Car                                                 Published: October 1, 2008   Updated: October 9, 2008
I am a beginner in term of the experience, knowledge, and skill about a car. The first time I drove a car when I was thirty. Since then, I have gathered the following experiences:

• After using three used cars, and a new car, I have come to the conclusion that if you are looking for a commute solution for more than some years, a new car could be a better solution than an used car. At the beginning, the cost for an used car seems low but later one to keep the car running the maintenance cost will come with almost the same price. On top of that, the uncertainties (if it was in an accident, in a flood, if it has an engine problem, etc.) comes with the used car. If the need is for a few years, maybe, a rented car would be better than a used car.
• Advance Auto Parts and other auto stores reads the computer codes for Check Engine Light problems free of cost. A car shop mechanic charged me $85 for it.
• If you can manage, participate in a basic course about a car. Understanding the basics of a car is very helpful for us.
• Reviewing the car manual also give some specific information about your car.
• If time, and situation allow, observing a car repair could be another opportunity to learn about car. Grasp the opportunity when your own relatives, or friends are doing this kind of work.
• When there is a small scratch, it becomes annoying to us. Do not forget that the scratch does not have nothing to do with its performance. And if you look in you own body, you will find many visible an invisible many scratches.
• People says that Toyota car (in general Japanese car) easily runs more than 200,000 mile. My two used Toyota cars (Toyota Tercel, 1987, and Toyota Corolla 1989) were useless below 110,000 mile
• You might have heard that the car with Engine Light on is worthless. There are some states where you do not have a annual inspection test. In those state, you can run a car as long as you can run it safely.
• Backdoor mechanics are not as reliable as we intend to believe; in fact they have less accountability, and tools then their corporate counter part. They are not trained neither for customer service, nor for the long-term goal.
  Last spring my car displayed the check engine light. I went to my backdoor mechanic (He is my regular mechanic) . He did not have the tool to read the car code, so he suggested to go another shop. I got the diagnosis from another shop at $85. I went back to my mechanic with the diagnosis paper. He said he could fix it, and I said I will bring the parts needed. He agreed, I purchased the parts from the Advance Auto Parts at about $350. Once he opened the car to replace the Oxygen Censors, he realized the parts were different than he know how to install. He suggested me to find the original part (they called in OE - original equipment). My car was in his workshop almost a week. I went back to the Advance Auto Parts, and explained the situation. The store manager ordered the original parts for me, and my mechanic replaced them. At beginning he said it will cost $285, but at the end he said that it took more time for him than expected, so I have to pay $350. I was not happy but paid it. Just after a day, the light came on again. I went to the mechanic, and he said that he needed to diagnose to figure out the cause. It would cost from $80 to $500 additional cost based on the diagnostic time it takes. I was very upset with this response. Doesn't he have the moral responsibility to check if that was the real problem before he starts to fix it? Doesn't he have moral responsibility to further test and or analyze the original problem, that has not been resolved?
  He is the owner and mechanic of the store, whom should I report it. I feel bad with my own decision. Finally I took it in another car shop who figured out that the the newly replace upstream oxygen censor was not working. When he replaced it, the problem was resolved.
  I thought it will be cheaper with my backdoor mechanic, but it turned out that it was time consuming, frustrating, and more expensive.
  My learning is work with a mechanic, and do only the required maintenance with warranty. Ask details of the problem during diagnosis, and maintenance. Then you do not need to worry if you have the right brand or not, etc. My leaning is that no car mechanic is your friend. They are there to maximize their benefit whatever the way they can. I am sorry but I do not have a good experience with a car mechanic.