First step to prevent getting ripped off in auto repairs is to understand the fees to fix a car, car repair estimate or an invoice.

It is important to understand the industry definition for commonly used words in an invoice or an estimate:

Aftermarket Parts: parts that are not made by or for the manufacturer.

MSRP: retail price

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer. Manufacturer approved parts designed specifically for your vehicle.

Flat Fees: services such as alignments that do not get into parts, tax, labor disaggregated

Miscellaneous Charges: these can include, but are not limited to shop supplies – rags, chemicals, hazardous waste disposal fees, waste oil, etc. …

Labor costs: Repairs Shop hourly fee service your vehicle

Established labor time: the time or hour, it will be correct in your vehicle

Labor Description: The Step-by-step written details of repairs and / or services

TSB: Technical Service Bulletins. Information and instructions of the manufacturer for known and specific concerns provided they (can not remember) himself.

Now let us look at the information which is required or provided in an estimate

There are six basic components to a car repair estimate

1) Customer / Vehicle Information

2) Parts

3) Labor Charges

4) Miscellaneous Charges

5) Apartment Fees

6) Summary of charges

Customer and vehicle information
This is quite simple. Basically the top portion contains your personal data and characteristics of your vehicle: year, make, model, mileage … etc, as well as your request or concern.

Car Parts
Parts are listed usually with a short description and the quantity and price. There are three types of parts: OEM (parts by or on behalf of a manufacturer). These are the parts installed by a dealer, although many local shops use OEM parts.

Aftermarket parts are non-OEM parts, and there are different degrees of quality, depending on the brand and where they’re made – China against the United States, for example.

Then they used parts purchased from a salvage Yard.

To determine if you are paying too much for the parts, first find out, what kinds of parts are used? With OEM parts, you do not want to pay more than MSRP, although most people do without realizing it. Premium aftermarket parts are also from the best brands, but do not cost more than MSRP and should be lower than OEM parts. Used Parts prices are all over the place, so choose the prices in the middle.

Auto Repair Labor

The work is set in tenths of a bill. So 1.0 equals 1Hour. 1.5 corresponds to an hour and a half.
Labor costs of $ 60 to $ 100 per hour at local repair shops and $ 80 to $ 140 per hour at the dealer level. Labor hours are dependent on the established industry guidelines, which are often misused.

When you see the shop labor rate posted on the car repair invoice, ask your service center for the speed. Workshops are able to manipulate the labor rate (among others) with a labor matrix. Matrix quantities are a complex and ethically questionable practice. What you need to know if you paid as high as $ 150 per hour, rather than the posted labor rate of $ 105 per hour due to ‘low’ speed of repair.

You may want to multiply the number of hours billed (which is also often not posted) by the work of the workshop rate to determine whether you have been charged accordingly.

Most of the work descriptions are poorly written and difficult to understand. To ask questions.

Here is a “clear” job description is for a 30,000 mile-service on a Toyota Camry.

Performed 30,000 miles on customer service and in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. Changed oil and filter change, installed new air filter, cabin filter and performed all necessary checks, controls and procedures, including the road test (miles 30,123 – 30,125). Performed lubrication services and confirmed proper operation of the vehicle. Set tire pressure, and checked fluids, belts and hoses. Note: car pulls slightly to the left. Needs Alignment

Miscellaneous Charges

These costs may include, but are not limited to, shop supplies – rags, chemicals, hazardous waste disposal fees, waste oil, etc. … The latter can be charged separately in a summary at the end of your repair bill.

Flat Fees

Flat Fees can be another area very difficult. Flat Fees are services such as an orientation, not to get broken down into parts, tax and labor reform. This makes it difficult to identify the real and fair price. On the positive side, most flat fees are competitively priced.

Be warned, however, another term for Flat Fee is called Menu Selling. In other words, you might see Tune Up: $ 99.99 or Transmission Flush: $ 89.99. You need to confirm that the shop will actually provide the service based on the car manufacturer recommendation and not their own menu.

Summary of charges

The last part of an automatic repair estimate is the summary of the facts. It is found usually in the lower right corner of the invoice. Check against the fees to ensure that it all adds up mathematically, as well logically.

We hope that by following above steps, you wil be able to get an estimate which is realistic and more accurate!

After buying a new car, everyone wants it to shine as new (at least for first few months) so that they can enjoy its beauty and make the neighbors envy!

Well it is not that easy to maintain a car like new. However, you can do a reasonably good job in protecting its paint and shine by regularly taking care of its exterior.

European coach builders were the first that applied coatings of animal fats and wax to protect the custom paintwork on their horse drawn carriages. This tradition has endured over 100 years and is still the best way to protect the paintwork on modern-day coaches. Regardless of how fine the finish is now, it will deteriorate and dull. Radiation and ultraviolet energy, acid rain, salt, atmospheric pollution, insect fluids, and bird droppings wage a constant war on your car’s finish.

Waxing provides an easily renewable, transparent barrier between the finish and a hostile environment. Quality waxes now combine enriching oils that “wet” the surface with Carnauba Wax and/or modern polymers for a high gloss shine.

How to select wax?

Waxes can be made from a natural wax, usually Brazilian Carnauba, or synthetically made with polymers and acrylic resins. In choosing a wax, here are some points to consider:

Carnauba Waxes

Positives:

• Carnauba car waxes tend to produce a deeper, darker, richer shine that is often described as “three-dimensional”.
• Carnauba waxes bead water nicely
• Absorb the acid content in rain and
• Hide minor swirls in the paint.

Minuses:

• Carnauba waxes are not as durable as synthetic waxes. Depending on your climate, they typically last 90 days.
• Some carnauba waxes are a little harder to apply and buff off.
• Carnauba waxes can be temperamental, sometimes “streaking” under certain temperature conditions.

Synthetic Waxes

Positives:

• Made from modern polymers and acrylic resins, synthetic waxes offer maximum durability and ease of application.
• Synthetic waxes can last six to nine months or longer and typically wipe on and buff off with very little effort.
• These waxes, sometimes called sealants, create a very bright shine and are resistant to clouding and streaking.

Minuses:

• Synthetic waxes lack depth and richness. Black cars can look a sterile silvery-white in direct sunlight.
• Mirror-like polymers can collect in minor swirls and actually highlight paint flaws.

Proper Waxing Tips

Once you’ve selected a wax, here are some tips to make waxing easier:

1. Always work in a shaded area. Elevated paint temperatures cause waxes to dry too quickly. this may cause hazing or streaking.

2. Apply waxes using as thin a coating as possible.

3. Remove wax and buff using clean, dry terry towels.

Tightly woven material (like diapers) can trap particles between itself and the paint and cause fine scratches. New microfiber towels like the Magic Towel work unbelievably well as a final wipe towel. Keep one Magic Towel just for use as a final wipe towel.

4. If you have difficulty buffing the wax to a uniform shine, switch to a clean wipe towel.

5. Hazing, streaking, and uneven gloss can result from using too much wax or waxing a surface that’s too hot. If the gloss is uneven, mist the waxed surface with distilled water and re-wipe with a fresh towel. (A spray bottle with distilled water and 1/2 teaspoon of Isopropyl alcohol is a great solution for removing problem streaks and cloudy patches.) Simply mist the surface with one of these products and wipe with a clean towel.

Show-Car Trick

Detailers that prepare show cars will often layer a carnauba wax on top of a synthetic wax. The synthetic wax acts as a gloss layer while the carnauba wax adds depth and liquidity.

Try these steps and you will have a great looking car!

When it comes to maintaining your car, people have several misconceptions which leads to spending unnecessary money on car care.

Here are common myths that can do more harm than good:

A dealership must perform regular maintenance to keep your car’s factory warranty valid.

As long as the maintenance items specified in the vehicle owner’s manual are performed on schedule, the work can be done at any auto-repair shop. If you’re knowledgeable, you can even do the work yourself. Just keep accurate records and receipts to back you up in case of a warranty dispute on a future repair.

Inflate tires to the pressure shown on the tire’s sidewall.

The pounds-per-square-inch figure on the side of the tire is the maximum pressure that the tire can safely hold, not the automaker’s recommended pressure, which provides the best balance of braking, handling, gas mileage, and ride comfort. That figure is usually found on a doorjamb sticker, in the glove box, or on the fuel-filler door. Perform a monthly pressure check when tires are cold or after the car has been parked for a few hours.

Engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles.

Check our earlier blog on this subject: http://www.prundo.com/blog/our-blooper-3000-miles-oil-change/ Always check  your car’s owner’s manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Changing oil more often doesn’t hurt the engine, but it can cost you a lot of extra money. Automakers often recommend 3,000-mile intervals for severe driving conditions, such as constant stop-and-go driving, frequent trailer-towing, mountainous-terrain, or dusty conditions.

If the brake fluid is low, topping it off will fix the problem.

As brake pads wear, the level in the brake-fluid reservoir drops a bit. That helps you monitor brake wear. If the fluid level drops to or below the Low mark on the reservoir, then either your brakes are worn out or fluid is leaking. Either way, get the brake system serviced immediately. You should also get a routine brake inspection when you rotate the tires, about every 6,000 to 7,000 miles.

Let your engine warm up for several minutes before driving.

That might have been good advice for yesteryear’s cars but is less so today. Modern engines warm up more quickly when they’re driven. And the sooner they warm up, the sooner they reach maximum efficiency and deliver the best fuel economy and performance. But don’t rev the engine high over the first few miles while it’s warming up.

If regular-grade fuel is good, premium must be better.

Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won’t hurt, but it won’t improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it’s often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don’t waste money on premium.

Dishwashing and laundry detergents make a good car wash.

Detergent can strip off a car’s wax finish. Instead, use a car-wash liquid, which is formulated to clean without removing wax.

Flush the coolant with every oil change.

Radiator coolant doesn’t need to be replaced very often. Most owner’s manuals recommend changing the coolant every five years or 60,000 miles. Of course, if the level in the coolant reservoir is chronically low, check for a leak and get service as soon as possible.

After a jump-start, your car will soon recharge the battery.

It could take hours of driving to restore a battery’s full charge, especially in the winter. That’s because power accessories, such as heated seats, draw so much electricity that in some cars the alternator has little left over to recharge a run-down battery. A “load test” at a service station can determine whether the battery can still hold a charge. If so, some hours on a battery charger might be needed to revive the battery to its full potential.

Above information has been compiled from the latest issue of Consumer Report. Prundo.com is not responsible or liable for the accuracy of the content. Please check your car owner’s manual for more details.