Mechanic's Tips: After-market parts, don't put the horse(power) before the car, and do this before your warranty expires

"I am always thinking one step ahead. Like a carpenter that makes stairs." Andy Bernard, The Office.

Twenty years plus of working on cars, and there is never a dull moment. There are only so many things that you can repair on a car, but amidst those repairs there's an infinite number of lessons. Many of these lessons stem from a difference in perspective between myself and the customer. Sometimes this can be frustrating especially when a customer is more invested in repairing a cosmetic failure rather than worn brakes, for example. However, more often than not I gain valuable insight, which leads me to this newsletter. My hope here is to share tips with you regularly that stem from my working on cars and the people who drive them.

So without further ado, this week's tips highlight the importance of managing your expectations and thinking ahead to help maintain the condition of your car. 

I. It's important to think ahead when buying aftermarket parts.

Fixing your car with aftermarket parts can be cost effective to a point. The point where things become a dicey is when the part fails and you are often left scrambling and without a warranty. However, this isn't the only way aftermarket parts can leave you in the grey area, particularly if you are purchasing speciality parts to upgrade your vehicle. Eventually you may need to reinstall a new version of the said part if it falls into the wear-and-tear category. Unfortunately, in the aftermarket parts realm it isn't guaranteed parts will always be there or available. This week,for example, I had a customer who has speciality rotors on his car call me to tell me that he was not able to find them again from the aftermarkets source he used previously. We later found out the supplier was no longer making them and they weren't available anywhere.

Tip: If you are buying aftermarket parts especially wear-and-tear ones, you'll need to get new ones eventually. This means that it could be a good idea to purchase a few extra sets at the initial time of purchase. But, if this isn't an option then it is important to manage your expectations. Understand that you may have to consider alternatives and perhaps at a different price point when the time comes for new parts.

II. More power won't fix that broken booster vacuum line.

I often encounter this scenario, but this week I was once again reminded of how we humans have a tendency to put the cart before the horse. In other words, tuning a car should always come second. Always, make sure your car is in basic working order. Adding more power to your car when you have a broken vacuum booster line will lead to undesirable results. Understandably so, it is much more fun to spend money on power than rudimentary parts and repairs. We tend to see essential repair as a nuisance. The result isn't as tangibly different as giving your engine a power boost or altering something cosmetically.

Tip: Before you consider tuning your car, plan ahead and make sure that the basics are in working order: brakes, suspension, suspension joints, control arms, shocks and struts, engine mounts, and no oil leaks. If something is off, consider putting any tuning plans on the back burner. More power will further inflame failing parts. Also, adding power to your car when an essential component is bad will likely lead to a more costly repair.

III. Your car warranty will expire but your car doesn't have to with some prep work.

It's way more fun to bring your car to the repair shop when your car is under warranty. Your car is fixed and the repair bill doesn't go to you. I am a big fan of warranties myself, particularly reputable extended warranties. There are many junk warranties out there, but more on that in a future post. It's not a bad idea to consider an extended warranty when your manufacturer one runs out. My customers with warranties are usually some of the happiest and most proactive customers. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. Warranties expire, and eventually repairs become a costly burden for some.

Tip: If you have an expiring manufacturer or extended warranty you can plan ahead. Take your vehicle to an independent car repair shop and get it thoroughly inspected. Have the mechanic put together a list of needed repairs and concerns. If it is a manufacturer warranty, you can then take that list to the dealership and have the dealer make the repairs under warranty. Why do this? Dealerships won't proactively look for warranty items on your car. They typically only base their repairs on customer concerns or known problems. That diagnostic list from the repair shop will ensure, the dealership repairs failing components and parts that may not be known to you. With an extended warranty, it's even easier, the shop that diagnoses can make the repairs before the warranty is up.

Thinking ahead and acting before a warranty expires will set you up for some time. The final step, is preparing mentally and understanding that all future and essential repairs will have to be paid out of pocket, while simultaneously understanding that the warranty has likely bought you time and saved you money in years passed.