A trip to a car repair shop can leave you with a considerably lighter wallet. What you thought was a simple malfunction could quickly turn into an expensive nightmare that you won't soon forget. With all this in mind, it's no surprise that a lot of car owners are always looking for more affordable car repair options.

There are many approaches that you can take to get more affordable repairs for your vehicle. You'd be surprised how much you'll save if you play your cards right.

Learn to Fix Minor Issues

Nothing is more affordable than free, and you can definitely get free auto repair services if you learn how to fix certain issues on your own. Many car owners will go to the repair shop for simple reasons including oil changes, changing spark plugs, changing windshield wipers, etc.

If you have a small toolkit in your house or car, you should be able to handle some of these issues on your own. You'd be shocked how much some repair shops will charge you for the same.

Avoid Dealerships Unless Under Warranty

When it comes to repairs, dealerships are often the most expensive option on the table. Some car owners assume that the quality of work done in dealerships is higher. However, you'll find many good repair shops who'll be able to offer services of the same quality. There may be a few perks that go with dealership repairs, but these may be for things you'll never need.

If the issue you're dealing with is covered under the warranty, however, dealerships are your best choice.

Check Repair Shop Reviews

If you're interested in affordable services, you should know that few things are as expensive as low-quality services. A bad job by a mechanic could have you going back to the repair shop multiple times. The cost of repairs, mileage, and your time will inch upwards with each additional trip to the repair shop.

Check the reviews and find out if customers have been complaining about the quality of services offered by a repair shop.

Choose A Local Shop

A local repair shop will be more accessible, and this could be important in the future. You can also find out more about a local shop if you need to know about their prices and the quality of their work. A mechanic that's far away could prove to be more expensive if you consider the cost of getting to them.

Keep these tips in mind as you check out local shops like Dugan Oil and Tire.