Regardless of the type of vehicle you drive – a basic four-seater, sports car, wagon, truck or SUV – about 60 percent of drivers on the road spend an average of $500 to $2,000 annually on auto repair service. Even with newer-model vehicles, maintenance and tune-ups can add up over time.
Let’s take a look at some of the most dreaded – and most costly –repair jobs for a typical sedan:
- The Little Engine That Couldn’t – It should come as no surprise to anyone that auto engine repair is generally the most expensive of all auto repair services. In fact, for an older model vehicle, engine mount repair is so prohibitively costly it could cause the owner to trade in or dump the car for parts. The good news is with regular maintenance such as oil changes and changing the filters, you can keep your engine running strong for longer periods of time than ever before. So don’t turn a would-be cheap oil change in San Diego into a thousand-dollar engine block repair because you decide to skip it.
- Transmission Troubles? That’ll Cost You Plenty – Runner up to the most expensive automotive repair services in San Diego is transmission repair. Whether it is a complete system overall or even part replacement such as the electronic control module (EMC), transmission repair service is not cheap. While not all transmission troubles are preventable, a recent report by the experts at Auto Service Online estimates that 90 percent of them are due to low levels of transmission fluid or bad fluid. Regular transmission service such as a flush can help prevent major transmission repair or replacement.
- Regular Maintenance Is Clutch in Transmission Repairs – We couldn’t resist the pun. If you drive a manual transmission vehicle, clutch repairs can also be one of the highest costing automotive repairs. Riding the clutch and using the clutch as a footrest are bad habits that can cause some serious damage. Finding the right clutch repair shops could help considerable in managing costs.
So instead of ignoring that maintenance-needed light on your dashboard, remember that the majority of engine or transmission repairs are preventable with the right attention and care. Ignore these warnings at your own risk.