Money-Saving iPhone App #24: RepairPal

I stumbled upon the free RepairPal app the other day and wished I’d found it sooner considering my car has needed repairs several times in the last few months.

Here’s how it works. First, select the make, model and year of your car. Next, select the type of service you require, whether it’s scheduled maintenance (e.g., 30,000 mile service) or a replacement (e.g., new transmission, new fuel pump, etc.). You’ll also find various services listed like tire rotation and a check engine light diagnosis. Finally, enter your zip code and press the big orange “Get Estimate” button.

Once you enter your details, the RepairPal app will give you a price estimate broken out between parts and labor, which is nice. The app even finds repair shops close to your location and will email the price estimate to you to save for later. I can definitely see good use for this as a negotiating tool once at the repair shop and I’ve been given an estimate at the desk.

I can’t say I can’t wait to try out this app in a real scenario (it’s not like I want to be in a position to need car repairs done), but I know the RepairPal app will be a huge help. Be sure to check out all the posts in my 30 Days of Money-Saving Apps series.