Auto Repair/Maintenance
FACT: Vehicles are a necessary expense which cost most people a lot of money.However, a little bit of knowledge about repair and maintenance can save a great deal of money in both the short and long term. Regular maintenance will save money by preventing costly repairs and make the vehicle usable for a longer period (and also save gas money by maintaining gas mileage).
Many maintenance tasks and small repairs can be performed by anybody with a few simple tools and instruction manuals (which can be found online).However, chances are you will have to take a vehicle in for professional repair, due to either mechanical failure or an accident. A little knowledge can go a long way in preventing a rip off. Always get a second opinion and second or third estimates.
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Car Quality--Does Country Matter
Objective: Once again for 2007, Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus are the top rated car makers out there. Japan is generally the country with the most high-ranking car makers, but there are car makes that come from Japan that do not receive recognition for quality. German cars have been known to be of high quality, but in recent years have dropped in ranking. Currently, American and Chinese cars are close to improving, but it will be some time before they compete for the top.
Although you can generally see a pattern of quality cars from certain countries, it is definitely safer to stick with reviews of the car maker itself and not generalize by country. Decide what characteristics are most important to you in an automobile and look at the ratings on what you desire.
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