{"id":8442,"date":"2012-10-17T02:57:35","date_gmt":"2012-10-16T19:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/?p=8442"},"modified":"2012-10-17T06:01:01","modified_gmt":"2012-10-16T23:01:01","slug":"how-to-tell-if-your-car-repair-man-is-telling-you-the-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/how-to-tell-if-your-car-repair-man-is-telling-you-the-truth\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell if Your Car Repair Man is Telling You the Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #888888;\">by Lori\u00a0Cunningham\u00a0(@wellconnectdmom)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" title=\"CarMD-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-logo.jpg?resize=293%2C100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"293\" height=\"100\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Not too long ago, I found out about a new gadget that puts more power into your hands when you take your car in to get it repaired. \u00a0Don&#8217;t you hate it when the vague &#8220;check engine&#8221; light turns on all of a sudden and you&#8217;re not sure why? \u00a0Or how about when you take your car in for an oil change and all of a sudden your\u00a0anti-lock\u00a0brake system is apparently malfunctioning according to the car repair man? \u00a0Ugh! \u00a0How can you tell whether the issues the mechanic is telling you are correct?<\/p>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_8450\" style=\"width: 535px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8450\" class=\"wp-image-8450 \" title=\"Technichal Service &amp; Saftety Recall Info screenshot WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Technichal-Service-Saftety-Recall-Info-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=525%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Technichal-Service-Saftety-Recall-Info-screenshot-WCM.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Technichal-Service-Saftety-Recall-Info-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=300%2C264&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8450\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This part of the CarMD report tells you about TSB&#39;s and Safety Recall Notices on your car.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<p>Well now there&#8217;s a tool called the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.carmd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"> CarMD <\/a>that you can use on a regular basis to get a better idea how your car is performing BEFORE you take you car in. \u00a0CarMD uses the same exact technology a mechanic uses to diagnose any issues with your car. \u00a0I love it! \u00a0Here&#8217;s what you can learn about your car, depending upon the issues it&#8217;s facing:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Why the &#8220;check engine&#8221; light is on<\/li>\n<li>Whether your car will pass an emissions test<\/li>\n<li>Any safety Recalls<\/li>\n<li>If there are any TSB&#8217;s (Technical Service Bulletins) issued on your car. \u00a0TSB&#8217;s are administered from the car manufacturer about any known issues about your car&#8217;s make\/model<\/li>\n<li>If there are any issues with:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Electrical misfiring<\/li>\n<li>Fuel system<\/li>\n<li>Components<\/li>\n<li>Catalyst<\/li>\n<li>Evaporative\u00a0system<\/li>\n<li>Oxygen sensor<\/li>\n<li>Oxygen sensory heater<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now it&#8217;s important to note that CarMD works only on cars built-in 1996 or older. \u00a0This is because cars built-in the US in 1996 and afterwards were required to include a port with on-board diagnostic second generation (OBD2) technology. \u00a0It is this port that you connect your CarMD with to generate your diagnostics.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">How Do You Use CarMD?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is very easy to use CarMD. \u00a0I have used CarMD several times on my 2009 Ford Edge*. \u00a0Here are the steps:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>STEP ONE:<\/strong> \u00a0First, you plug the CarMD into your car&#8217;s diagnostic port. \u00a0There are generally 9 possible locations. \u00a0To find out your car&#8217;s exact location, see Find My Car&#8217;s Connector page on CarMD&#8217;s website. \u00a0Plug the CarMD into your port. \u00a0You should hear two beeps soon afterwards.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8446\" title=\"CarMD (16) WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-16-WCM.jpg?resize=574%2C323&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-16-WCM.jpg?resize=1024%2C577&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-16-WCM.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-16-WCM.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-16-WCM.jpg?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8454\" title=\"CarMD (9) WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-9-WCM.jpg?resize=537%2C302&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"537\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-9-WCM.jpg?w=958&amp;ssl=1 958w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-9-WCM.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 537px) 100vw, 537px\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>STEP TWO:<\/strong> \u00a0After you hear two beeps, turn on your car and wait for four beeps. \u00a0After four beeps you can turn off your car and remove CarMD. \u00a0You will see a code on your CarMD screen and either a green, yellow, or red light. \u00a0Here are what the lights mean:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>GREEN<\/strong><\/span>: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Your car has no issues<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #dccc0e;\"><strong>YELLOW<\/strong><\/span>: \u00a0 Your car has some warnings you should be aware of<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>RED<\/strong><\/span>: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 You should take your car into be serviced<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8453 aligncenter\" title=\"CarMD (1) WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-1-WCM.jpg?resize=243%2C378&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"243\" height=\"378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-1-WCM.jpg?w=347&amp;ssl=1 347w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-1-WCM.jpg?resize=192%2C300&amp;ssl=1 192w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px\" \/><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>As you can see from my test on my car, I received a red light. \u00a0Bummer.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><strong>STEP THREE<\/strong>: \u00a0In your CarMD package there is a CD with the CarMD software you need to connect your CarMD to your computer. \u00a0Run the program and load the software onto your computer. \u00a0You will also need to register yourself and your car on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.carmd.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">CarMD website<\/a>. Be sure to have your mileage and VIN number handy. \u00a0After these steps, using the included printer USB cord, plug the cord into the CarMD and the USB into your computer. \u00a0Start the CarMD software if it hasn&#8217;t started automatically. \u00a0The program will launch the CarMD website and you will login to your account. \u00a0Then your personalized report will be shown to you.<\/div>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8452\" title=\"CarMD (25) WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-25-WCM.jpg?resize=574%2C273&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-25-WCM.jpg?resize=1024%2C487&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-25-WCM.jpg?resize=300%2C142&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-25-WCM.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-25-WCM.jpg?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8447\" title=\"CarMD (20) WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-20-WCM.jpg?resize=574%2C323&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-20-WCM.jpg?resize=1024%2C577&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-20-WCM.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-20-WCM.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-20-WCM.jpg?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This is what my report looks like for my Ford Edge:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8449\" title=\"Car MD homes screenshot WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Car-MD-homes-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=503%2C717&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"503\" height=\"717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Car-MD-homes-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=719%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 719w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Car-MD-homes-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=210%2C300&amp;ssl=1 210w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Car-MD-homes-screenshot-WCM.jpg?w=735&amp;ssl=1 735w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 503px) 100vw, 503px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8448\" title=\"My Diagnosis screenshot WCM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/My-Diagnosis-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=523%2C522&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"523\" height=\"522\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/My-Diagnosis-screenshot-WCM.jpg?w=747&amp;ssl=1 747w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/My-Diagnosis-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/My-Diagnosis-screenshot-WCM.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 523px) 100vw, 523px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>From this report you can see that my engine and emissions are working fine. \u00a0Phew! \u00a0It looks like my brakes may be OK, but there is an issue with my restraint system. \u00a0Looking at the second report, the error codes I saw on my CarMD gadget are listed above. \u00a0Apparently, there looks like an issue with the front passenger restraint system and an issue with my Accessory Protocol Interface Module. \u00a0So, I don&#8217;t know exactly what this means but I believe I received a red light because there was an issue with my restraint&#8230;I&#8217;m guessing it refers to my\u00a0seat belt? \u00a0So, to do my due diligence in writing this review, I took my car into my local Ford Dealership.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8455\" title=\"Ford Dealership Edge Repair (4)\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-4.jpg?resize=614%2C346&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-4.jpg?resize=1024%2C577&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-4.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-4.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-4.jpg?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8456\" title=\"Ford Dealership Edge Repair (6)\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-6.jpg?resize=614%2C345&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-6.jpg?resize=1024%2C575&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-6.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/Ford-Dealership-Edge-Repair-6.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I actually printed the first two pages of my CarMD report and gave it to the Ford Service Admin. \u00a0I wanted to ensure they would check the things written on the report. \u00a0I also told him about a problem I have with my phone no longer connecting to my SYNC computer system. \u00a0I can no longer use my phone to make hands-free phone calls. \u00a0I told him that I guessed that might have something to do with the &#8220;Accessory Protocol Interface Module&#8221; error. \u00a0 \u00a0Within 15 minutes my car was checked in and I was riding home in Ford&#8217;s customer service vehicle.<\/p>\n<p>Three hours later I received a call to tell me that they checked into restraint error I received and conducted a few more tests. \u00a0The restraint issue referred to my air bag and they found that it was functioning fine. \u00a0They told me that this code would likely pop up again on my CarMD, but that it has been thoroughly tested and everything is fine. \u00a0Nothing to fix.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the news was not as good for the &#8220;Accessory Protocol Interface Module&#8221; issue. \u00a0I was correct that my phone connecting to SYNC was related. \u00a0The only way to fix this problem is to replace the interface module, which is the &#8220;brain&#8221; for the phone area of the SYNC computer system. \u00a0The cost for labor and parts would be $910. \u00a0Ikes! \u00a0And of course, I am just a couple thousand miles over my 36,000 warranty. \u00a0Bummer. \u00a0Using the SYNC&#8217;s speakerphone is like a lifeline for me, but paying $910 to fix it is hard to swallow.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">UPDATE!!!<\/span><\/strong>! <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u00a0After publishing this article, I went to pick up my Ford Edge from the dealership. \u00a0They informed me that in putting my SYNC back together again, the phone module began working again! \u00a0Perhaps there was a loose wire. \u00a0I tested it with my phone and I can again make phone calls! \u00a0Woohoo! \u00a0And it gets better. \u00a0Ford picked me up from my home to bring me to the dealership. \u00a0Upon arriving I asked about the whereabouts of my car. \u00a0They said, it would be a few moments, it&#8217;s being washed and vacuumed! \u00a0Then he handed me the bill. \u00a0The total cost came to $0.00. \u00a0I was blown away. \u00a0 Yeah!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">What the CarMD can&#8217;t do:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Fix your car for you<\/li>\n<li>Indicate the condition or needed replacement of your tires, belts, pads, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Track your mileage (you need to do this manually)<\/li>\n<li>Let you know when you need an oil change<\/li>\n<li>Report it&#8217;s findings directly to a dealership (though you can print out a report)<\/li>\n<li>Give cost estimates for every type of work needed (such as computer modules\/interfaces\/etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">You Have Questions\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now, to answer some questions you might have, like&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there a monthly charge?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No. \u00a0You pay just one time for the CarMD device and access to your reports online is included.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How many cars can you diagnose with CarMD?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can diagnose three cars. \u00a0You will need to enter the cars&#8217; VIN # into your CarMD account to run reports on them. \u00a0If you&#8217;d like to add another car, you can pay $14.95 for each additional car.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How many reports can you run each month?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can run up to six reports each month.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do I find my diagnostic port on my car?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can find the exact spot on the CarMD\u00a0\u00a0Find My Car&#8217;s Connector\u00a0page.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The CarMD sells for $119.85 directly from the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.carmd.com\/Shop\/Products\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0CarMD website<\/a>, although I found it for only $99 plus free super saver shipping at<a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/CarMD-2100-Vehicle-Diagnostic-Vehicles\/dp\/B005G5EAGE\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1350407355&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=carmd\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0Amazon.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-1589\" title=\"WellConnectedMom LOGO MOM\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2010\/12\/WellConnectedMom-LOGO-MOM.jpg?resize=196%2C355&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"196\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2010\/12\/WellConnectedMom-LOGO-MOM.jpg?w=400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2010\/12\/WellConnectedMom-LOGO-MOM.jpg?resize=165%2C300&amp;ssl=1 165w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">A Mom&#8217;s Perspective<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>My car is a newer car, so it did not have as many issues on it than an older car would have. \u00a0If my car had other issues, one of the great benefits of CarMD is that it not only identifies the problem, but it also gives you an estimate on how much it should cost to repair it! \u00a0Wow, talk about valuable information! \u00a0I suppose I didn&#8217;t receive an estimate because my issue had to do with the computer interface, which can greatly vary by manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p>All around, it looks like the CarMD is a nice investment. \u00a0Imagine walking into your car repair place armed with knowledge rather than that usual powerless feeling you have. \u00a0After conducting your own CarMD test, you can have more confidence in knowing what needs to be done with your car. \u00a0Will the mechanic find extra things? \u00a0Probably. \u00a0They&#8217;ll come up with things like worn belts, break pads, filters etc. \u00a0But you will be more knowledgeable \u00a0about the bigger cost items, and will likely have estimates beforehand as well.<\/p>\n<p>I saw one of CarMD&#8217;s videos where a guy took his CarMD device with him to buy a used car. \u00a0He used the CarMD on the car to see if the car gave him a green, yellow, or red light. \u00a0Clever. Of course, to get a full report, he&#8217;d have to register the VIN # in his online CarMD account, but just using the CarMD alone gives you a good idea of any car&#8217;s health and it does not reflect on your car limits&#8230;until you plug it into your PC or Mac.<\/p>\n<p>About to take a long road trip? \u00a0Is your son or daughter driving off to college? \u00a0Give the car a test with CarMD to give you more confidence in the journey. \u00a0The CarMD is a great tool and one I plan to use regularly to better care for my car and give me a sense of empowerment when it&#8217;s time to take my car in for repairs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want More?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a 3 minute video I found that gives a good overview of CarMD:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MyzAX_eoniM?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What drives you crazy when you have to take a car in for repairs?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>* \u00a0I was given a CarMD to check out for myself. \u00a0All opinions in this post are based on my own findings.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CarMD allows consumers to check the status of their cars and identify potential issues BEFORE taking their car into a mechanic.  It gives knowledge and power to the consumer to know how accurate the mechanic&#8217;s issue report is.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[793,747,6,8,10,14],"tags":[1329,1328],"class_list":["post-8442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessories","category-cars-2","category-dads","category-gadgets","category-how-to","category-moms","tag-car-diagnostics","tag-carmd","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/p-content\/themes\/atahualpa342\/images\/articles\/2012\/10\/CarMD-1-WCM.jpg?fit=347%2C540&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellconnectedmom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}