Say you’re driving down the freeway and you start hearing a weird sound coming from the engine.
You really don’t want to drop everything that you’re doing and beeline straight to your favorite auto repair experts in San Diego. Many people are hesitant to trust themselves and their Googling skills before they head to their nearest mechanic, but your mechanic actually wants you to Google your car’s problems! You could save you time and money, and can give the mechanic a good initial idea about the problem.
It Saves You Time
While Googling your car’s problems can’t tell you exactly what’s wrong with your car, it can save you lots of time when you get to the mechanic. Often, it can help you narrow down the problem so that when you do get to the mechanic you have a general idea of what the problem is and what part of the car it’s located.
While you should never assume that you’ve found the exact cause of your car’s troubles, it can give the mechanic an informed place to start and, if you’re right, will save you time since they can diagnose and fix the problem quicker. Plus, in certain cases (like when your car just needs a jump start), you’ll find that after you’ve Googled the problem you don’t even need to take it into the mechanic at all!
It’s Saves You Money
The time savings that you get from Googling your car’s problems correlates to you saving money on your auto repairs as well - after all, time = money. Because you’ve found out what generally is the problem with your car, it will take less time to diagnose to fix, which means the auto repair shop should charge you less, since they’re aren’t spending as many hours on the problem. Also, Googling your problem is free in the first place, there’s no worry about money there either.
If you aren’t taking your car to a trusted, certified auto repair shop, Googling your car’s problems can save you a lot of money. Some unscrupulous mechanics will recommend unnecessary repairs with the wrong parts. But if you’re armed with the information, you can tell when they are trying to rip you off and get out of there fast!
It’s Reliable
You may be thinking, “But how do I trust what I read online?” While it’s good to be somewhat skeptical of everything you read online, there are some really good websites out there that give solid advice on car problems and troubleshooting. Here are four of our favorites:
- HowStuffWorks - The automotive section of this well-respected site has so much information about cars and how they work that you’ll feel like an expert after reading through it. It’s organized very clearly as well so you can find your problem with ease and is free from the commercialism of many other sites.
- Yahoo Autos - The maintenance tab of this site is full of resources about car tips and advice, including frequently asked questions that make it easy to find people who are having the exact same problem as you’re having.
- AutoZone Troubleshooting Guide - This section of the AutoZone site is refreshingly non-commercial and helps you diagnose your problem based on sounds, smells, and more. Plus you can access valuable vehicle repair guides for the exact make and model of your car.
- 2CarPros - This website is put together by two mechanics who really know their stuff. Their articles and how-to videos will really help you self-diagnose and understand your car’s problems.
- Convoy Auto Repair Blog - Not to toot our own horn, but our blog regularly posts information about car problems and troubleshooting tips to help you diagnose your car troubles with ease.
Googling the symptoms of your car’s problems can save you time, money, and has become very reliable, so there is no reason you shouldn’t hop on the Internet when your car starts acting up. If you find that you do need to take your car into a trusted repair shop, try San Diego’s favorite auto repair shop. Schedule an appointment at Convoy Auto Repair today.
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