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5 ways to know more than your car mechanic

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Cars are fun to drive and they usually put a smile on the faces of their owners. However, they breakdown sometimes which leads to disappointments, stressful visits to the mechanic workshop as well as a hole in your bank account or a financial knockout in extreme cases.

This could be an avenue for your inexperienced mechanic to exploit and leave you unsatisfied. A fact most drivers are yet to discover is that they know more about their cars than an average mechanic.

These are some of the resources at our disposal which will enable us outsmart them:





  • Car Owner Manual: This is a book or booklet that comes with all cars containing its essential information and instruction for use. Many of us neglect them till they become dusty with their vast content, which includes: Safety instructions, maintenance information, features, vehicle operational directions etc. It also tells us about the tires, brakes, fluids, fuel type, when to change the timing chain/belt and when to change the engine oil as well as the type of oil to use. For example, a 2011 Ford Explorer started to act funny and the maintenance required light came on about a month after its first oil change in Nigeria. The mechanics serviced the vehicle again and did all they could to no avail; they were about to decouple the vehicle before we advised them to use the recommended engine oil in the manual. It was all like magic to them. The manual is a factual document from the manufacturer while some mechanics do guess work more than you could imagine. This document teaches us to be proactive in handling our cars. This will do a great deal in reducing our dependence on mechanics and ultimately reduce repair cost.
  • Inferior Parts: Some mechanics are synonymous with inferior car parts and claim they are helping you to save cost. The cost you save today will be compounded for you at a future date. Brand new original parts are better; if you have to settle for less, make sure you buy a certified first grade tokunbo part.

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  • Online community and forum: People who have been on car forums will immediately understand and appreciate this point. There is nothing as wonderful as asking any question about your car and you get a quick response from car experts like Gazzuzz, Siena, Autojosh and other car experts as well as other drivers who have had a similar issue. The issue with the car might just need a do it yourself fix. The knowledge you’ve gained from the forum will enable you advise your mechanic accordingly. If varied opinions are given to you on the forum, you will have to eliminate from the least relevant.
  • Routine and Scheduled Maintenance: Do not pass the buck when it comes to the maintenance of your vehicle. Keep track of your last oil, air filter, transmission fluid and timing belt change as well as tire rotations. You have to do some of the maintenance yourself; the mechanic may not be able to keep track of the others because they work on several cars except you use a repair shop that has a proper system.
  • Trust: Always trust the car user manual more that your mechanic and trust the knowledge you have gained from forums when in serious doubt of your mechanic’s opinion. This only makes sense because manufacturer wants the best for their cars in as much as they want you to patronize them for replacement parts. Furthermore, the forum commenters have nothing to gain or lose by giving you the free piece of advice.  Run away from any mechanic you cannot trust. However, avoid being on a constant run as this could do you more harm.

Your car can treat you right if you give it the treatment it deserves. Do not say Honda cars have transmission problems when you use Abro transmission oil. Finally, be weary of a mechanic without a car diagnostics scanner as he will rely solely on his instinct.

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If you think about cars, think AutoJosh. Ask us any car related question in our forum section and you will get a response ASAP. Check Nigeria custom import duty for 5,300 cars only on AutoJosh. Real-time automobile news, articles, driving tips and many more. ...Your mobility, our priority.

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14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. Anderson

    May 26, 2016 at 06:31

    Thank you very much for this. I needed it.

  2. Olawale Ojosipe

    May 27, 2016 at 00:06

    If people are well informed about relevant information relating to their cars, then they will not be “financially deformed”. I see this site as a great platform to know the needful and avoid unnecessary expenses.

  3. Olayemi

    May 27, 2016 at 10:36

    This is very informative, this is what we really need especially in Nigeria.
    Mechanics are annoying! Thanks.

  4. Solar

    June 5, 2016 at 18:24

    Thanxs for the information,but are u saying we shouldn’t use Abro transmission oil for under cars..

    • AutoJosh

      June 5, 2016 at 20:58

      Yes, you should not use Abro transmission oil. All cars have their recommended transmission oil.

  5. Solar

    June 6, 2016 at 21:59

    Thanxs for the reply,so which transmission oil is best for Honda cars.

    • AutoJosh

      June 6, 2016 at 22:20

      It depends on the specific Honda car, is it a Civic or an Accord? It could be ATF Z, AFT DW or other specifications. Kindly send us the model and year of your Honda so we can advise accordingly.

      We also need you to state if it’s American Spec, Europe or Asia. To make this easier, you can post a picture of the car in the forum section and you will get a response ASAP. Regards.

      • Solar

        June 9, 2016 at 21:27

        Honda Accord 2007,American specs

        • AutoJosh

          June 9, 2016 at 21:54

          Your recommended transmission oil is ATF-Z1. If it’s not available, you may use DEXRON III as a temporary replacement. However, you have to flush the DEXRON III and refill with ATF-Z1 as soon as it is convenient for you.

          Regards

          • Solar

            June 11, 2016 at 13:05

            Thanxs

  6. Olayinka

    June 7, 2016 at 19:00

    Thanks for the info. Have been on the look out for a forum such as this. I have a 2004 Volvo s80 T6 engine and it has been giving me so much issues. I switch between two volvo mechanics but both seems not to know much about the car and so untrustworthy.

    One problem solved today, another problem resurfaces tomorrow. I wouldn’t know if I can I get a very good and sincere Volvo mechanic. I reside in Ogba Lagos.

    I will appreciate your kind response. Many thanks.

    • AutoJosh

      June 8, 2016 at 13:55

      Hello Olayinka,

      Call 08056464658 to book an appointment with our Volvo specialist. We will also appreciate a feedback on your experience with them.

      Kindly direct subsequent questions to our Forum section.

      Regards

      • Olayinka

        June 9, 2016 at 00:19

        Oh! great. Thank you.

  7. Shirleen

    June 9, 2016 at 14:01

    You have got interesting content here. Your blog can go viral, you need some
    initial traffic only. How to get initial traffic???
    Search google for: Ferdeck’s tricks

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