The next time you take your car in for regular maintenance at your local dealership or mechanic, consider the following things to avoid being ripped off:

5 Tips to Avoid Being Ripped Off at the Mechanic’s Shop

1. Oil Slick- Some mechanics want you to change your oil every 3,000 miles, but newer oil may go much longer (ex: 7500miles) depending on your driving habits.
2. Filters- Your car has several different types of filters: oil, air, fuel and transmission-but only the oil filter should be changed at every oil change.  In the meantime, the air filter can be remedied simply by shaking it out, to loosen any debris.  As for the rest of the filters, they should only be changed according to the intervals recommended in your manufacturers manual.
3. Flushed Away-Flushing the automatic transmission system is sometimes recommended, but most manufacturers don’t recommend it until you’ve reached at  least 60,000 miles.
4. Lube it or Lose It- Most cars built within the past 10 years don’t require lubrication.  Adding grease where none is required could cause unforseen problems down the road
5. Warranty Woes- Some dealers will tell you that you can only get your vehicle serviced there in order to maintain the warranty.  Not true.

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