A Look at a Few of the Most Common Auto Repair Jobs in the US

Posted: Aug 29, 2012
Author: Country Town Tire & Auto Service Center

Anyone who owns a set of wheels knows that auto repair isn’t always cheap. According to the manufacturer of a leading brand of automotive diagnostic software and tools, the total average spent during 2011 in the US for an auto repair job was $305.56 – that’s $103.27 for labor and $202.28 for parts (Source: autos.yahoo.com).

Let’s take a look at a few common auto repair jobs and what causes them:

• Fixing After-Market Installations:This is an auto repair job that many owners bring upon themselves after trying to install after-market devices such as alarms, car stereos and hands-free devices. When owners add something to their cars, they tap into various circuits. In so doing, they are robbing power from something else. This can cause other systems to fail.

• Replacement of Intake Manifold Gaskets:These gaskets are designed to prevent leakages of air, or a mixture of fuel and air, in engine parts. If a leak occurs, it can cause big problems with your vehicle’s fuel economy, engine performance and emissions.

• Replacement of Ignition Coils:Essentially, these tell the spark plugs when to work. Ignoring an ignition coil problem can seriously damage a vehicle’s entire ignition system.

• Replacing Spark Plugs:These are small parts, but they can cause huge problems. Sure, owners may be able to do this auto repair on their own inexpensively. But, because faulty spark plugs can affect fuel economy or even melt an expensive catalytic converter, choosing to have them replaced by a qualified mechanic is worth the added expense.