RepairPal estimates car repair costs in your city

From anywhere in the U.S. you can compare car repair prices on RepairPal.com. If you have a basic idea on the work that needs to be done on your car you can use RepairPal to estimate the cost. This helps you be better prepared when you walk into an auto shop.

When my daughter and I traveled through Minnesota on our Alaska road trip our car broke down. We were towed into Fargo, N.D. and it nearly derailed our trip. So much for our budget travel experience! It would have been nice to have had an advance idea on the cost of the bill.

It’s easy to use RepairPal.com. Let’s say you need car repair in Houston, Texas. Just go to the website and the city into the search box. Then input the type of vehicle that you drive such as the Acura TL.

Select the job that you need to have done. Estimated costs for an oil change are easy to look up. Or (if you're in the spot I was in) and needed caliper replacement, you can get a price on a brake job. Just select the appropriate options on the menu. In just a few seconds you’ll get your cost estimate. You’ll also get a list of shops in the area that you may want to choose from.

Finding a place might have helped us in Fargo. Having an AAA membership helped us find a shop but not everyone has that protection when they travel.

I've used RepairPal to look up prices and it's been pretty accurate. The site gives you a range and for the most part, my estimates have been in the middle of the range. That's pretty helpful when it comes to budgeting the cost.