Youtube Car Repairs: For An Empowered You

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Info

Tired of frequently consulting your auto mechanic regarding car troubles that arise in the most inopportune time? It’s about time you should empower yourself and not be on the mercy of your auto mechanic forever. The internet has a vast array of information on car repairs. Among those that will give you the most benefits are Youtube car repairs.

The Benefits Of Youtube

Youtube is a popular site that features videos, and it’s being utilized by different vehicle owners and even mechanics to share their knowledge and skills. The repair processes that you will find here are beneficial in many ways:

• They are clearly and visually demonstrated. Unlike manuals, you get photos and sound with videos, so the procedures are easy to follow.

• You can take full control of your learning pace. It’s just like having a teacher in front of you. But, whereas you don’t have any control on the teacher in school, you have full control of the videos you see on the site. You’re free to replay the lesson many times and you can refer back to it just in case you want to review some important pointers.

• There are great videos to choose from. If you doubt one video you see, you can find a second opinion on a particular car problem by watching another Youtube presentation discussing the same trouble.

• Of course, it’s free and you don’t have to go to your local mechanic to learn! What a saving in time and cost!

Just like any other machine, a car is exposed to a lot of elements such as the weather and the road condition. All these are beyond your control, and problems can occur anytime. But with the internet now available, it’s easy to find solutions to your car problems.

What You Will Find In Youtube

Aside from car repairs, there are other things that you can find in Youtube. Among these are:

• Car Maintenance. You will find videos that feature the regular maintenance procedures that your car needs—oil change, inspection of parts like the brakes and lights, and many others.

• Troubleshooting techniques. There are also videos that will help you diagnose
troubles by presenting the different symptoms of the problem. This way, it will be easier to identify and assess what you need to do.

• Replacement (Removal and Installation). From auto lights to car stereo and wheels, there are a lot of replacement procedures featured in Youtube. This will help you save on labor cost because you’ll be able to do the task on your own.

With Youtube videos, dealing with your car problems will be easier. Just follow the procedures by heart and you can certainly become a car maintenance expert in no time. With constant practice and with the right attitude, you will soon be emancipated from having to pay someone to handle car maintenance and repair. The different Youtube videos are definitely a wealth of knowledge.

Be proactive, be on top of the situation, watch Youtube car repairs, apply what you learn, and soon, your visit to your auto mechanic will be far in between.

You Can Reduce Cost Of Car Repairs

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Info

Your car’s life doesn’t always involve smooth rides; humps and bumps are but natural occurrences along the way. Car problems or maybe even car accidents are sometimes inevitable, and these will require minor or major car repairs. Therefore, it pays to be familiar with the cost of car repairs today so that you won’t have to spend more than the appropriate amount.

Being Involved

When going for a car repair, there are a few things you must remember to ensure that you are on top of the situation and not simply on the mercy of your mechanic.

1.) Know the specific defect of your car. Do some research and ask other drivers. If you’re not so definite, you can further inquire from an auto mechanic to confirm your suspected trouble.

2.) Compare the prices of at least three repair shops to find the cheapest. This will entail effort, but it’s worth the savings.

3.) When you’ve finally chosen a shop, ask for the details of the repair and ask for a cost estimate. Be aware that some shops already charge fees just for simple diagnostic and estimate of cost. So, you have to search for auto repair centers that offer these services for free or you can ask friends or relatives for reference.

4.) You can also surf the internet to look for software that offers a standard estimate for various car repair works. However, know that these are only guides—the remedy and the cost may still vary according to the model or brand of your vehicle.

Cost control is imperative, especially if you’re dealing with a major repair or if the cost is significantly large. This is especially true if many of your car’s parts happen to be assembled not individually but by one whole unit—instead of replacing only the defective part, the whole section of your car will have to be replaced when a damage occurs.

Cost Reduction

To save on the cost of car repairs, you can opt to do some vehicle tinkering on your own. For simple or standard repairs such as replacing an oil pump or alternator or changing oil, you can study how to do it yourself by referring to free online demos or by asking those who are familiar with the process to show you the step-by-step procedures. Your owner’s manual will also be a great help when doing repairs or maintenance on your own.

You must also be proactive by regularly following the maintenance routines required by your car as indicated in the owner’s manual. And if you sense, smell, or hear anything unusual or defective while driving, attend to it promptly to avoid a bigger problem.

Lastly, you can also assess whether it would be practical to purchase an extended warranty for your car.

Reducing the cost of car repairs and maintenance is possible. Just follow the above-mentioned tips and you will surely be saved not only from car repair and maintenance costs but as well as from stress. With all these, you can add miles to a more peaceful ride and enjoy your vehicle more.

What Should I Do If My Car Is Irreparable?

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Help

Due to old age, some of the cars are no longer repairable. Repair shops can try to fix the car and make it running for a days or months but eventually, it will lay helpless on the middle of the road. At some point, people keep their cars for sentimental values but this is not worth to be so dramatic about owning a car if that is an irreparable car indeed.

You would confuse if this situation happens to you so here are the guides on what to do when your car goes irreparable. First thing to do is call your manufacturer, you can ask for any opinions from them. If that is no good, you can call your car insurance provider, at most time the car insurance policy is covered by the manufacturer as well. Try to ask them if there are any programs that they can offer for you. Check your qualifications if you are qualified whenever an available program is offered. In some cases, they will offer you to buy a new car with them in a cheaper rate and they will junk your car, it depends on case to case basis depending on the insurance policy you have with them.

Second, you can try to confirm with another repair shop if you really want to have your car repaired. But in most cases, this is not a good idea after all. But in case you do, make it sure that they will cover the warranty of the repair. This is just to make sure that you are not coming over and over with the same damage of your car. A high fee may be maybe required to do this option since overhaul or part replacements will be badly needed.

Check for any trades that you can have. At most cases, since your car is considered damaged, they might have a trade that qualifies you but it’s a second hand in most cases and you still have to pay them but not exactly the actual cost of the car you are getting for trade. This option is very rare though.

If all the mentioned options are no good then we have no choice but to bring the car on a car cemetery. That would be a final destination of all unused, damaged cars, bring them to junk. Recycling is the main reason why we bring it in there. It’s still the environment and us that will be affected if we don’t dispose that big garbage properly. Or in some areas, there are junk shops whose buying damaged cars, so in case you want to sold your car even in a couple of box. Junk shops sometimes get the useful and undamaged spare to reuse any parts possible.

But they will only get a few spare and then your car will be junk afterwards. Not all parts are useful so it will still go to junk and will be recycled for any metals whatsoever.

Tips On How To Perform An Advanced Maintenance For Car Owners

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Help

The responsibility in owning a car doesn’t end after purchasing one. Actually, it only starts from that point. Car is like a pet that you need to take care and provide its basic needs. However, it’s not that hard to take care of a car. It only takes a simple tools, a little time, and patient. Basic obligations would include daily check up for your car, checking the brakes, pressure on its wheels, engine oil, and have your car washed regularly to protect its appearance and performance against rain, sunlight, and snow.

If you are able to perform these basic steps, then you are just simply doing the advanced maintenance as a car owner. This would also mean that you are saving money and being independent to a skilled mechanic to do a simple job for your car.

The very main reason for all of these maintenances and check ups is to make sure that your life is not at risk every time you travel and also not to spend too much money for future repairs. Achievement for total maintenance for your car includes this task. The compulsory part in your car that must be working perfectly great is the brakes. Car brakes must be kept in the best condition at all times. Always remember that break problems does not occur suddenly in just one hit. A lot of accidents are caused by break problems.

These kinds of problems occur if you felt like there is something that holding on to your pedal to move before your break will bite. Or if it takes a several seconds to click while pulling your handbrake before the car will get hold, then it must be considered for some factors like indications of air in the car system or maybe it needs some adjustments. Before you run your car, make it sure that there are no trace of brake problem tendencies, so to avoid any accidents.

It is also very important to check your tires before running. It would include the pressure on the tires. Every tire has a minimum depth tread, so if you are driving with a poor conditioned tire, accident is most likely riding with you. So it is very important that the tires are checked before any take offs.

You must drive with the right amount of oil. It is advisable to check your oil 2 or 3 times a week. Your car is at risk if your oil is not on the right amount. However, you must only do the oil check if your car’s engine is cool and the important thing is that the car is on the flat area. Other maintenance to perform is checking the coolant. This is very important for those who travel long distance. Coolant protects your car against overheat. And in the summer season, it is very important that you check your coolant often to secure good cooling system.

Those tips are only the basic and primary advanced maintenance for car owners. None of that maintenance is hard or expensive. By doing so, it is a guarantee that your car will live long and running smoothly even on rough roads.

Things To Consider When Getting A Car Repair

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair

Owning a vehicle is just like having a baby—you need to take care of it, you need to keep it healthy, and you need to bring it to a professional when it encounters problems. Car repair is a necessary aspect of car ownership, especially when the vehicle has already traveled a certain number of miles. In fact, next to fuel, the repair and maintenance of a vehicle takes a huge block from a vehicle owner’s budget.

If you’re experiencing problems with your car, you’re probably thinking about bringing it to the mechanic for diagnosis or repair. However, before doing that, you must know that there are a few things you should consider to ensure that you’ll get the best in terms of caring for your vehicle and caring for your budget.

There are a few things you must look into before you decide to go to your local shop for car inspection and repair. These things include the following:

1.) The seriousness of the problem. Are you suffering from a serious drop in driving performance due to a trouble in one of the systems in your car? Do you experience stalling and other similar problems? If the issue has something to do with your driving performance, especially with critical systems like the suspension, steering, and braking assemblies, then you must immediately have your car checked. The said systems are critical and even just a simple problem in these systems can brought accidents like collisions. If, on the other hand, you’re simply dissatisfied with your car’s horsepower output, you can simply go for performance upgrades like high-flow headers, cold air intake, or turbocharger.

2.) Your skill in car repair. If you’re someone who has sufficient knowledge and skill to tinker with the parts under your hood, then there are probably some car problems that you can deal with all by yourself. Among the simple tasks that you might be able to do on your own are the fixing of a damaged windshield wiper, headlight, or auto windows. This way, you can even save on mechanic fee.

3.) Repair or replacement. There are problems in your vehicle that can be solved by a simple repair here and there. However, there are others that require the replacement of a few vehicle parts. If you’ve got a clogged cold air intake, for instance, you may have to replace your paper air filter with a new one. Problems with gaskets, weatherstrippings, and rusted components will also require the replacement of the involved parts.

Once you have already determined the exact problem with your car, assessed whether it’s something you can fix on your own or not, and determined whether a simple car repair will do or if a replacement is needed, it would be easier to handle the issue. If you think you will need a mechanic, be sure that you find one that you can trust.

Like a good doctor to your child, a good mechanic can do a lot in the preservation of your car’s good condition.

The Basics Of Car Hood Repairs And Maintenance

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair

Body panels make up the greatest portion of your car—its metal skin, doors, hood, trunk, roof, and even the floor. Of all these panels, the hood is the most important because it houses all your vehicle’s performance parts, including the engine. Unfortunately, the hood is also among the panels most susceptible to damage because of its front most location. Car hood repairs are often common and they can take a great chunk out of your car maintenance budget.

The Different Types Of Hood Damage

Hood damage can take in different forms, from the simplest to the most serious. Here are three common damage that the hood often encounters:

• Hinge Problem. Your hood is connected to the main body of your vehicle as it covers important auto parts. Among the different hardware that connect it to your automobile are hinges. Sometimes, however, these hinges loosen or even disappear. If you experience rattling of your vehicle hood when you drive, there’s a great chance that the hinges are already loose, failing, or even missing. If you neglect this, there’s a possibility that the hood may suddenly go up while you’re driving in the highway, blocking your view and even resulting in accidents.

• Scratches and Dents. Simple vehicle accidents known as fender benders can also damage the hood, causing problems like scratches and dents. These may be simple problems, but they can be unsightly. They can make your vehicle look older and worn-out, decreasing its value. Besides, when these problems are neglected, they can lead to more serious troubles. To eliminate scratches, you can simply do a vehicle repaint. For dents, you can do the fixing on your own or you can bring it to your local mechanic.

• Rusting and Corrosion. This is probably the most serious problem a hood may encounter. Rusting can result from neglect, scratches that you fail to cover up and repaint, as well as the vehicle’s long exposure to environmental elements without protection. The solution to this problem would depend on the extent of the corrosion on the part. If the rusting only affects a small part of the panel, you can still save it. However, if rust has already eaten a great part of the hood, the best thing you can do is to replace it with a new one. After all, you wouldn’t want to risk the parts in the engine bay by exposing them to damaging elements.

Taking care of your vehicle hood is crucial to the well-being of your engine and many of the parts that work with it—the ignition system, fuel injection system, and many other vehicle assemblies. So once you notice even just a simple hood problem, do not neglect it and find a solution at once.

Car hood repairs need not be expensive—you can even perform simple repairs on your own. All you will need are the right tools and the basic skills in auto maintenance. These will not only save your money but will also give you more knowledge to help you take care of your car.

Should I Trust Any Car Repair Shop?

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Info

During the first year of owning a car is a feeling that we can’t seem to leave our car. We would even love to sleep at our cars, and it’s like a pet for us that we would provide all maintenance just to look it good and in running condition. We are very concern about everything that our car might be needing, the maintenance, care, and even regular wash. As much as we wanted to take car of our car ourselves, but in some point and some unexpected situation, we need to bring our car to a car repair shop to do some tricky jobs and other maintenance considering that it’s our time to own a car. Our concern in this point is the reliability of a certain shop of our choice.

Well, this is just normal to be concerned and worried about our car since that’s the very main reason why we bring our car to them. But of all the cars that are brought in a shop, are we really sure that each car is treated with special extra care like what we wanted to?

Behind our knowledge, auto repair shops have laws and requirements that they need to follow and comply before they do the repair. Normally, all over the world, there are five categories that they need to observe and with that, we will know if we can entrust them our cars. If they follow the right policy and procedure before they perform a car repair, it would only mean that they are reliable enough for us to be at peace.

The first thing to be performed by a car repair shop is the written estimate for such repair. Before they do the repair, they would normally negotiate and write the estimated amount of repair, and also parts that need to be repair or replaced. This would serve as a legal documentation that you have your car repaired with them. This is normally applicable to repairs of high cost. But regardless of the cost, a good repair shop has a written estimate as a proof and to observe its legality.

The next step to be observed is the unauthorized charges. A reliable repair shop will never charge his customer more the 110% of the total amount indicated on the written estimate and authorization not unless a verbal agreement was made in between the shop and the car owner. This would exclude taxes, but no hidden charges.

An official receipt must be provided after the repair. This is with the compliance of their tax payments. And a good facility must observe disposition of replaced parts. That would only means that they must return all parts that was replaced on your car except for those that are stated on the warranty or not unless you have to verbally tell them that they can junk the parts replaced. This practice will ensure that the junks will not be reused in whatever form as these parts may be unreliably damaged.

Unlawful acts and practices is also a must. Make it sure that they are doing exactly the same as what is shown on their advertisements. False market bills and other form of advertisement must be relied upon repair.

If all of these policies governed a certain car repair shop, then we say that we can trust them and that they will handle our cars with care as what we always wanted to.

Save Money On Car Insurance That Includes Repair

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Info

Here are the tips on how to save money on car insurance that includes repair on its option. As we all know, driving in the middle of the road is guaranteed safe. Though you are the safest driver in the world but if you are on the same road of the most reckless driver in the city, then you are at risk. Or even if you are the most reckless driver, there is still a kind of insurance that fits for you.

The most common kind of car insurance that most of us are insured is the liability insurance. This insurance deals with the damages cause by road accident where you as the driver at fault. No matter how careful we are, there are inevitable circumstances that we loose our control while driving. We maybe very sleepy to fall asleep while driving or we may be too depressed to loose attention on the road and just wake up in the hospital. Aside from this, you also have another option to add one thing on this insurance, which is the coverage for your car during an accident.

This means that the insurance company will take care of your car no matter what happen. This would include insurance for car repairs at any reason. This is a good option for those who acquire their cars through car loan program. So, if your car has debt, then this car policy will pay the loaned amount in full and then they will deal with your new car. But if the car is repairable, then the insurance company will pay for the repair of the car but the loan amount is still your responsibility. But in some cases, they join both of these insurances so they will get a total protection with no hassle.

So whenever you mess somebody or anything on the road at anytime, you have an insurance to cover your cost though it is your fault and at the same time, your car is very well taken care of. And in some cases, they also add insurance that will cover the medical bills of all the passengers on that car. Most of the time, it’s the whole family who is in one car. So this would be a convenient way to get out of the hassle that a car accident may bring in any emergency cases. The whole insurance policy is very good for one family.

If your car is on that policy, then you, your family, and your car are assured to be in good protection. You can cut your expenses but not your own safety. Just make it sure that the insurance company is well established and stable, a company that must be outstanding and in business for long years.

Insurance companies for car repairs have almost the same policy plans that only differ in category and prices. To assure your total protection and savings, it is best that you compare all good insurance companies. Just make sure that the coverage is complete or almost complete and the cost is minimal.

Repair And Protection Of A Car Transmission

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Info

Repairing car transmission is a bit complicated and heavy on the pocket. Most car owners make their transmission automatic since this is a lot easy and convenient however, automatic transmission in not that reliable not unless you do a regular maintenance and check ups. The maintenance of a car transmission anyway, does not require too much effort but patient instead.

To avoid damages to your car’s automatic transmission, it is best that you know the factor that can cause this, so you may avoid getting into. Most of the time, transmission failure comes as a result from overheating. A lot of factors will cause overheats as well, such as traffic jams in hot weather that causes your car from stopping over and over, or even in snows. During this hard working time for the transmissions, the fluid is burned and it’s losing its quality to lubricate.

The process will oxidize and will leave deposits on the entire transmission. And if the gaskets and rubber seals will exposed to heat inside the transmission, it will be hardened and will cause leakage. These continuous reactions and process will eventually cause failure of the transmission. Other transmission problem are caused by very low transmission fluid, reckless driving, and seldom by putting a wrong transmission fluid. But in this case, the reaction is very quick. It would take minutes or hours for your transmission to fail if a wrong fluid is applied.

Repairing car transmission usually needs a professional repair person as this is a complicated repair job. You can do the repair yourself if you already experienced the same situation in the past. And by choosing a repair shop, it would be better if you choose the one who offers warranty so it won’t be hard for you if the job’s affectivity doesn’t last that long. I would suggest that you use original parts for this kind of repair.

I will give you some tips on how to avoid problems on your cars such as transmission failure. A regular check up is still the best way. But in this case, it won’t take any effort at all. Just every time you park, look back on your parking space if there are any signs of leakage, it will only take a second s of your time. If you have free time, take a second to take a look at the level of your transmission fluid.

If the fluid seems to be dark than the normal color or looks dirty, I would suggest to change your transmission fluid as this can be a factor for your transmission to fail. Always remember that you never drain your transmission fluid. And when changing your transmission fluid, use a kind of fluid that is indicated on the manual, a lot of cars are sensitive to transmission fluids nowadays.

And for driving techniques, you can also avoid transmission problem through this tips. You can only shift to reverse if your car comes to stop completely. You can only shift from a parking mode if the engine’s rpm is higher compare than a normal idle. If you practice these simple guides and techniques, you can avoid your car to any damage thus avoiding repairing the car’s transmission.

Reasons To Have A Car Repair And Safety Kit

November 29, 2010 by  
Filed under Auto Repair Info

Car is a simple commodity nowadays and almost everybody has a car. It gives convenience and it gives value to our time. In every good is a twin of bad. And talking about cars, the consequences are accidents, being stranded in the middle of nowhere, and paying expensive amount for its maintenance and repair. However, there are precautions that we can do to avoid the hassle. We can have a big help by having a car repair and safety kits, having insurance and by driving carefully.

Emergency cases strike anywhere and anytime with out any rules. But are you prepared to handle any problems safely? Whenever this happens, just expect the unexpected. We can’t do anything about accident. All we can do is to respond to it cautiously with the best action that we can possibly have. Thus, emergency accidents in the road are happening anytime and anywhere, and if you are not prepared with any tools, you really can’t do anything but wait for fate to help you. But it’s a total shameless approach though.

It is hard and heavy on our pocket to pay a lot of money only for car repairs caused by accidents. Getting stranded in the middle of the road and have no one to ask for help. Preparation is still the best way to do actions for this situation. So make it sure that you always have a car repair and safety kit wherever you go. You can have the cheapest kit and have a total protection and preparation. This kit is optional, you can have them bought from a car shop or you can have them assembled yourself. This kit is even handy, the weight would go around 5 pounds or even less. And the price is very cheap. It won’t hurt your pocket at all. And it’s good to feel that you are always prepared even though you find yourself stranded anywhere and everywhere.

A good emergency car repair and safety kit can assure your car not to be left alone whenever you get stranded or any other minor problems such as breakdown. Some drivers will rely for the help of other drivers, but not all drivers are willing to waste their time to assist you when they get nothing from you but just a waste of time. Or other option is to call an emergency road assistant and pay more money. But with the aid of a kit, you can do the repair yourself and you won’t have a very bad day after all.

Being knowledgeable to manage your car is a smart action. Some car owners would say that they have a lot of money to buy all necessary car accessories and tools. But it doesn’t really mean that you have to do it if you really can. The advantage is you won’t go back to any car repair shop over and over since you already know how to fix simple problem using your kit.

Safety is what matters than the rest. Of course, you want to give your family a total protection while on the road. So make it sure that every car you have has a car repair and safety kit.

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