What's Wrong With My Car (and What It Should Cost)

Every car problem comes down to three questions. This book answers all three, in plain English, before you spend a dollar.

Can I keep driving it? Every symptom and check engine code gives you a verdict first; sometimes it's "yes, for months," sometimes it's "pull over now." You'll know which before you call anyone.

Can I fix it myself? 30 of the most common jobs, written for a first attempt: one action per step, every tool listed, every technical term defined when it first appears, and a clear stop line telling you exactly when to hand it to a shop.

What should it cost? Real price ranges for all 30 jobs, both ways, fair shop rates for most of the US, and your driveway cost. Plus nine repairs commonly sold to people who don't need them, and five questions to ask at the service counter.

What's inside:

• The Quote Check:  all 30 jobs at both prices, keep-driving verdicts, and the commonly-oversold list
• 23 symptom pages: triage questions that separate harmless from expensive, then ranked likely causes
• Check engine codes in plain English: what P0420, P0300, P0455 mean, and why replacing the named part is often the wrong first move
• 30 step-by-step jobs: brakes, battery, oil, spark plugs, coolant, belts, filters, sensors, and more
• A maintenance checklist: what to do at what mileage, so nothing surprises you
• Your car's numbers: torque, oil capacity, tire pressures for 19 of the most top-selling car models, sourced directly from manufacturers' manuals; cars outside the list can refer to their manuals for exact numbers
• A 20-page Quick Guide for the service counter and roadside
• Three printable cards: the five questions, the quote worksheet, and the drive-or-don't-drive sheet

380 pages built to be searched, not read cover to cover. Works on phone, tablet, and computer,  and prints on standard paper.