Replying to Fixing your car? Look here first.

Saw in a cult that a well known member got hosed to the tune of $1200+ to have his truck's fuel pump swapped out and almost shot kittens out my ass.  To avoid having to sell your soul to get your car back someday, I offer these simple tips to saving yourself some real dough. 

1).  First, always get an estimate before they do the work. 

2).  Be sure to look at how much they're charging for parts.  If they have something crazy like $450 (about what they charged him) listed for a fuel pump, start googling.  I found a QUALITY replacement for his for ~$120 in two minutes.  DO NOT JUST TAKE WHATEVER THEY GIVE YOU.  How many of you would pay retail for bindings?  Probably not many.  Car parts are the same deal, and you're probably getting ripped by the middleman if you're not paying attention or looking for deals.  If they're only charging you a small percentage premium for ordering parts, it might be easier to just go with what they get you but always check.   

3).  DO NOT be afraid to order and supply the parts yourself, I do it for every major repair I need a shop for.  It's very easy to get the right part at a low price and if the shop's not willing to use supplied parts, you DO NOT want them working on it anyways unless they're a high end motorsports shop and that's why.  I probably wouldn't get the cheapest replacement, but even the most expensive is still a relative bargain.  I mean putting $300 in your pocket for ordering a part yourself seems like a great payout, amiright?     

In short, if they're charging you a ton of money for parts, supply them yourself and just pay for labor.  When your car is down for the count it can seem hopeless and it's not uncommon to feel painted into a corner but you do have options and you can save yourself money by asking questions and doing some digging if you have the time.  I hope this helps someone down the line as money certainly isn't growing on trees and we could all use a little more left over.