automotive batteries walmart
How To Save Big Money On Repairs And Auto Parts
We all know it is cheaper to fix things yourself. It is the same with a car or truck. The biggest expense with any repair is not the parts, but the labor. It is not uncommon for repair and service shops to be charging $60 to $70 per hour of labor. And they round to the next half hour or hour for any repair. Just go to any new car dealer and ask to have your windshield wiper blades replaced. They will charge you 10 times the price of replacements at your local auto parts store. So anything you can do yourself to save will be a big help. The purpose of this article is to show you some things you can do on your own and how to get the lowest prices on parts so you can save big and put your money towards something better than fattening your local auto dealers pockets.
First off is routine maintenance. Routine maintenance consists of items like oil changes, tire rotations, and similar. Oil changes are a must at every 4000 to 5000 miles for most every car. Do not go by what your dealer says. They want to rev up your maintenance plan and have you doing more than is required. Instead, use your owners manual. If your car did not come with one, than buy one off of Ebay. The owners manual will give you exact recommendations for every service and when and what should be done. For oil changes use Walmart. They charge around $15 for a oil and filter change and will lube your chassis at the same time. They will also check your tires and change your air filter if you desire or need it. They have the best service for the lowest price and at $15 its better to have them do it than do it yourself. Expect to pay twice this at a new car dealer.
It is also a good idea to check your tire pressure at every gas fill up. A tire pressure gauge can be purchased at Walmart or any auto parts store for a few dollars. Proper tire pressure will prolong the usefulness of your tires and help ensure better fuel economy. To most people a under inflated tire is pretty obvious, but a over inflated tire can be just as dangerous as it can lead to blowouts and loss of traction especially in wet conditions (hydroplaning). Also, check your tires for nails, punctures, slashes, anything that could be wrong with it. If you need new tires, be sure to shop around and avoid the new car dealer as they will have a huge markup on them. For instance, 1 ZR Goodyear tire for a 2002 Ford Mustang GT was $289. The same ZR tire with a different make (Kumho) was $100 installed and balanced (the $289 at the dealer did not include installation or balancing. Shop around and look at discount stores. Also look at Costco, Sams club and BJs for tires. If you have an older car and do not care about matching the exact style you can always go to your local junk yard and buy an entire set for dirt cheap. You would be amavzed at what you might find there. A friend of mine picked up 4 tires for a 1999 corvette for $150 and the tires only had maybe 10,000 miles on them if that.
Lights and lighting on your car are an item that is routinely overlooked. If your lights are dim you could have a battery charge, alternator or dim, cloudy lenses. These are all easy to fix. A battery should be checked for its ability to hold charge at least once a year (more in extremely cold climates). An alternator can be replaced very easily, or if you do not feel comfortable a local mechanic can do it. Do not do this at a new car dealer as they will charge at least 300% more. A good tip is to go and buy the part at your local auto parts store and then inquire with the counter clerk as to a mechanic that they recommend to install it. You will save a lot and it will be professionally done. They will probably even come to your house to do it. As to your headlights, turn on your lights. If they are dim, is it the bulb or cloudy lenses? If it is the bulb, the cheapest replacements can be found at Walmart or on Ebay. It is recommended you go with brighter Xeon bulbs as they are only a few dollars more and increase brightness and night visibility by over 20 percent. If it is cloudy headlights there is a new headlight repair and restoration kit that will restore the lenses to new. This will save you big over replacement as the average plastic automotive lens costs $250 to replace.
Checking your fluid levels routinely is a good idea. A lot of cars now will do this for you and will even alert you to when it is time to perform a certain service. It takes 2 minutes to unscrew the oil cap and pull out the dipstick. On older cars you should also look under the cap. Is the oil really dirty, sludge like, or have white in it? These all indicate something needs to be done. The first two mean it is in dire need of an oil change. The latter with the whiteness or light chocolate look means you have a blown head gasket and coolant is leaking into the engine. That is really bad and requires major repairs and can be the result of running a car too hot. Fill all fluids to the fuel full line or indicator. By routinely checking your cars fluid levels you will be ahead of the game and keep your car running better and for much longer.
Another great idea to keep service costs to a minimum and save you big at the same time is to buy 1 to 3 year old used cars with around 30,000 miles on them. Then drive them until you get 100,000 miles on it and replace it. Most major repairs rarely occur before 100,000 miles with proper routine maintenance. Use and follow your owners manual. It was written by the ultimate expert, the people who built, designed and tested your car.
About the Author
For more great information, tips, safety and money saving products please visit:
Save Big On Auto Parts, Headlight Repair And Restoration
|
|
RoadPro RPBH-012 12V Beverage Heater $6.70 Roadpro 12-volt Beverage Heater – Roadpro RPBH-012…. |
|
|
RoadPro 5027S 12V Smart Car Pot $18.90 Roadpro 12-volt 20oz. Smart Car Pot – Roadpro 5027S…. |
|
|
Accutire MS-4021B Standard Digital Tire Gauge $9.95 Reads 5-150 PSI in 1/2-lb. units. Backlit display. Rubberized handle. Auto on/off. Lifetime lithium battery. Max. PSI: 150… |
|
|
Black & Decker ASI300 Air Station Inflator $38.59 Powerful and portable, the Black & Decker ASI300 Air Station Inflator is the portable solution to household and on-the-go inflation needs. An illuminated pressure gauge gives you precise control, with an automatic shut off feature to make inflation easy. The ASI300 draws power from any home outlet or your vehicle’s lighter socket, so you can set it up where you need it.ul.indent {list-style: insid… |
|
|
Kintrex IRT0421 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Targeting $44.95 The IRT0421 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser is designed to accurately measure temperature from a distance. Simply pull the trigger and aim the pistol grip thermometer at an object using the laser indicator and the unit will provide an accurate temperature measurement in less than a second. The IRT0421 has an advanced highly accurate infrared sensor with a Distance to Spot Ratio of 12 t… |
|
|
Panasonic CR1632 3 Volt Lithium Coin Battery (pack of 5) $4.90 Panasonic Battery CR1632 3V 3 Volt Lithium Coin Size Battery… |
|
|
Black Lights: Portable Handheld 6 Inch Single $3.25 Six inch handheld fluorescent battery operated black light fixture that is portable and lightweight. Works with 4 AA batteries (not included). Black lights can be helpful for the following: |
|
|
RoadPro RPSC-818 12V Hair Dryer/ Defroster with Folding Handle $10.10 Whether you’re on a camping trip or just cleaning up after a day on the water, you’ll love the portability of this hair dryer. It plugs into any 12-volt source, so during the winter it’s also an ideal defroster for car windows. Its unique folding handle makes for easy storage. Comes with 8′ power cord. Draws 14 amps…. |
|
|
Cobra CPI 480 400-Watt 12-Volt DC to 120-Volt AC Power Inverter with 5-Volt USB Output $54.95 800W PEAK POWER 400W CONTINUOUS POWERUSB OUTPUTCIGARETTE LIGHTER CORD FOR USE IN ANY VEHICLE WITH 12V PLUGS 2 AC GROUNDED OUTLETS;IDEAL FOR POWERING GAME SYSTEMS LAPTOP COMPUTERS UP TO 26″ TVSUPC : 028377312878Shipping Dimensions : 11.80in X 10.25in X 2.50inEstimated Shipping Weight : 2.1… |
|
|
Wagan 4-Way 12V Automotive Socket Extender $8.36 The Wagan 9139 4-Way Socket Expands one cigarette lighter socket to power 4 electronic items. It plugs into lighter socket…. |
|
|
Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger $31.16 Schumacher SC-600A 6/4/2 Amp 12 Volt SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger Schumacher SC-600A 6/4/2 Amp 12 Volt SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger Features: Fully automatic 6 amp medium charge monitors battery condition and adjusts charge rate downward to prevent battery damage, for car, truck, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, lawn tractor lead acid, and AGM batteries 4 amp medium charge … |
|
|
GPS Navigation For Dummies FD-220 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator $31.00 This GPS for Dummies navigation system makes using a GPS easy. It features an intuitive touchscreen navigation/GPS system and offers an easy-to-use and understand user interface for travelers. Provides voice and visual turn-by-turn navigation, including speaking street names (TTS). Includes preloaded digital maps of 48 continental U.S. states and Puerto Rico, along with millions of points of inter… |
|
|
Midland 1001Z 40-Channel CB Radio $21.00 Keep in touch with your buds, be prepared for emergencies. Compact Midland 40-channel CB Radio, SAVE BIG! The time honored way to keep yourself entertained and up-to-date on changing road and weather conditions. Independent RF gain control and squelch for crystal reception. Pro-quality microphone and PA connector for loud-and-clear transmission. And the easy-to-read digital display means you’ll ne… |
|
|
Sunforce 80001 Solar Pest Repeller $19.97 Solar Mole Repeller. This Repeller emits intolerable underground vibrations every 30 seconds with a 400 Hz. to 1,000 Hz. frequency, both day and night. Covers a 6,000 sq. ft. area with just one repeller! You don’t need harsh chemicals or sprays. This Repeller is completely safe for you, your kids and your family pet. It’s also easy to install and maintenance free. The internal NiCd battery recharg… |
|
|
RoadPro RPBH-012 12V Beverage Heater $6.70 Roadpro 12-volt Beverage Heater – Roadpro RPBH-012…. |
|
|
RoadPro 5027S 12V Smart Car Pot $18.90 Roadpro 12-volt 20oz. Smart Car Pot – Roadpro 5027S…. |
|
|
Accutire MS-4021B Standard Digital Tire Gauge $9.95 Reads 5-150 PSI in 1/2-lb. units. Backlit display. Rubberized handle. Auto on/off. Lifetime lithium battery. Max. PSI: 150… |
|
|
Black & Decker ASI300 Air Station Inflator $38.59 Powerful and portable, the Black & Decker ASI300 Air Station Inflator is the portable solution to household and on-the-go inflation needs. An illuminated pressure gauge gives you precise control, with an automatic shut off feature to make inflation easy. The ASI300 draws power from any home outlet or your vehicle’s lighter socket, so you can set it up where you need it.ul.indent {list-style: insid… |
|
|
Kintrex IRT0421 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Targeting $44.95 The KINTREX IRT0421 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser is designed to measure temperatures accurately from a distance. Lightweight, compact, and easy to use, the IRT0421 can safely measure hot, hazardous, or hard-to-reach surfaces without damaging them. Employing an ultra efficient non-contact method, the thermometer can provide several readings in a matter of seconds.This advanced thermo… |
|
|
Panasonic CR1632 3 Volt Lithium Coin Battery (pack of 5) $4.90 Panasonic Battery CR1632 3V 3 Volt Lithium Coin Size Battery… |
|
|
Black Lights: Portable Handheld 6 Inch Single $3.25 Six inch handheld fluorescent battery operated black light fixture that is portable and lightweight. Works with 4 AA batteries (not included). Black lights can be helpful for the following: |
