If you look after your car properly, you’ll be far less likely to get hefty repair bills in the future. Find out why your car’s service manual is your best friend, how to locate a good garage and get a fair price for Burlingame Auto Repair.

How much does a car service cost?

The average cost of a basic car repair is between $500 and $600. But, you will probably be able to get it cheaper than this if you shop around.

However, this does not include the cost of any repairs, replacements or new parts.

How often should a car be serviced?

To keep your vehicle in the best possible condition it should typically be serviced every year.

However, there are some age and mileage milestones you need to be aware of. For example, the distance you can cover between oil changes.

These will be shown in the cars manual, along with the tasks needing to be completed.

Caring for your car saves money

Getting your car serviced each year – and maintaining it between services – is money well spent. Problems are likely to be caught early on when they’re cheaper to fix, and your car will have a better resale value and longer life.

A well-maintained car is also more efficient, so you’ll save money on fuel as well. If you need to claim on a warranty you’ll normally have to show your car’s got a complete service record.

Get to know your car’s service manual

Your car’s service manual is the key to keeping your vehicle in good repair.

Written by the people who designed and built your car, it should show:

• How often you’ll need to get your car repaired.
• When the car’s replaceable parts might need changing.
• How often regular maintenance tasks need to be carried out – for example, oil changes.

It’s also a good idea to use the service manual to plan for the cost of your car’s maintenance and repair bills.

To avoid spending money on your car unnecessarily, always follow the schedule in the service manual.

For example, many dealerships and quick oil-change chains will typically recommend an oil change twice as often as your car needs.

Watch out for dashboard messages

Most cars now have dashboard warning messages about a wide range of topics, including issues with the braking system, engine, oil and coolant levels, and tire pressure.

Your car owner’s manual will explain what each lit-up warning message means and what you need to do.

A few of the messages are particularly urgent – they mean you need to pull off the road and stop the engine immediately.

So if you see a lit-up warning message, always check it out straight away.

It could save you hefty repair costs later, or even prevent you being a danger to other motorists and pedestrians.

The cost of skipping servicing

When money’s short it can be tempting to skip servicing your car. But if you do this you risk much bigger bills later.

The cost of a service is far less than the cost of having to replace parts later because of damage through poor maintenance.

For example:

• Radiator – $671
• Water pump – $300-$700
• Engine exchange – $3000-$6000
• Cylinder head gasket –  $1,170 and $1,496

(Source: RepairPal website, June 2019) Estimates only.

Keep an eye on the timing belt

Check your service manual to find out when your car is next due to have its timing belt (the camshaft drive belt or timing belt) replaced.

This varies from car to car, but is often needed at around 70,000 to 80,000 miles.

Timing belt replacement can seem expensive (as much as $250-$1250 or more) but if it fails while you’re driving, you could face serious engine damage costing much more to fix than changing it when recommended.

Look after your tires

Caring for your car’s tires will not only save you money, but also keep it safe to drive.

If your tires are in poor condition they could blow out on a busy road or lose traction in poor weather and cause a crash.

Stick to the recommended Tire pressures in your manual and check them regularly.

Tires over or under pressure wear unevenly and will need to be replaced sooner.

Another cause of uneven tire wear is the tracking being out of alignment, which can be checked and repaired at any garage.

Depending on your car, tire can cost anything from $125-$350 each so it makes sense to get maximum mileage out of them.

Choosing where to get your car serviced

With higher overheads and staff commission, dealerships are nearly always a more expensive choice for servicing and repairs than independent garages.

The average rate for franchised dealers is $125 per hour, while independent garages typically charge $150 average.

On the other hand, a dealership with a franchise for your make of car might have a better understanding of the faults it tends to develop.

Finding a good independent garage

To help you find an independent garage you can trust, ask friends and work colleagues for their recommendations and experiences.

Look for a garage providing:

• Open and transparent pricing.
• Clear information about any problems.
• Good quality work carried out as agreed and on time.

How to complain about a garage

If you’re unhappy about the quality of a garage’s work, its charges or the way you’ve been treated, find out your rights at the Bureau of Automotive Repair

Tips for getting a fair price

Before contacting the garage, check in the service manual about the type of service your car needs (for example, 12,000-mile or 1-year) and the checks and tasks this should include.

Then follow our tips for getting the work done at a fair price:

• Ask the garage for a detailed breakdown and costing of all the work required so you can see how they arrived at the total cost. Make sure they include all parts, costing and VAT.
• Check the garage will carry out the service following the manufacturer’s procedures, and use original parts or those of ‘equivalent quality’.
• Get quotes from several other local garages and use the cheapest quote as a negotiating tool – one of the other garages might be prepared to beat it.
• If you prefer to stick to your usual garage, a cheaper quote from elsewhere might persuade them to give you a price reduction.
• When looking at different prices, remember to compare like for like. Make sure you compare the same list of work items and either use quotations or estimates, not a mixture of the two, and all prices include VAT.

The difference between a quotation and an estimate is:

• A quotation is a promise to do the work at the price agreed, so you’ll normally have to pay this quoted price.
• An estimate is what the garage thinks the work is going to cost before they start it – the final cost can be more or less than this, depending on what they find when they carry out the work.

Serviices provided by Ruppel’s Autofixation

A/C
A/C Repair
Heating & Air Conditioning Service
Auto Repair
Auto Repair
Light Duty Truck Repair
RV Repair
Truck Repair
SUV Repair
Van Repair
Brakes
Anti-Lock Brake Service & Diagnostics
Brake Service and Repair
Rotor Repair
Classic Cars
Vintage Auto Repair
Diagnostics
Check Engine Light Diagnostics
Computer Diagnostics (Check Engine Light, Air Bag Light, etc.)
Electrical and/or Wiring Problems
Driveability
Differential & Transfer Case (4WD) Service
Drive Train Repair
Driveability Issues
Run-ability Issues
Electrical
Battery Service
Electrical and Computer Diagnosis
Electrical and/or Wiring Problems
Program Smart Keys and Keyless entry remotes
Electronics
Airbag and SRS Systems
Check Engine Light Diagnostics
Chip Tuning
Computer Re-programming
Emissions
Emissions Repair Facility
Exhaust System Work
Muffler Repair
Exterior/Interior
Wiper Blade Replacement
Power Window & Door Lock Diagnosis and Repair
Fleet Solutions
Fleet Service
Interior/Exterior
Wiper Blade Replacement
Interior / Exterior Lighting Replacement
Maintenance
Factory Recommended Services by Each Manufacturer
Oil Change
Preventative Maintenance
Tests/Inspections
Comprehensive Maintenance Inspection
Fuel Economy Test
Pre-Track Inspection
Tires / Wheels
Mechanical and Suspension Repairs
Rotation and Check Tire Pressure
Suspension (includes struts, shocks, axles, control arm replacement)
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Tire Repairs
Towing
Towing
Transmission Repair
Clutch Repairs & Replacement
Transmission Service
Underhood
Air Intake Cleaning & Filter Changing
Belt and Hoses Replacement
Clutch Repairs & Replacement
Cooling System Service (Water Pumps, Radiators, etc.)
Engine Repair
Fuel Injection Repair
Power Steering
Replace and Service Transmission
Steering and Suspension Service
Transmission Service
Tune-Ups, Air Filters, Fuel Filters
Alternator Testing and Replacement
Warranties
2-year/24,000-mile warranty

If you drop your car off at Ruppel’s; here is a great link to find an eatery or coffee shop just 100 yards away: http://www.burlingamedowntown.org/