Do you own a car?

Have you ever taken it to a mechanic or auto repair business and come out feeling like you’d been “taken for a ride” with hundreds or even thousands of un-necessary “repairs”.

You’re not alone. The auto repair industry in the US is a whopping 40 billion dollar business that’s largely unregulated leaving consumers like you at the mercy of unscrupulous business owners. It’s a huge business. Consider this – there’s a car for every man woman and child in this country and sooner or later they’re all going to need some kind of maintenance. Unless you’re a mechanic in your spare time you’ll have to take it in.

Think it can’t happen to you? There are millions of things that can go wrong with your car. It’s a machine and just like every other machine, over time, things begin to wear out. Even if you do everything exactly right, every scheduled service, oil change, break job and tire rotation, at some point, something is going to break.

I mean, think about it, name 10 things that can go wrong with your car – I’ll help – there are brakes, wheel bearings, clutch assemblies, gearbox, constant velocity joints, shock absorbers, air conditioning system, electrical wirings, you name it… oh, and don’t forget that’s just for one single model. It’s like the mysteries of the universe.

If you’re like me you don’t have the time or the energy to become some kind of backyard expert in the inner workings of your automobile. You just want to be able to get in it and go. Every time. Sadly that’s exactly what some so called automotive businesses are banking on. Your lack of knowledge.

So what can you do?

You have to equip yourself with some knowledge. Just like you need to arm yourself before going to see the doctor for any kind of diagnosis, your car is no different.

I don’t mean that you have to read and memorize the shop manual for your car. But learning how to spot a scam from a genuine diagnosis could save you thousands of dollars on unnecessary repairs. What you need to know is the top list of most common problems. If that check engine light is on because of low fluid, or just a loose nut or if there’s really some more major problem.

Another thing to keep in mind, remember all that preventative maintenance I talked about? It’s your first line of defense. A simple regular oil change can avoid a full on piston replacement later. Where do you find out more about keeping your car in tip top shape and not be at the whim of your mechanic?

Go here to find out more: Scott Stephens, as he and his mechanics come out to expose the truth about auto repairs.