Don't Overpay for Car Service, Says Edmunds.com

Don't Overpay for Car Service, Says Edmunds.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — November 10, 2010 — Have you been paying more than is necessary to have your car serviced? Today, Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information, has revealed the Top 10 Ways You're Overcharged for Service in an article at http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-ways-youre-overcharged-for-service.html.

Here are some of the tips the article gives car owners for saving money on vehicle service:

• Beware of such offers as a free "complete inspection" or "check engine light" diagnosis. It's a common way for service advisors to sell a bunch of services you don't really need.
• Make sure your brake pads are worn down at least 80 percent before replacing them, and don't bother having the rotors turned — it's costly and unnecessary.
• Beware of a common scam where mechanics spray oil on the shock absorbers to make it appear they are leaking hydraulic fluid.
• Rely on your owner's manual for recommendations about oil changes, transmission flushes and other service schedules. Ignore extraneous service suggestions and avoid succumbing to the 3,000-mile oil-change myth, which typically just waste money, resources and time.
• Buy auto parts from an aftermarket supplier to avoid dealership mark-up.

"The best way a car owner can save money is to go to the service department already aware of what their car needs and does not need based on previous service and the owner's manual," said Edmunds.com Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. "It's also good to find — and stick with — a trustworthy mechanic."

Edmunds.com republishes owners' manual service schedules as well as estimated parts and labor costs at http://www.edmunds.com/car-maintenance/guide-page.html.

Read the full list of the Top 10 Ways You're Overcharged for Service found at http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-ways-youre-overcharged-for-service.html. Find additional money-saving car ownership and maintenance tips at Edmunds.com's Car Tips and Advice page at http://www.edmunds.com/research/.

About Edmunds (http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/index.html)

Edmunds publishes Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site and hosts the most established automotive community online. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.edmunds.com, makes car pricing and other research tools available for car shoppers at dealerships and otherwise on the go. InsideLine.com is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.insideline.com, features the wireless Web's highest quality car photos and videos. AutoObserver.com provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit. Follow Edmunds.com on Twitter@edmunds and fan Edmunds.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/edmunds.