Most of us pay attention to our vehicles when they are under warranty. Then when anything goes wrong, we can take it to the dealer have it repaired at the manufacturer’s expense. But how many of you use this as a preventative maintenance tool?

It was subject that came to mind for me last week. My MINI warranty will lapse in 5,000 miles or two months, whichever comes sooner. Since I was at the point of needing an oil change, it was an opportunity to stay ahead of the repair issues. I asked my mechanic, at My Mercedes Place in (http://www.mymercedesplace.com/), to go over the vehicle while they were changing the oil to determine if there were any potential problems that I could take to the dealer and prevent my having to pay for a repair after the warranty expires.

Fortunately, for me, it was not an especially big problem that Danny found, but one that could potentially cost me in the future. My power steering reservoir is leaking. Danny explained that the material from which the reservoir is made is inherently porous and can continue to erode.

I called my MINI dealer and made an appointment for next week. I made sure to tell the circus writer that I had a faulty part and that I expected them to have one on hand when I brought the car in. Regardless, if their track record remains intact, they will have my car most of the week. However, they do have to provide me with a loaner while mine is being repaired.

By finding a local, independent mechanic you can avoid costly repairs. They will advise you when your vehicle needs repair, and whether or not this repair would be covered under your warranty. Be especially vigilant when the expiration of your warranty gets close.

Stay linked in to http://www.womensautomotiveconnection.com for more advice on how to keep your money in your wallet and not in the dealership’s.

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One of the nicest things about having a blog, is the ability to vent on some of your favorite,
or not so favorite topics.

On the road, for me, turn signals fall into the latter. I cannot tell you whether this is a
phenomenon specific to the Atlanta area, or universal; but I can tell you it drives me crazy.
In automotive terms, they are designated “turn indicators”. From their moniker, one would
think that when you are anticipating a turn, these devices signal those around you of your
intentions. However, around here, they are more commonly known as “right of way warnings”.
Especially in heavy traffic, I see people turn on their indicators simultaneously as they
are making a lane change. It is as if they believe that a turn signal gives them the right
of way, and if they cause an accident, they will be the the wronged party. It gives them a
feeling of invulnerability for the consequences of their actions.

As the other driver on the road, you do not have much choice except to yield. Because, if you
are like me, I would rather not have my MINI crumpled by some idiot who has forgotten the rules
of the road. It is the most aggressive type of driving, and from my years in a body shop, I can
tell you it causes a great deal of damage. The only other incident that may top this one in
cost of damages to vehicles, would the be the inevitable tailgater.

I cannot imagine why anyone would drive this way. I honestly have a lead foot, but when it comes
to traffic, I just sit back and go with the flow. Weaving in and out will ultimately cause an
accident, and then you will lose the time advantage you may have achieved by your reckless action.

It seems to me that everyone is in too much of a hurry. Leave a little earlier, or give yourself
permission to be a few minutes late. Just don’t put the rest of us in danger because you do not
have enough good sense and patience to plan your trip to allow for delays.

Every day I see instances of this, and ask, “why”. Most of the time, it gives you no advantage
and just causes more problems than it solves.

Aggressive, unsafe drivers should have their licenses revoked. The roads would be a lot clearer,
and the rest of us would be much safer and a lot happier. Just relax, and try to enjoy life.
There is plenty to upset everyone, and traffic is not on the list of important things to stress
over.

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When you have a repair done on your vehicle, what happens if there are problems later?
This is one of the most frustrating aspects of taking your car to a repair shop with which you are not familiar.
Very often, the work, when not exactly shoddy, is too quickly done, and quality assurance such as leak checks
and test drives are not performed. You may find the problem when you go to pick up your car, but just
as likely you are going to become aware of it later. What can you do then? Clients have told me that
the shop most often denies responsibility, and they feel they have to just find another shop to fix it
and pay more money. First, and foremost, you need to be dealing with a reputable shop that will stand
behind the repairs. Secondly, you need to insist that the original shop make good on the repairs. One
client of mine called because her A/C was not cooling. Upon questioning her further about the vehicle,
I learned that she had recently had the compressor replaced. She was going to have freon put in the system,
but did not know the cause of the problem. I suggested that she go back to the shop that did the last
repair and insist they check their work. There could be a myriad of reasons for the problem, but since
it is necessary to evacuate and recharge the entire system when replacing the compressor, low freon could
easily be a result of less than stellar work, or a leak that was not taken care of at the time of the
installation.

I consistently preach the edict that you should find a good, reputable mechanic in your neighborhood and
let them take care of all of your service and maintenance needs. They get to know you and your car, and
you are less likely to have problems. Shopping around for deals often leads you to inferior shops that
just cut you a deal to get the business and are not focused on you as a customer. The old addage that you
get what you pay for has never been more true. Ask yourself why they are giving you such a price break,
and it might make you reconsider your choice.

Starting off in the right place for a service or maintenance issue is the key. You need to get a written
estimate of the work, sign an authorization for the work, and understand what the shop’s policy is on
the warranty of the work that is done. Ask a lot of questions about the repair, what you should expect
afterwards, and how the shop plans to deal with you as a customer.

The Women’s Automotive Connection will find the right shop for you and help you understand how important
integrity is in this business. Soon we will be launching a “brother” website that will provide you with
local deals from the alliance of providers in our network. Stay tuned.

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