Having your car suddenly break down can be an incredibly tough and stressful experience. Many of us rely on our vehicles every day, so repairing your car can often be an urgent need. More than anything, though, the costs attached to fixing broken down vehicles can be prohibitively expensive, and buying a new one is even more so. It’s therefore important that you are prepared for this possible event, so you’re not blindsided by the repair costs. Here are a few tips to help you with this.
Invest in Breakdown Cover
Since you never know if or when your car will break down, insurance to cover this possibility is a valuable way to prepare for it. Breakdown cover is widely available, and costs a fraction of paying up-front to recover or repair your car. As such, while additional monthly costs can be hard to stomach, breakdown cover can prevent a sudden breakdown from seriously damaging your finances. At the very least, paying for insurance to guarantee pick up and recovery of your vehicle will ensure you are not stranded when it happens.
Factor Repairs into Your Budget
Buying a car is a sizeable one-time purchase for most of us, but this is far from the only cost associated with running one. Between automotive insurance, road tax, and petrol, any car owner can tell you that they come with a hefty monthly bill attached. It’s consequently good common sense to spend some time drawing up a budget for your vehicle expenses, and to include an additional allowance for any potential one-time repair costs. This will help you avoid being put in a precarious position financially by any sudden issues with your car. This is even good practice with breakdown cover, since insurance providers can never be guaranteed to pay out in all instances.
Purchase an Extended Warranty
New cars, as well as most used cars from accredited dealers, come with a warranty attached, in case of breakdowns. This is normally either 6 or 12 months. However, dealer warranties don’t necessarily cover all issues, and used cars may be renovated to just work for the warranty period, and not much longer. Purchasing a third-party warranty with longer and more comprehensive coverage can thus be a great way to achieve some peace of mind in this respect. This is especially true when your car’s issues are beyond repair, as a comprehensive warranty can ensure you a working replacement, potentially at no additional cost. Warranties can vary widely in the extent, cost, and length of their coverage, so you can purchase the best car warranty for you, whatever your needs and budget.
Contact Your Manufacturer
Finally, if you do find yourself on the hook for a substantial repair bill, a call to the manufacturer of your vehicle could save you a lot of money. Wide-scale issues with specific car makes can force manufacturers to offer complementary repairs, or even total refunds, in some cases. It’s therefore worthwhile to do a little research if this occurs, to see if you can take advantage of this. For smaller repairs, manufacturers sometimes also offer “goodwill” warranties, if you contact them directly.
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