Every one of us here knows that there are extra costs of car ownership in the form of maintenance and repair. This extra cost can also be significantly higher if the car you drive is produced outside of your country. For example, if you drive an Audi inside the United States, Australia, or the UK, the costs of parts and labor will likely be higher due to it being foreign and more difficult to learn and acquire parts. This unfortunate caveat isn’t as bad as you’d think, however, and learning a few helpful tips can be invaluable in saving big on foreign car repair costs, and ensuring your car is properly repaired.
Find a Specialized Mechanic
Most auto mechanics take any vehicles, which could be cheaper for a visit, but could worsen over time as the vehicle wasn’t repaired properly. However, finding a specialized mechanic can ensure that you get the most cost-effective maintenance possible for your car.
For example, if you live near Melbourne in Australia, you can find a specialized mechanic such as JL Prestige that specifically repairs Audis, Volkswagens, and Skodas. Specialized mechanics also extend outwards to different types of vehicles such as motorcycles and boats, and it’s worth taking the time to search and find all nearby mechanics for your foreign vehicle(s).
These groups and mechanics offer precise knowledge in your foreign vehicle(s) and oftentimes will be partnered with the manufacturers themselves. This ensures your car is getting the exact replacement parts and mechanisms it needs firsthand rather than secondhand, and also provides an avenue for the mechanics themselves to contact the manufacturer to aid in your car’s maintenance.
Understand Your Car
Understanding your car isn’t just knowing how to pop the hood and the layout of your dashboard. Truly understanding your vehicle is knowing where is what on the engine, oil milestones, tire maintenance, and other important fluids.
The easiest and fastest way to learn about your car is through the manufacturer’s manuals that come along with your car. You will almost certainly find this inside the glovebox of your car. If you don’t have one you can search your car’s make and model to find a manual online. Your car’s manual has a ton of important information pertaining exactly to your vehicle. This information includes the frequency you need to change the oil, miles between services, and the location of important components.
While basic cosmetic maintenance including washing your car’s exterior and interior and cleaning tires help, it isn’t enough to protect it for the long run. Understanding how your car operates by using the manual and setting reminders to upkeep your car will extend the life of your car significantly (all of the aforementioned advice also applies to non-foreign vehicles).
Servicing Your Vehicle
Coinciding with understanding your car, being able to self-maintain your car, especially a foreign one is an invaluable skill to have. The definition of self-maintenance extends from replacing integral parts to simply cleaning your car. There are some significant pros and cons to self-maintenance with some of the pros being as follows:
- Saving Money on Mechanic Bills
- Better Familiarity of Your Car
- Flexibility on Repair Time
However, some of the cons can be quite drastic such as needing extremely expensive repairs due to user error or major automotive insurance issues. The good news is, that self-servicing your vehicle has never been more accessible. You can easily find excellent automotive websites, apps, or guides online in minutes. Chances are, someone somewhere has had similar issues, or has created a guide to ensure the best for your car, and keep it out of the repair shop.
Closing Words
Hearing something along the lines of “If you own a foreign car, be sure to have a lot of money.” is daunting. However, it’s typically said by individuals who don’t take a small amount of extra time to get the most out of what they paid for. Owning a foreign car can be no more expensive than a locally built one if maintained and serviced properly. With that being said, the most important takeaway from these tips is the first. Interacting with specialized mechanics is the best way to get the best possible lifespan from your foreign car and ensure the utmost proper care allowing you to spend more time enjoying your vehicle on the road.
