In a perfect world your car would never break down and the only cost to own your car would be the amount you paid for it. However, a car is a machine, and all machines break down from time to time. Auto bills happen, so you have to be prepared to take care of them.Most car repairs are covered by your car's auto warranty. However, what happens if your warranty has expired? If your car is out of warranty it can cost thousands of dollars to make the necessary repairs. One way to cover your car for an extended period of time is to buy an extended warranty.
An extended warranty will protect your car in the event of a needed repair after your originally warranty expires. An additional warranty will typically run you about 750 dollars on average. Keep in mind that most car warranties last for 5 years and up to 60,000 miles. Find out how much of the warranty you would have left upon buying the car and decide accordingly.
What can a consumer expect to pay on average for a car repair bill? The cost is probably going to make you wish you took public transportation. An average engine replacement can run as much as 3600 dollars. To replace a transmission can run you a little over 3,000 dollars and having to replace any power components of your car is going to set you back about 1,000 dollars.
Auto bills can be mitigated with proper maintenance and care for your car. The oil should be changed every 5,000 miles, or whenever your owners manual says to get the oil changed. Flushing fluids every 30-60,000 miles is also recommended. Not only will proper care keep your car running, but it will ensure that the warranty on the car is not voided.
The most important aspects of your car are your brakes, tires and electrical system. If you cannot stop you will be in serious danger and not having proper tire tread can result in blow out and skidding off the road. A good battery will ensure that your car will always start which is even more crucial during cold winter months.
Keeping these systems maintained is cheap and will save you more money down the road. You shouldn't have to spend more than a couple hundred dollars for routine maintenance.
Be aware that you are allowed to take your car in to whatever repair shop that you want. If you were in an accident, and you have repairs to be made, your insurance company cannot tell you where to go. Go where you feel comfortable and you feel like the best work will be done on your car.
Your car should be one of your prized possessions. Make sure that you are maintaining the car to reduce breakdowns and the resulting repair bills. Good upkeep and common sense should keep your car running well, but if not, hope that your warranty will cover whatever bills come due.
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