Five Ways to Save on Car Repair

These five tips can save money on auto repair.

With inflation at a 40-year high and supply chain issues choking part deliveries, auto repair costs have shifted into a higher gear.

Case in point. The U.S. Department of Labor statistics show auto parts and equipment costs also are up 15% from 2021. Those are the highest pricing increases since 1974, the U.S. government reported.

Adding fuel to the fire is an emerging shortage of auto shop technicians due to early auto repair specialist retirements and advancements in car repair technology (like calibration and electric vehicle operating systems).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 4% annual decline in qualified auto repair technicians over the next seven years. The shortage of experienced auto technicians is a big reason why auto shop labor costs were up 7.4% in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Five Ways to Curb Car Repairs

To grab the wheel and take control of rising auto repair costs, car owners should take any or all of the following tips from auto maintenance experts.

Maintenance first. The most proven practice to save on car repairs is to prevent them in the first place by following your car’s routine maintenance schedule.

“If you’re on a tight budget and are unable to pay for the full-service package, focus on maintaining the consumable parts and items of your car, such as your tires, brakes, oil, and air filters,” said Tim Prescott, managing editor at Certainly Cars. “This will ensure the car continues to run smoothly and won’t need to work harder than it needs to, preventing premature wear to the rest of the car.”

“Also, if you want to save some money, there are YouTube videos on how to change these basic items for virtually every car,” Prescott noted.

Roll into an independent auto repair center. Many auto owners get fixated on finding the cheapest quote they can without checking reviews or researching if that specific garage has good experience with their type of car.

That can lead to improper or incomplete repairs, which can cost you double the amount of time and money to fix in the long run,” Prescott said.

“On the other hand, many consumers also think that the dealership is the only trusted place to repair their car,” he noted. “Yet there are many reputable independent mechanics and garages that offer excellent service as well.”

In fact, labor costs can be 30%-50% lower at an independent garage compared to an official dealership.

“Another extra benefit is that you have a better chance at negotiating the price of the total estimate at an independent shop as well,” Prescott added.

Opt for aftermarket replacement parts instead of genuine OEM parts. While some car owners are adamant about only using genuine parts, those parts are significantly more expensive than aftermarket replacement options.

“There are a number of reputable aftermarket brands that can provide a similar level of quality for a fraction of the price,” said Jake Mayock, founder and content Writer at https://tuningpro.co, an auto maintenance blog.

For example, Mayock said he’s recently changed the rear shocks on a 2002 Suburban.

“The OEM replacement shocks were about $400 per shock,” he said. “The car has 220,000 miles on it and is probably only worth a few thousand dollars. Rather than paying $800 for a set of OEM shocks I chose an aftermarket brand and paid $120 in total.”

Ignore the minor problems the repair shops find in their inspection. Over the last few years, nearly every repair shop has started doing full inspections on the cars they repair.

“They then discover five or six other problems that your car might have and then suggest you get all of those fixed as well,” Mayock said. “While some of these issues may be valid, there are a lot of repair suggestions that really don’t need to be addressed immediately.”

Space out any repairs that need to be fixed but aren’t immediate concerns. Repairs like oil leaks can be pushed off to deal with more pressing problems.

“While an oil leak is something that should be fixed eventually, you can usually continue driving with a leak for thousands of miles, so long as it isn’t severe,” Mayock said. “Understanding what repairs need to be addressed immediately versus which ones can wait is a great way to budget for your car repairs and space out any expenses to fit within your budget.”