Cheaper Ways for Auto Repair, Roadside Assistance, & Insurance

I hate cars. I mean I hate cars in the fact of worrying about the maintenance & responsibility of owning one.  I could walk or take public transportation but let's not kid ourselves, that's never going happen!  I just got a newer car and thought I would share a few frugal things that I learned from previously owning an older car (99 Dodge Neon).

When my neon started having problems, I knew I should get some kind of roadside assistance.  I also started thinking about all the Lifetime movies I've seen, most of those movies start out from someone being stranded from a broken down car and then a creepy stranger appears!…yeah I've watched a little much Lifetime!-but it’s always good to be safe than sorry! I’m not a fan of Triple A (too pricey) but did you know that you get roadside assistance through most cell phone carriers? AT&T only charges $2.99 a month! I also have gotten roadside assistance through my auto insurance and was only charged $7 extra on top of my 6 month auto policy premium. If you lock keys in your car, car battery died, flat tire, car overheated, or need a tow – all things covered by roadside assistance.

One of the last repairs that I had to do with my neon before selling was replacing the clutch cable. At a regular auto shop this kind of repair for parts & labor would’ve cost me $800 to $1000. This was so not worth it especially when the car was only worth about $1600 - if that. I decide to seek the part at car junk yard. Parts from junkyards are crazy cheap! It is more work & time because you either have to go there or find someone who is willing to go there & find the part & pull out. However, I think it’s worth it in my situation because a clutch cable for my Neon would’ve cost me $250, but at the junkyard only $7! I also decided to try to find a mechanic from Craigslist who does auto repair side work for cheap. After a couple of phone calls I found a guy & he was able to get the part at junkyard & install it all for $100!  If you like the mechanic contact info, send me a comment or email me!

 My roommate was able to do the same thing when her driver’s side power window wouldn't go down. She was able to get a friend to help her figure out what part she needed. They went to the auto junk yard, found the part, and her friend fixed the problem. Now she has working window for so much less than an auto shop would’ve charged her. There are a few auto junk yards in LA (Pick A Part, Dodge City). A lot of these junk yards have numerous cars in various years; most of the cars have been an accident and the auto body cost to repair is not worth it so insurance companies send them to the junk yard.  Although there's body damage to the cars the the car still has working parts.  I had another friend whose car alternator need to be replaced. The mechanic was going to charge her $300 even though the part is only about $100. So her husband decided to just buy the part & watch a “How to Video” from YouTube & he successfully fixed the problem with $200 saved! That’s two hundred dollars that can be used for a weekend gateway at nice bed & breakfast.

The last thing I want cover on my first official post to Frugal-ity blog is auto insurance.  Auto insurance in Los Angeles insurance is about 40% higher than Orange County & Inland Empire area.  I've been with a few insurance carriers who all have pretty competitive prices. The best discounted insurance carrier that I’ve found is Wawanesa. They give excellent rates especially if you have a clean driver record.  Most people haven’t heard of them but I have been with them for the last years. I also have a couple of friends that have gone through them & I was originally refereed to them by a friend, and we’ve all had excellent experiences! I saved $500 a year with higher limits & more protection with them. They're originally based from Canada so they do things a little different. You have to submit for a quote online first & they’ll email you back in 24 hrs after their underwriting has gone through your application. Even though it’s done a little different – the savings you receive are so worth it!  Another plus is that Wawanesa does not charge if you cancel or change insurance carriers during your policy;  most insurance carriers do. You also get lower insurance rates if you’re married, so I guess there is a benefit to being married.