http://articles.autorepairplus.com/rss.xml A blog about autorepairplus.com daily 365 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://articles.autorepairplus.com/?a=36693 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>One of my companies owns a fleet of trucks. My drivers, though responsible, put the trucks through the natural wear and tear that driving them hundreds of miles a week will cause. They drive safely and carefully, but in the end, the elements win over. Parts wear out with use, and for that reason, I opt for the extended warranty on every vehicle I buy, be it for my business or my family. <br /><br />My business has saved literally thousands of dollars in maintenance repairs because of extended warranties. Last year alone I had five different trucks that needed repairs caused by just regular wear, and thanks to my extended warranty, I didn't spend a dime. Without these warranties, I literally would have been out over 2000 bucks. But when the problems arose, I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that we were covered. I just had my drivers take the vehicle down to our local dealer where his mechanics fixed the problem pronto and put my drivers back on the road. And again, I was never out the cash for fixing them. <br /><br />I admit that I hesitated the first time I bought a vehicle to put an extended warranty on it. After all, they cost on average around an extra $1500, and when you are buying a new vehicle to boot, the extra 15K seems a bit excessive. But a year later when vapors start rolling off the gas tank and you scratch your head wondering why your new car is malfunctioning, you can just take it over to the qualified mechanic and ask him to fix it without even asking for an estimate. There goes your $1500, and that was just the first fix. The next one could have cost you even more. <br /><br />Extended warranties buy you more than just repairs. They buy you security. When my wife calls me from the grocery store saying that something sounds &quot;funny&quot; on the car, we both rest in the security that this little ping will not take a chunk out of my next pay check. <br /><br />Warranties cover a variety of things. They will cover basic maintenance on the car often times along with everything under the hood and in the car, like blinkers, engines, and even automatic car seat adjustments. If your lumbar support starts to deflate, you do not have to worry about spending extra cash on an obvious luxury because your warranty will cover it. <br /><br />In the end, one has to wonder why he would not include a warranty on his new vehicle. If you have the cash to fork over every time something goes wrong, then I can see why you might want to reconsider the warranty, but if you have saved for years for this particular car or truck, then save a little longer, and get the warranty. You just never know when you will need it.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as auto repair information at <a href="http://www.autorepairplus.com/">http://www.autorepairplus.com</a></p> 2006-11-30T21:32-05:00 http://articles.autorepairplus.com/?a=36691 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>There is nothing like riding and driving a luxury car. The cushy feel of the leather and the beauty of the shiny details just makes a driver grin. But nothing else compares with a broken luxury car. Imagine stepping into your Lincoln for a spin, and clicking on the air conditioner to cool off the interior on a 90 degree day, only to have warm air greet you from your vents. You just spent several thousand dollars of your hard earned money to drive this beauty around, and a malfunctioning air condition is like the vehicle and the world are snubbing their noses at you. Repairs are possible, but you need to keep a few tips in mind. <br /><br />Obviously your best option for a quality repair job is your authorized dealer. The dealer will have the parts that you need manufactured by the right company. They will serve you quickly and efficiently because, after all, they want your business in the future when you want to trade that luxury car in for another one. So they will treat you right because of their vested interest in you. However, they will cost more than the mechanic down the street. <br /><br />Your mechanic down the street might cost less, but he will also use substandard parts at times. He might even call the local junk yard to see if they can purchase a part off a previously wrecked vehicle. <br />In the end, you need to just consider the parts that you might need and the importance of the repair work. For example, if your automatic side mirror is not working, then consider the mechanic down the street. He can fix this nonessential luxury item for little to nothing. However, if your engine starts making a loud grinding sound, drive on over to the dealer's right away. Your warranty might even cover you on this since many warranties stretch to either 5 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. <br /><br />Some wannabe mechanics might even want to consider repairing their vehicle themselves. You can find the parts that you need often times at the local auto parts store or for cheap on the internet. Search around and make sure to use a repair manual if you plan on trying to save money on a mechanic, because after all, nothing looks worse than a malfunctioning car that cost you a few years worth of your savings. <br />If you want to drive your vehicle in confidence, seek out a mechanic. If you want to save money, do it yourself. In the end, the choice is up to you. And ultimately what you choose may save you money but you need to count the cost of the quality of the job you have when you drive that car down the street.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach Florida. Find more about this as auto repair manuals at <a href="http://www.autorepairplus.com/">http://www.autorepairplus.com</a></p> 2006-11-30T21:29-05:00