How to handle car repairs

[LShan82]

I'm posting this here b/c it has to do with personal finances and I thought I'd get some help, or ideas to help me figure this out. I'm probably making this harder than I should. 

See this thread, I just recently got a credit card approval from penfed and barclay.   

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Approvals/Mini-App-Spree-Surprised-at-results-and-Car-Re...

I now have to decide how to handle car repairs.  

I need new brakes and Sears is  having a 0% for 6 months special.  Now I have been trying to get my money together to pay for the repairs with cash but ish keeps coming up.  For instance, I needed tires, bought them without issue, found a great deal.  Found out my wheel was bent... need another $200 bucks.  On top of already needing front/back brakes (cost through dealer ~$800).   *sigh*  Found an alley mechanic that would use my dealer parts, and would charge about $500 for brakes.   Cool, got that together, but haven't changed them yet, and my windshield wipers go out.*SIGH*  I now need $740 through dealer (motor and linkage), but had to spend $130 for the diagnostic which can be applied to $740, and the same alley guy can do it for $465.     Btw, alley guy is legit, he has his own business and it's not in the alley. LOL  It's just not a pep boys, midas, or dealer place.  

So here is my question about repairs.  Put everything  $465 for wipers, ~$500 for brakes, and ~$200 for wheel on Penfed card?   with my local mechanic?   and pay 13% interest.   

OR 

go to Sears for Brakes, at 0% for 6 months (haven't applied yet, fingers crossed though), but the brake job will cost $750  (same as dealer).  and put the rest $665 on Penfed card.   Or to utilize the $130 from the diagnostic, go to dealer and pay $610 for wipers through them (origianlly $740), and pay for wheel, total on pen fed $810.

Here are the scenarios

Sears  $750

PenFed $810 (wheel $200 and $610 wiper through dealer)

total

$1560

OR

Sears $750  (Brakes at 0%)

PenFed $665 (Wheel $200 Wiper $465 through local mechanic)

Total debt

$1415

OR

Everything done at local mechanic all on Penfed

$465 wipers

$500 brakes

$200 wheel 

Total debt

$1165   

Try a Synchrony card? 

Drive the car into the river?  ;-)

Am I saving any money by paying more, but without interest going through Sears?   Should I just let the diagnostic credit go and not get anything done at dealer?  

I know that's all complicated, but I had to get it all out and see it on paper.  

 After this, it is all about saving and tending to my garden...  

[#2]

I need new brakes and Sears is  having a 0% for 6 months special.  Now I have been trying to get my money together to pay for the repairs with cash but ish keeps coming up.  For instance, I needed tires, bought them without issue, found a great deal.  Found out my wheel was bent... need another $200 bucks.  On top of already needing front/back brakes (cost through dealer ~$800).   *sigh*  Found an alley mechanic that would use my dealer parts, and would charge about $500 for brakes.   Cool, got that together, but haven't changed them yet, and my windshield wipers go out.*SIGH*  I now need $740 through dealer (motor and linkage), but had to spend $130 for the diagnostic which can be applied to $740, and the same alley guy can do it for $465.     Btw, alley guy is legit, he has his own business and it's not in the alley. LOL  It's just not a pep boys, midas, or dealer place.  

So here is my question about repairs.  Put everything  $465 for wipers, ~$500 for brakes, and ~$200 for wheel on Penfed card?   with my local mechanic?   and pay 13% interest.   

OR 

go to Sears for Brakes, at 0% for 6 months (haven't applied yet, fingers crossed though), but the brake job will cost $750  (same as dealer).  and put the rest $665 on Penfed card.   Or to utilize the $130 from the diagnostic, go to dealer and pay $610 for wipers through them (origianlly $740), and pay for wheel, total on pen fed $810.

Here are the scenarios

Sears  $750

PenFed $810 (wheel $200 and $610 wiper through dealer)

total

$1560

OR

Sears $750  (Brakes at 0%)

PenFed $665 (Wheel $200 Wiper $465 through local mechanic)

Total debt

$1415

OR

Everything done at local mechanic all on Penfed

$465 wipers

$500 brakes

$200 wheel 

Total debt

$1165   

Try a Synchrony card? 

Drive the car into the river?  ;-)

Am I saving any money by paying more, but without interest going through Sears?   Should I just let the diagnostic credit go and not get anything done at dealer?  

I know that's all complicated, but I had to get it all out and see it on paper.  

 After this, it is all about saving and tending to my garden...  

[grillandwinemaster]

I personally NEVER go to the dealer unless it's did a warranty repair. Your alley mechanic can be just as competent, but way more reasonable. 

I would have him do ALL the work. Your not going to save the difference in 0% interest vs the cost of doing the work at Sears. Btw, there also a like pricey!

Just my two cents fwiw...

[Anonymous]

As the poster above said, don't go to the dealer unless it's warranty work.  Also, don't go to the dealer for parts....ESPECIALLY brakes.  Hit up Amazon or RockAuto for pads and rotors (and calipers if you need them...though that's unlikely unless yours are in real bad shape).  Find shadetree mechanics on Craigslist or definitely use your "alley guy", who is probably more skilled than a Midas or Pep Boys "tech".

Also, check Craigslist for a used wheel and maybe a local junkyard for wiper motor and linkage.  Those are definitely parts that don't HAVE to be brand new and can usually be found in great shape used.

[Anonymous]

Good advice here, those prices are jacked.  I have used rockauto many times, no complaints.  Got a front oxygen sensor from rockauto.  The dealer chargers $400 for dealer brand.  Denso is the manufacturer for the dealer, and the Denso same part number is $100.  I went with denso from rock auto, been ok for over a year with it.

[LShan82]

This is great advice everyone thank you so much. I'll look at Craigslist and Rockauto!

[LShan82]

I finally got my car fixed.   I went to the alley mechanic, but it was a decent shop.  They said they only needed the front brakes and windshield wipers, grand total was $540. Now I just need to find that wheel.   Thanks again everyone!!!  

[Anonymous]

Good, how come so much for brakes?  Front pads on mine are $100 and an hour labor is like $80, well short of $540.  Hope you didn't get ripped off, did it need new cakipers and rotors too?  I replaced rotors and calipers and pads in the rear on mine and with labor it was much less.  Anyway glad you got it fixed.  I still need to do my front shocks.

[LShan82]

The bulk of the cost was for the windshield wipers, I needed a motor and a transmission. 

[Anonymous]

My mechanic takes blisspay now!!!

(Ricky Bobby voice) I want to go fast!

[Anonymous]

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@LShan82 wrote:

I finally got my car fixed.   I went to the alley mechanic, but it was a decent shop.  They said they only needed the front brakes and windshield wipers, grand total was $540. Now I just need to find that wheel.   Thanks again everyone!!!  

---

I think you did the right thing. Any finance charges you pay on your normal CC are likely to be a lot less than what you would have overpaid to get the 0% deal. Just hustle on paying it off.

EDIT: realizing this post is over a year old. LOL.