretty aware that these are common “tricks” to be aware of, Thanks for sharing!
These are great tips. I hate bringing my car in because I always feel like I’m going to get ripped off.
This is a good infographic to share. We’re pretty lucky to know a friend of a friend who is a wonderful mechanic. He helps us out when the cars act up. 😉
Great post,Our car has always got one problem or another but we have a great mechanic who never over charges or rips us off.
We have the best mechanic in the world! He’s getting old and I always pray that he will keep on trucking. 🙂 He’s the best.
Car expenses stress me out more than almost anything. They are always unexpected and seem to come at the worst times.
Great info! We don’t drive but I shared so it can hopefully help those who do! Cars can be so expensive!
The stats about how much Americans spent in 2013 for car maintenance is breath-taking. You have given many great tips & the graphical explanation is simply awesome to make it understand so easier. Thanks for the wonderful article.
This is very important information. Cars can become money pits, especially during the winter when it gets cold.
This is good to know. It is especially hard when you are a woman!
I have had my car regularly maintained at the same place for years. It is important to have preventative maintenance done on your vehicles.
That was really helpful infographic! I may be a man, but can’t say I know a lot for cars…I know how to drive, though:)
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Lot of useful info ! Sharing with my hubby now ! We always go for oil change and do every other changes 😛
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Great tips and article and quite knowledgeable and excellent infographics. Thanks for sharing this.