Points to Ponder
Out of Town and the Car Breaks Down?

by Gary Lykins
 

Most of us dread an automobile breakdown at any time; after all, reliable transportation is right up there with food, shelter and clothing.  An automobile professional can often warn a driver of potential problems and recommend repair, so be sure a regular maintenance schedule is kept and performed by a qualified technician.  Ask for a thorough inspection of safety and mechanical systems when planning a trip, as this is your first line of defense against breakdowns. Even with the best maintenance, a vehicle may still have a failure of some sort.  By decree of Murphy’s Law, this will happen at the worst possible time.  When traveling there are added worries during a breakdown.  A lot of scary movies start out with a car overheating along side a deserted road.  In reality, the scariest monsters are those who would take advantage of a stranded motorist while calling themselves automobile professionals. The following are some suggestions to keep in mind when you are out of town and have car trouble: Whenever possible move to a safe place. This may contradict what you’ve heard, but personal safety is always more important than collateral damage. Alert the authorities (dial 911) or call AAA if you are enrolled.  In addition to someone being aware of your situation, they can dispatch a wrecker service.  As a bonus to you, wrecker services usually have a regulated price when dispatched by the local authorities. A great tip for finding the “good guys” when you need car repair is calling a local parts distributor (i.e. Bumper to Bumper, NAPA or Advance Auto Parts).  Look them up in a local phone book under Automobile / Parts / New.  They deal with every mechanic in town and would love to point you to a reputable shop.  (Be sure they do not have a shop at their location to avoid any bias.) Feel free to call us here at Ponder Auto Repair (423) 928-3849 with any questions, even when you are out of town.  We can often advise or be a liaison between you and the local repair shop.  We consider you a valuable customer and want to be helpful in these kinds of situations.

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