Let me tell you a little story. You see, we are The Thrifty Couple, but we’ve never claimed to be the “all-knowing, all-experienced Jack and Jackie of all trades.”Â
What I mean by that is that, well…we really, really stink when it comes to DIY car stuff – like really bad! It has been an intimidating, frustrating and expensive experience for us in the past. We are really dense in this particular area of our lives.
And yes, that includes even Alex, the man of the house. He is an engineer by trade and can decipher and compose data and code in the software realm like nobody’s business (remember I am married to him so I can be honest biased :)) but cannot decipher a problem with the car. Don’t worry, he gave me permission to share the honest truth about this part of our lives.
And honestly, this problem of no “car-fixing” skills is a big problem for a couple that is trying to be as frugal and money-savvy as possible.
In fact, I want to share a story with you to show just how much we do not know about cars and repairs.
A few years ago, we had a problem.
It wasn’t a small problem, but we were being told it was a several-hundred-dollar-fix problem. But the problem was either X or Z and the mechanic wouldn’t know which it was until he got in there and got to work. Only after would we discover just how BIG of a problem it was.
It stunk and it’s often the territory of a thrifty couple – car troubles – because we often drive older, more used cars.
Having been blessed by not having many car issues in the past, when this day came it was honestly devastating. Even though we had money in the bank to cover it from our emergency fund…we kept asking ourselves whether there was a better way.
That’s when we heard about AutoZone. Mind you, an auto parts store is the lowest on our list of experience/knowledge. But we heard that AutoZone had a machine that could diagnose a vehicle’s problem (, diagnose in minutes, and diagnose for free.
Seriously?!?
That is way too cool and perhaps way to good to be true! But, we gave it a try even on the drive home from the mechanic. We pulled into AutoZone and asked if we could get a free diagnosis (wishing we could do the same with the doctor). They came out to the parking lot, hooked up their machine (The Fix Finder), ran the test and we had a result in a couple of minutes.
MIND.BLOWN.
We now knew what was wrong with the car. Completely brilliant plan!
BUT…the next step was repairing it. Now that we knew the problem, we could take it back to the mechanic and tell him and have him give us a better estimate. We don’t like walking into anything with the, “Well, it could be this, or it could be that and it’s going to cost between $300 – I dunno, maybe $900?” Sorry, that just does not fly in our book.
However, the very kind associate at AutoZone actually said we can repair it ourselves for a very small fraction of the cost.
We both looked at each other and then at him and said, “No, no, no, you don’t understand, we can’t fix cars. We cause MORE damage. But thanks for your vote of confidence.”
He said, “No, really, you can! I promise.”
We responded with a dumbfounded look on our faces with a “How?”
He said, “Come back inside the store and I will show you!”
So we followed him with reluctance, only because he said we could do it for a fraction of the cost. The money-saving factor was the turning point that piqued our curiosity as to whether we really could do this.
The gentleman showed us the problem and the repair guide from his computer. He gathered the parts while we were looking over the steps, came back, said that he would print the instructions for free and let us borrow the tools for free to fix it ourselves. The only thing left was to buy the parts. We did and the price we paid (again, just for the parts)Â was FAR less than the lowest estimate for the more minor issue that the mechanic alluded to.
So we walked out happy campers because our problems were behind us.
How did the story end?
Well, it just ended.  It was a smooth, seamless, easier-than-it-should-have-been DIY car repair and we still had nearly all of our emergency fund left! There was no dramatic outcry from the garage, there were no fights, there were no disagreements, there was no running back and forth from the auto parts store (don’t even get me started about our home repair stories – LOL!), there were no complaints, swearing, broken fingers, drama and sweat!
It was done.
It was cheap.
It was easy.
It was beautiful!
And now that we are heading into the beautiful green season (Spring!) and with tax time coming up, we want to help you spend your refund wisely by sharing this experience with you to save you “green” on your car repairs. This is the #1 cause of financial emergencies, so now you can put more of your tax refund into a road trip instead of spending it on huge emergency car repairs.
We don’t want our readers to spend a ton of money on car repairs. There is NOTHING to lose by checking out the free diagnostic service with the Fix Finder (not available in CA) at your local AutoZone first from now on. In fact, swing by on your way to the mechanic. You may be surprised by the information and the experience that you have.
AutoZone actually has quite a few free services and not only did our store print the instructions for free for us, but they have a repairs video guide online too if you are more this type.
Thankfully, we haven’t had any more car repair needs since this one, but we know where we are going to go first the next time. Trust us, if we can make a DIY car repair, YOU can for SURE!
And, since we are in the “green” season, planning our spring and summer road trips, getting the cars cleaned up and ready for the road trip season, we want to also give you some green!
They also put out coupons that you can often find on their Facebook page to stretch your dollars a bit more! Right now, you can grab a $7 off $30 coupon! Grab this AutoZone Coupon for the latest savings!
We would love to hear from you.
- Have you ever tried the free services at AutoZone?
- What was the cost of your last auto repair?
- Would you give this a try?
- Whatever you want about this topic!
*Please note, the giveaway is now closed on this post, but comments are always welcome. The winner was Carol (cjlgage@). Congratulations Carol!
This post is brought to you by AutoZone; the opinions are all mine.
Joanie
So excited for summer! Thank you for the chance to help me keep my car running smoothly. Great tip.
Felicia
I’ve used AutoZone a few times before. They really are helpful. The gift card would help me a lot right now!
Chrissa
I’m not getting as big of a tax return this year and so I need the help with my car! I have seen Auto zone before, but will use them now. thanx
Shana E.
Thanks for the opportunity. We could use this to get our vehicle ready for the summer break road trips.
Jason McWilliams
My family is currently building three hot rods. We step into the zone regulary for parts! A gift card for my next visit would be awesome!
Jessica
Love AutoZone! Always friendly and try to help as much as possible!
Susan
We LOVE AutoZone. It’s so bad I think my hubs can SOLVE any car problem 😉 My first experience with them was actually when I was still single. I took my car in for an oil change and my headlight was out. The VERY honest mechanic said he could do it, but I could save a ton if I went to AutoZone and just did it myself. It was liberation and I’ve been a fan even since!
CJ
I love Auto Zone!
Rachel Jennings
The salespeople at my local Auto Zone are always so friendly & helpful.
Alice Fullmer
My son has recently starting working on his own car to save money, I am amazed at what he has saved as well as learned in this process! Thank you for your story!
Ku'uipo Vea
I did t know they did that! Awesome.
Alice Fullmer
My son has recently started fixing his own car by doing this! I am amazed by what he has learned and saved! Thank you for your story!
Pam
This is great to know!
Gaby
Autozone is great, I’ve used them to get an engine light checked out for free!
Susan
I recently purchased brake pads for my car and my son-in-law will do the job. Thank goodness I can avoid going into a brake place and being charged some atrocious amount to do the easy job
Tricia Goss
Neither my husband nor myself are very handy, but you have really inspired me that maybe we could fix more things on our own! I had no idea that AutoZone would do all this. Thanks!
Amanda
The sales associates at the AutoZone we go to are really helpful. My brother-in-law used to work at an AutoZone when I was in college so I have always preferred AutoZone whenever I need a part.
Alan Rusch
I’ve used their free diagnostics and yes even free install of a battery on a cold January evening. I’m a regular visitor so the gift card would go to immediate use.
Sheila
My daughter’s boyfriend did this earlier this week. He didn’t do the repair himself, but they did correctly diagnose the issue.
kelly tupick
The cost of my last auto repair was $262. I just had to replace the whole gas line under my 07 Chevy Cobalt.
Nancy Loring
I just spent $1200 to fix my car less than 3 hours ago and I always wished that I knew how to work on my own car because I know it would be so much cheaper.
Elena
I have used Auto Zone series before and was happy with them
HS kraftmaking
My husband loves AutoZone and shops there often. The last auto repair was approx. $300.
Sarah c
Autozone is my husbands #1 car place! Neither of us know much about cars but they are always so helpful. We had our license plates stolen once so we got new plates and I went in with my two yound kids to buy new screws for them. The man asked me if he could put them on for me! This was such a help since I had my kids with me.
Ari K
Best to use auto stores like AutoZone/OReilly/Napa/AdvanceAuto to diagnose/get basic work done…but be careful with some of their parts. They might say there’s a lifetime warranty on certain components, but that only will pay for replacement parts….not the labor you’ll need to pull/replace something that fails after 6 months.
Suzanne
We have a non urgent problem right now that the mechanic said will cost hundreds to fix. I never thought of auto zone. Now I’m wondering if this is something my somewhat handy husband could do. 🙂
Karen Atchley
I will at least try to get a diagnosis from them. Thanks for the tip!
Cassie Z
My dad has done a lot of our repairs to our car. We have used autozone a couple of times, though we use O’Reilly a lot too. We have spent as lot of money on parts! We have an old 87 suburban that my dad has just about completely rebuilt. But praise the Lord that it is running well and that it has served us well!
Jonathan
What a great tip and what a great giveaway! I have been able to do some repairs myself , but this post really encouraged me to go farther. Thanks!
Joe Daneault
Love the story. I also try to save money on repairs by trying to do them myself. For example, instead of taking my car to the mechanic to change my fuel filter, I’ve recently purchased the filter myself. I haven’t got around to actually installing it though, and my car reminds me everyday because of its “service engine soon” light that’s constantly on. Winning this gift card would help me a bunch by helping to buy a jack to lift my car up so that I could install the filter.
Sharon
Auto Zone folks have taught me a lot through the years about maintaining my car. They’re always helpful and willing to go that extra bit.
nicole williams
get in the zone auto zone. i like this store because they are honest and not overly salsey towards me whixh is something i worry about as a female
MJ
Just used auto zone’s free tool box to fix my car window before a thunderstorm! A very pleasant memory!
Marilyn
I had no idea that Auto Zone offered that service! My car is a less than 36,000 mile 1995 Century Buick. I know what you are thinking, “Surely that odometer has turned over and run past that 100,000 mark or has been run backwards”. If it had not belonged to my 93 year old Great Aunt and then my own elderly Mother I would think that too. I am always so worried it will have an expensive repair or will just dry rot on me and be beyond my means to repair. This is wonderful news. I’m disabled but surely I could figure out an easy fix rather than pay an unscrupulous and overpriced mechanic that would see me coming from a long way off.
camilla wilson
Have a new car. So want have to worry about car repairs.
Julie
I like be their free help with installing items (windshield wipers, batteries, etc)! Love AutoZone!!
Barbara Sevier
I will be giving the free services a try. Was not aware of them. Thanks!
Jacque DeBoard
Oh my goodness!!! Great information at a perfect time for our family we have three repair issues and not alot of money.
Nancy Kane
My son is in desperate need of a new car. He bought a used car last fall and now it is no good as the transmission has failed. I am so glad to learn about these great services that Auto Zone offers! We have one near our home and will definitely use their services before heading to the mechanic!
Elizabeth Johnson
Thank you so much for this blog post. I did not know that AutoZone had a machine that diagnose your car especially for free. I love that. also, I did not know that they give you the tools and instructions on how to fix it yourself to save on money. that is unusual because most Auto places want to charge you for produxts AND a service fee, which costs double or more of what the part cost. In Virginia there is an inspection every year and they charge to fix your problem on top of the parts cost. we did one of our cars and have yet to do the next car. I really want to take advantage of Auto Zone before we get our inspection done on our second car. and like you I do not want to tap into my emergency fund and I also try to save money. Most cars we bought were used.
Josa Mauzy
We use Auto Zone all the time! They are helpful and friendly and show you how to fix things!
Jodi Wresh
Have never used, but would consider it. Sounds like they are very good!
Cara
I have 4 chronic illnesses so I can’t do the repair myself, but I’ve had them diagnose a problem on my previous van. It was a very quick process which gave me peace of mind when going to the mechanic.
Brenda
Buy your wiper blades at Auto zone and they will put them on for you!
Marian Mullowney
I did not know any of this. I will definitely be checking here first from now on.
Dorothy
Hubby is outside right now fixin on the car. 🙂
Auto parts are always needed.
Connie Moore
Ordered the better hub assembly from autozone.com, since it was just over $100, I received a $35 gift card which brought the price down to the “economy” part price, plus, the shipping was free (for orders $75 and over). Next, ordered an alternator and serpentine belt and got 15% off my order plus a gift card for $10, and once again, this was shipped directly to my home for free. Autozone.com is always running special offers where you can save even more money! If you can wait a few days for your part/s, (some of my orders have arrived in just two days) and your order qualifies for their special offer, this is another great service Autozone provides!
Diane Dauphinee
Fingers crossed, would love to win! Thanks”thrifty couple”
carol clark
when i had my jeep a light poped on and i was like wooo so i pulled in there and they told me the problem free scan i was so thankful
Diana
We used the machine when all the trouble lights came on on my van. The machine said I did not have an issue- just a clich. I have driven it now for about fifty thousand miles without issue. The lights come and go. The only problem is that when they are on I can not use cruise control.