5-Get Educated So You Don't Get Fleeced

Finally, know when to dispute your bill. Check it over before you hand over your credit card and make sure you're not being billed for duplicate labor charges, duplicate parts, or if the total came out way over the estimate you were given. It doesn't hurt to ask for your old parts back either, usually before they start work (after everything's said and done, you'll probably hear "oh, we disposed of them already") to make sure they're on the up and up. Use some of the sites we mentioned, like RepairPal, AutoMD, DriverSide, and ALLDATAdiy to help you understand how much different repairs should cost so you're not surprised when you get the bill. Research in advance is best, but if you're sitting in the waiting area for work to be done, look up the work being done on your phone while you wait. You'll have plenty of time to educate yourself, and you're right there in case you need to talk to someone. At the end of the day, the more research you do in advance to find a great place, the more you learn about how car repairs work and how much they cost, and the more you can do yourself without ever going to the mechanic, the more comfortable you'll be about the whole car repair process. Plus, if you do your homework, you'll save hundreds—probably thousands—of dollars over the life of your car, just by being a smart, engaged car owner—preferably one that's not afraid to get his or her hands dirty now and again.