It is sometimes hard to see the light when your automobile breaks down. No one wants to face car repairs, whether you are handy enough to do them on your own or have to get someone to do them for you. It all costs money, and you need to keep reading to learn how you can better handle auto repairs.

Familiarize yourself with the dashboard of your car. Your dashboard should display five different kinds of warning, including the check engine light, oil pressure warning, an alternator warning, a temperature warning and a brake warning. Learn to recognize these different lights so you can easily identify what needs your attention.

Save fuel by driving as if you have a glass of water sitting on your dashboard. This practice helps you avoid jack rabbit starts and quick stops. Each time you accelerate quickly, the engine of your car uses more fuel than it would if you were to accelerate at a gradual increase in speed.

When taking your car to the mechanic’s, you should not leave before having a complete diagnosis of what needs to be fixed. If the mechanic refuses to look at the car right away or does not want to give you a quote for the issues he diagnosed, find someone else.

Always ask about the certification and the insurance of a mechanic before letting them fix your car. If something goes wrong, the mechanic’s insurance will cover damages and usually provides you with a car you can drive until yours is fixed. A mechanic who is not certified does not have an insurance either.

Pay attention to the signs a potential mechanic gives to you. If he cannot give you eye contact, rushes his words, or avoids answering any questions you have for him, he may be trying to hide something. Perhaps he does not really know what he is doing or is lying about something else. If this is the case, go with another mechanic.

You can easily fix scratches yourself. You will need to fill the scratch with a primer that corresponds to the colors of your car, apply some paint once the primer is dry and sand the entire area. Start with a fine sand paper and increase the grain progressively before waxing.

You can fix small dents with a suction cup dent puller. This usually works for very small dents that can easily be covered with the suction cup. If the cup does not work, you will have to apply some filler into the dent, sand and paint until it becomes invisible.

Go to a repair shop you are considering for the long haul with a smaller job first. It can be something as simple as an oil change or a tire rotation. This will give you at least a better hint of their capabilities, workmanship and friendliness before a bigger issue occurs.

You should not try diagnosing complex problems. Be aware that you aren’t a car mechanic! What can seem like it’s simple to fix may be a lot harder, especially if the vehicle is newer. You can tell them your opinion, but leave the diagnosing of problems to the experts. Provide them with every detail of what happened and what was heard, but let them provide the final diagnosis.

Do you feel like you can make a better decision now next time your car is in need? If you have been duped in the past, then you are going to be more cautious and choose wisely. You know based on what you’ve read that you can take care of things right this next time.