Tips for repairs without hurting your car, or your wallet

Buying refurbished car parts can cost up to one-third of the original price, according to Business2Community.

On repairs that require a mechanic’s touch, buy the parts yourself. This cuts down on markups from the manufacturer.

When you buy your own parts, buy refurbished or aftermarket parts. These cost significantly less than newer components and work just as well.

Though huge repairs are best done by a mechanic, there are many smaller components of car repair that owners could handle themselves. Tire changes, headlight replacement and radiator flushes are just some of the jobs you can fix yourself.

Regularly maintaining your car can alert you to potential problems before they become a huge expense. Checking fluids can also increase the life of your car.

When you notice a problem, it’s not going to go away. If you can’t fix it, take it to a professional. Procrastinating a repair is only going to make things worse, which means more money out of your pocket in the long run.

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