Care and maintenance of your vehicle is critical, especially if you drive frequently. Still, most owners don’t know anything about their vehicle. This article contains some great tips for you when your car is need of repair.

Keep a good battery charger in your car. Dead batteries are a common occurrence and you’d be able to aid other drivers who have broken down. Find out where to connect the charger to your car.

You don’t always need a mechanic when you have trouble with your car. Some car repairs are easy to do yourself. If you want to take a chance, you can go online and do some research to pinpoint what the problem is. If it’s easy, you can repair the problem yourself, and save money too.

There is no better way to find an auto mechanic than to get a referral. Ask friends, family or co-workers for recommendations. This gives you the opportunity to find out about costs and the overall quality you can expect. You can use their experiences to determine whether a mechanic is honest or not.

Thoroughly review your car manual. This can help prevent a trip to the auto shop if you can fix the issue yourself. After reading the manual, you might just find that you have an easy fix on your hands.

Whenever you have your vehicle repaired, ensure you maintain an adequate record, regardless of the reason why you are having repairs. Having detailed records will be useful if you need to perform more repairs on your vehicle. If you do not have documentation, you may have duplicate services performed.

Do not let mechanics do repairs that are not warranted on your car. A reputable mechanic will let you know when they see something else wrong with your vehicle and they’ll give you options as to how to proceed. Don’t trust a mechanic who has done repairs without asking.

If you plan to take your car to the shop, do not leave anything inside the car. The mechanic may need to remove these items in order to do their job, and they are not responsible if you find out later that something is missing. Empty both the trunk and glove compartment.

Before you take your car to the shop, always make an attempt to identify the problem yourself. Knowing what your car needs can help you avoid being talked into repairs it doesn’t need. Unreliable mechanics might lie about the issue so they can charge you for additional repairs.

If there are two tools all cars should have, it is a jack and lug-nut wrench. With that, you also need an extra tire. Nearly every car has them equipped standard. You wouldn’t want to get a simple flat and have to shell out lots of money to a tow truck. It will be quicker and less costly when you do it yourself.

If you are having extensive repairs done, make sure that you get several estimates. While you can usually trust an auto repair shop, you don’t want to be paying too much money for the repairs needed. Try and locate a shop that specializes in servicing your particular type of car. They may have an easier time understanding what needs to be done to your car.

Before giving your car to a shop, ask them about their fees. A lot of places will put rates in the fine print and so you need to read over any paperwork carefully. You must be able to tell how the repairs are being billed to you. A lot of places will give you an estimate of how long this will take that they were given by various manufacturers. You may find that a repair that is deemed minor may take all day.

Take pictures of your car prior to having it serviced. A lot of shops aren’t going to strip things out of your vehicle, but some will if they are trying to make more money. Be safe rather than sorry.

If you have been having minor car issues, you should have them checked out. A small problem could be a symptom of a larger issue.

Warranties really come in handy when you need to replace parts. Ask the mechanic about warranties on these parts. Ask about warranty length and and acquire a printed version for your reference.

Only use a mechanic who is certified. A NIAE seal of approval is something to look for in a mechanic. This will tell you if they are properly trained and will provide you with quality service.

If you own a car, it is your job to keep it in good working order. Unfortunately, some people do not know how to find affordable auto repair or make their own repairs. Now you know what is necessary to keep a car running properly at all times.