Holiday Advice: Get Affordable Auto Parts before You Leave
With the big end-of-year holiday just around the corner, it’s time to start planning, especially since everything costs money, and since the economy just doesn’t seem to offer anything worth being upbeat about in the foreseeable future. Planning includes deciding on a destination, what you’re going to take and how much you’re going to spend. But it also includes planning for those unforeseen circumstances – breakdowns in the middle of nowhere and subsequent repair costs that eat away at a substantial part of your holiday budget. Stocking up on affordable auto parts will help you save money whichever way you look at it.
First, Get Expert Input
Each vehicle has a different personality – it is handled and driven in a different way than vehicles of the same make and model, it is driven in different environments under different circumstances. It’s therefore impossible to venture an accurate guess as to which parts you may need to take on your trip. Our advice is to book your car for a thorough inspection in advance of your trip to get expert input about the spare parts you may need to invest in. These may vary depending on where you are travelling to, and what type of road you’ll be travelling on, e.g., travelling in the Eastern Cape may result in more wear and tear on tyres and shocks than in Gauteng; the Karoo, on the other hand, might tax your vehicle’s cooling system to its limits. So get a list of parts which already show some wear and which, under extreme conditions, will be likely to break.
Next, Get Good Parts
Now that you know what you need to invest in, it’s time to look for an honest dealer who won’t charge you an arm and a leg. The parts you invest in should preferably be made by the manufacturer of your car (in other words: Opel parts for Opel cars). If possible, they should be made specifically for your vehicle model (Corsa parts for Opel Corsas). Upon receipt of the parts, the onus is on you to inspect their surfaces for any hairline cracks, worn treads, etc.
Brush Up On Your Auto Knowledge
If your knowledge of motor vehicles is limited, now might be a good time to invest in an instruction manual for your vehicle make and model. These manuals come in different sizes – obviously thicker is better in this case, since you need as much information at hand as possible, including a handy trouble-shooting section to help you identify strange noises, smells or other oddities. Within the pages of this manual you’ll find instructions which will enable you to replace auto parts yourself, or at least help you diagnose and fix small problems. This will help you save some money in the event of an emergency.
Finally, remember to pack a bottle of water, a can or two of oil and your essential auto tools. Since you won’t be the only motorist looking for affordable auto parts as the holidays draw closer, we advise you to start planning for your holiday trip today!