Anyone who has driven with me knows that my cute red Dodge Neon is nicknamed "the devil car". Throughout my time with the vehicle I have been towed about five times, and been to the mechanic more times than I can count for everything under the sun, while never actually being in an accident (knock on wood). Shikole and I have had a wide range of conversations about our equally disappointing Dodge Neons, so I thought a post about some tips for post grad car care might be in order.-Keep up on maintenance. In college, I could survive without checking my oil because I would travel home for breaks and have my Dad check it for me. Now that I am home less frequently (as just because it's a good thing to know), I check my oil myself and am sure to schedule inexpensive maintenance appointments like oil changes and tire rotations.
-Find a reliable mechanic/ garage. Monro Brake and Muffler have been my "go to" garage for all of my car fixing needs. Try to establish a favorite garage in your neighborhood, so that when something goes wrong, you are dealing with mechanics that you can trust and won't take advantage of a young client.
-Come up with a worst case scenario plan. In college, I could walk to the garage if my car needed repairs. I also could walk to campus or take the bus to get groceries. Now, in Rochester, I've come up with a bus route that I need to take in case of car trouble. Are there busses in your area, subway systems, or taxis? Make sure you have a backup plan! Your car might decide to stop, but your office will continue to run on the same schedule.
-Do your research. If you need to take the car into the garage, get all of the facts before you allow a mechanic to charge you hundreds for a repair. Consult with your car savvy friends/ family members to figure out a plan of attack.
What are your tips for post grads dealing with car trouble?
0 comments:
Post a Comment