There are some that are considered the top ten car problems, however, and to ensure you are getting top performance from your vehicle, here is a list of our top ten.

Remember, preventative maintenance for all of these components is a good way to ensure they won’t fail.

1. Brake Systems – Brakes need to be replaced from normal wear and tear. If your brakes squeak or don’t feel quite right to you, it may be time to have a repair shop take a look at the entire braking system including your brake pads. Often, you’ll only need to replace the pads.

2. Lube-Oil-Filter – This is a no-brainer really folks! Most manufacturers recommend that your vehicle should receive a lube-oil-filter every 3,000 miles. Failing to do so can harm your car more than you know so keep this maintenance timely—don’t burn up the engine because your oil is low!

3. Cooling and Heating Systems – Each spring and fall, you should take your vehicle into your repair facility to have a check up for any problems. Most repair facilities will offer discounts at this time of the year to ensure these components, including your radiator are performing well.

4. Ignition and Electrical Controls – These are also items that can wear out over time and if not attended to can lead to more expensive repairs. An ignition switch may fail or the electric controls that make other parts work should be checked regularly for any damage or corrosion.

5. Steering and Suspension – You can probably tell if your steering is going—and all it might need is some power steering fluid. Your suspension is also key to driving safe, so these two items are important to have checked out.

6. Carburetor and Fuel System – If you find you are getting lower gas mileage on your vehicle; it may be due to carburetor or fuel system problems. Make sure you get these checked out on a regular basis.

7. Electrical – The electrical components of your vehicle are vast. They run all through your vehicle and interact with your vehicle’s computer system. When getting these checked out, make sure the repair facility has a good electrical line technician.

8. Transmission/Clutch/Rear Axle – You can’t go anywhere without your transmission, your clutch can be burned out if not checked, and your rear axle keeps you safe on the road. All of these should be examined for any repairs needed or to ensure they are working fine.

9. Air-Conditioning – There are certain fluids you need for your air-conditioning system to keep on working, especially in those hot months. Other components of the air-conditioning systems, including hoses, should also be checked for performance levels.

10. Exhaust System – If you have a big trail of black smoke following behind your vehicle as your drive, your exhaust system needs to be looked at. Beyond making your vehicle perform well, a bad exhaust system can pollute the air.

The importance of upkeep on these items is many. First, if you have any type of warranty on your car, whether it’s the manufacturer warranty, an extended auto warranty, or a dealer or repair shop warranty, if you aren’t completing the necessary maintenance on your vehicle—you could be denied warranty repairs.

Completing regularly scheduled vehicle check-ups is also important to ensure you will get the best performance out of your vehicle and that it will last. Keep these in mind when it’s time for your vehicle check up. Look for repair shops that offer what they call 10 or 15 point inspections that will include all of these components—most have these regularly at a discounted price.

A car log is a simple record of repairs, including warranty and recall repairs your vehicle has had completed on it—and much more.

You can make a car log on your own or buy a pre-printed car log at most office supply stores. Actually, a car log folder is better because it can hold all the invoices from your repairs in one place when you need it.

Another good reason for keeping a car log is in the long run, if you have an extended vehicle warranty, it can ensure that you have obtained all the recommended maintenance your owner’s manual suggests. Warranty companies need to know that you have been responsible in your car care and really shouldn’t pay for things because you missed important upkeep.

What to Include

Your car log should be organized properly. The first elements should contain everything about the vehicle when you purchased it, whether it was new or used, its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), year, make and model—and don’t forget the mileage on the car when you first bought it—that’s important. You should also keep a copy (not originals) of your insurance card, your finance company (if you have one), and if you own the car outright, a copy of the title—keep the original title in a safe place other than your car log.

Vehicle Repair Records

Repair records for every single repair, even if it was a warranty repair should also be kept in your car log—with the repair shop’s invoice. The invoice should clearly state the type of repairs, the cost of the repairs, and the mileage of your car at the time it was repaired.

You should also keep a good record of the gas mileage you are getting each time you fill up your tank. If you find any variation in this, ask your repair shop if they know why this is happening and if you should be concerned. More often than not, getting lower gas mileage can be an indication that something may need to be fixed or is on its way to decline.

The type of tires and tire purchases you have made over the time that you have owned your car are other good things to keep in your car log. Make sure to include the invoice from the repair shop or tire shop where you tires were put on. This invoice will show the type and size of tires you bought and recommended replacement times as well as mileage at time of replacement.

Vehicle Maintenance Reminders

Keep some pages or space in your car log that you can refer to for maintenance reminders. This could include brake pads, lube-oil-filter changes, hoses, belts, and other repair maintenance your owner’s manual recommends. You manual will also give you recommended times these repairs should be completed. For instance on most vehicles, a lube-oil-filter should be performed every three thousand miles.

Miscellaneous Items

If your vehicle has been damaged through an accident, keep a record of the accident and what body and paint facility repaired your car. Keep a copy of the estimate from your insurance company as well as the body shop’s estimate and final invoice. You should also keep copies of checks paid to the body shop on your behalf from your insurance company and any payments you made on your deductible.

Why So Important?

Keeping a car log is beneficial for many reasons but two reasons are high on the list. First, a repair shop can use your car log to diagnose and recommend repairs. Second, if you decide to sell your vehicle, having the life record of the car is gold when it comes to selling it.

My mother lives in Phoenix and this active 82-year old takes her PT Cruiser everywhere. When she called me last week to tell me her air-conditioning had gone out and two different repair shops indicated they had found many things wrong with the car, well, to be honest, she was pretty mad—or what she calls it, “darn-pooped.”

Because she had pretty good luck with this 2007 model, this was her first experience with a major repair on it and I told her that there were things to look for before your choose your repair shop. Since I live in New Mexico and my husband’s dealership sold her the car, of course I felt bad.

The next morning, I hurried off to our car dealership to design and hold a seminar for our small town, especially for non-technician-like people, on what to look for in a repair facility. That’s how important it is because your vehicle is what takes you everywhere in life—I felt it time people knew they had choices.

Franchised Car Dealerships

No matter what manufacturer make you drive, any of the company’s franchised dealerships can repair your vehicle. It’s best to utilize franchised dealerships for your warranty work, recalls you might receive, and until your manufacturer’s automobile warranty expires. Read you manufacturer’s warranty and if you don’t understand what it covers, take a trek to your closest dealership and ask. Or call the manufacturer directly and ask—you can find their customer service number in your owner’s manual.

If you choose a franchised dealership for non-warranty repairs, to ensure reliable and fair cost repairs, make sure they have ASE Technicians (technicians who must past stringent tests), a Master Tech that understands all components of a vehicle, belong to the Better Business Bureau, and will give you a good explanation and firm quote on what it will cost to repair your vehicle. If you aren’t comfortable with the Service Writer assigned to your repairs—talk to the Service Manager. If you’re still not happy, ask to talk to the General Manager or the Dealer. In our shop, my husband’s door is always open to our customers and they know it—that’s how he built his dealership’s reputation.

Independent Car Repair Shops and National Chain Shops

These shops are formed usually by excellent master technicians who want to venture into the world of vehicle repair on their own and be business owners. Good ones will tell you to go to a manufacturer approved facility for your warrant and recall work. But don’t shoot the messenger here, they may not know your problem is still covered under warranty—that’s why it’s important to understand your original warranty.

To choose a good car repair shop, see what sort of recommendations from organizations they have. Are the endorsed by the AAA? To be an AAA certified repair facility, the repair shop must go through in investigation by AAA, and pass it, before they are issued a recommendation or certification. Ask if they have ASE certified techs. ASE techs work everywhere, not just at franchised dealership—so do master techs.

Ask to see the shop and check out if it’s well organized and clean. Is it a busy shop? If it is and there seems to be a lot of activity and at an organized pace—it’s probably a good shop. Ask if their repairs are guaranteed and for how long? Remember, a car repair shop may have a labor guarantee (if something’s wrong that is the technicians fault), and a parts guarantee (if one of the parts they used failed). A good one will have both.

If You Still Aren’t Sure

I know with myself, if my husband didn’t own a dealership, I would be lost choosing a good repair facility. I like to tell people, I only know where the key goes in and where the gas goes in—beyond that, I’m lost.

Warranty Direct can help you make a good choice for your repairs. This extended car warranty company has been around a whopping 28 years and they know which car repair shops have a commitment to quality repair and customer service. They have a list of vehicle repair shops they trust. Beyond that, if you like the shop where you take your vehicle, and they aren’t on Warranty Direct’s recommended repair facility list—tell the owner to contact Warranty Direct to get on the list.

Peace of mind and knowing that you will receive quality repairs that fit the cost you’re paying is gold in the auto repair industry—and they know it too. If a shop you’re looking at doesn’t seem all that concerned about you or your repairs—skip them, it’s not worth the fight later.

Cartalk.com recently did a study on this topic and now we have some cold, hard facts. The results showed that on average the dealerships in the study charged 15% more than independent car repair shops for the same repairs.

Buy an Extended Car Warranty Direct and Save

When you buy a new car, you have the option to purchase your extended car warranty through your dealership; the problem with this is that if you purchase it through your dealer then your extended vehicle warranty will only cover repairs that are done at your dealership.

So on top of the higher prices that the dealer charges anyway, if you ever need service when you’re miles away from your dealer then you’re going to get stuck with the entire car repair bill.

“Deterioration in vehicle quality during the first three years of ownership—determined by comparing long-term dependability rates to initial quality problem rates—strongly affects overall customer satisfaction as well as customer willingness to recommend their vehicle model, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study SM released today.

The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of 3-year-old (2005 model year) vehicles, finds that, on average, customers report experiencing 75 percent more problems in the third year of ownership than during the first 90 days. “

It’s no coincidence that most vehicles come with only 3 years of factory warranty coverage.

Where Does Your Car Rate?

Among the best – Lexus

Better than most – Acura, Buick, Honda, Lincoln, Mercury, Toyota

About average – Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Mazda, Mercedes, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Pontiac, Porsche, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Volvo

The rest – Isuzu, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Saab, Suzuki, Volkswagen

on average, customers report experiencing 75 percent more problems in the third year of ownership than during the first 90 days. “

You can protect yourself from the high cost of repairs with a premium Warranty Direct extended warranty. Choose from multiple levels of coverage, several deductible options and EZPay payment plans with no interest. Click here for a free, instant online quote.