The fastest way to save money on car repairs in Indianapolis is to cut the parts bill: recycled OEM parts cost 20% to 80% less than new (Automotive Recyclers Association). Add basic DIY swaps, multiple quotes, and steady maintenance, and The New Country Auto Parts on the south side can handle the parts half of that math.
Last updated: September 2026
Repair bills are outrunning paychecks. Motor vehicle maintenance and repair prices rose 6.6% in the year to July 2026 — nearly double the 3.4% rise in the overall Consumer Price Index, and that gap has held every single month for two straight years (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026). Meanwhile the average vehicle on American roads is now 12.8 years old (S&P Global Mobility, 2025), which means more of us are keeping older cars running longer whether we planned to or not.
Full disclosure before we start: we run a salvage yard. The New Country Auto Parts sells used parts at 3013 Stanley Ave on the south side of Indianapolis, so of course “buy used parts” is on this list. But we’re putting the numbers next to every tip so you can check the math yourself, and several of the tips below don’t send a dime our way. Fair enough? Here are seven ways to keep your repair costs down.
7 Ways to Save Money on Car Repairs
| Tip | Where the savings come from |
|---|---|
| 1. Buy used OEM parts | 20–80% off the new part price (ARA) |
| 2. Supply your own parts | Skip the shop's parts markup |
| 3. DIY the simple swaps | Skip the labor charge entirely |
| 4. Get two or three quotes | Labor rates vary shop to shop |
| 5. Keep up cheap maintenance | Routine upkeep beats a $4,000 engine |
| 6. Repair instead of replacing the car | A new car costs $11,577 a year to own (AAA) |
| 7. Sell the car that isn't worth fixing | Cash in hand instead of a losing repair |
1. Buy Used OEM Parts Instead of New
This is the biggest single lever, and it’s not close. Recycled OEM parts sell for 20% to 80% less than their new equivalents (Automotive Recyclers Association, 2026). A used part isn’t a knockoff — it’s the factory original, pulled from a donor vehicle, and on non-wear items like doors, engines, and alternators it does the same job as the part on the shelf at the dealership.
Here’s what that gap looks like at our counter on the south side:
| Part | Used (our yard) | New part |
|---|---|---|
| Alternator | $30 – $100 | $100 – $2,500 |
| Starter | $25 – $80 | $80 – $350 |
| Engine (complete) | $300 – $2,500 | $4,000 – $12,000 |
| Door assembly | $75 – $400 | $800 – $2,000+ |
| Headlight assembly | $30 – $250 | $400 – $1,200 |
The used ranges are our own counter figures from our used auto parts price guide, and so are the new engine and new starter numbers. The new-alternator range comes from TheCostGuys (2026); the new door and headlight figures come from our buying used auto parts guide. Not sure whether a given part is smart to buy used? Our used vs. new auto parts breakdown sorts parts into buy-used, buy-new, and it-depends — short version: buy major assemblies and body parts used, buy wear items like brake pads and belts new.
Two honest caveats. First, our parts carry a 30-day warranty unless sold as-is — defective parts get replaced, or you get store credit for what you paid if we no longer have one. The warranty covers the part itself, not tow or labor, and getting the vehicle to us is on you. Second, a used part’s history matters, so buy from a yard that drains, inspects, and organizes its inventory rather than a random online listing you can’t see. You can search our inventory online or call (317) 787-7555 and we’ll check while you’re on the phone.
Need a part this week? The New Country Auto Parts stocks hundreds of vehicles, all makes and models, with fresh inventory added daily. Part-pullers on staff do the work for you. Browse our used parts →
2. Supply Your Own Parts and Pay the Shop for Labor Only
Most repair shops mark up the parts they install. That markup is a real revenue line for them, and on an expensive component it can add hundreds of dollars to your invoice. If you source the part yourself — from a salvage yard, a parts store, or an online seller — the shop bills you for labor only.
A few things to know before you try it:
- Call the shop first. Some shops decline customer-supplied parts, and others charge a slightly higher labor rate on them because they’re not making the parts margin. That’s fair on their end. Even with the higher rate, you usually come out ahead on big-ticket parts.
- Most shops won’t warranty a part you supplied. They’ll stand behind their labor, not your part. On a used part with a yard warranty behind it, that split is workable — just know who covers what before the car goes on the lift.
- Get the exact fitment. Year, make, model, engine code, trim. A part that almost fits is a wasted trip and a restocking fee. Our guide to buying used auto parts walks through how to match a part correctly the first time.
The savings stack here is the whole game: a used $60 alternator plus an hour of labor at an independent shop is a completely different bill than a marked-up new unit installed at a dealership.
One budgeting note if you go the used route: certain parts — engines, transmissions, alternators, A/C compressors, and a handful of others — carry a core charge at the time of purchase. You get that money back when you return the old unit within 5 days, so hang onto your dead part and bring it in.
3. Do the Simple Swaps Yourself
You don’t need to be a mechanic to handle the easy stuff. Wiper blades, air filters, cabin filters, bulbs, batteries, side mirrors — these are 15-to-30-minute jobs with basic hand tools, and every one of them turns a labor charge into zero. YouTube has a walkthrough for your exact vehicle on almost any of them.
When the job calls for a used donor part, you have two ways to save at our yard. Our part-pullers will find and pull the part for you at no extra charge — that’s the full-service model, and it’s what makes us different from the self-service yards in town. Or pull it yourself and ask the front desk about the self-pull discount when you arrive. If you’ve never worked a salvage yard row before, read our step-by-step guide to pulling parts from a junkyard first: what to wear, what tools to bring, and how to get a part off a donor car without wrecking it.
Know your limit, though. Brakes done wrong or a botched timing job will cost more than the labor you skipped. Start with the bolt-on stuff and work up.
4. Get Two or Three Quotes Before Any Big Repair
Labor rates in the Indianapolis metro vary a lot from shop to shop — dealership service departments generally sit at the top, independent shops in the middle, and mobile mechanics often below that for smaller jobs. On a four-figure repair, a second phone call is the best hourly rate you’ll ever earn.
Make the quotes comparable:
- Get it in writing, itemized into parts and labor, before authorizing work.
- Ask what brand and condition of part each quote assumes — new OEM, aftermarket, remanufactured, or used. A cheap quote built on a part you don’t want isn’t cheap.
- Ask for your old part back. It keeps everyone honest, and on cores like alternators and A/C compressors that old part has trade-in value at the parts counter.
- Ask whether they’ll install a part you supply. Now tip #2 is on the table.
One more Indianapolis-specific note: if the quote includes a replacement part, price the used version before you sign. Our guide to how used auto parts are priced explains why the same part can cost wildly different amounts across town — and a two-minute call to (317) 787-7555 tells you exactly what the used option costs.
5. Don’t Skip the Cheap Maintenance
Deferred maintenance is how small bills become big ones, and it keeps getting more expensive to defer: maintenance and repair prices have outrun overall inflation every month for two straight years (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026). Routine upkeep is the boring, predictable spending that keeps you away from the catastrophic kind. An oil change is annoying; the seized engine at the end of years of skipped ones starts around $4,000 new, before anybody touches a wrench.
The short list that pays for itself:
- Oil changes on schedule. Nothing kills engines faster than skipping them. (If you ever buy a used engine or transmission from us, the warranty actually requires proof of an oil change every 3,000 miles or 3 months — that’s how much it matters.)
- Tire rotations and pressure checks. Even wear doubles the life of a set of tires.
- Fluids and filters. Coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid, air filter. Cheap to do, expensive to ignore.
- Listen early. A squeal, a grind, a new vibration — getting it looked at while it’s a $100 fix is the discount.
You can’t out-coupon a neglected car. This tip has nothing to do with salvage yards, and it’s still the one we’d put on a billboard.
6. Fix Your Current Car Instead of Replacing It
When the repair bill hits four figures, the temptation is to give up and go car shopping. Run the numbers first. Owning and operating a new vehicle now costs $11,577 a year — about $965 a month — once you count depreciation, insurance, financing, fuel, and maintenance (AAA, 2025).
“It might be tempting to rush to the dealer for a new car when you notice a drop in ownership costs this year,” says Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Mountain West Group. “However, consumers should factor in all the expenses involved before making any commitments” (AAA, 2025).
He’s right, and the arithmetic usually lands on repair. A $2,000 repair that buys your paid-off car two more years costs you about $83 a month. The new-car alternative costs more than ten times that. There’s a reason the average car on the road keeps getting older — drivers have done this math, and with used parts pulling the repair cost down further, it tilts even harder toward fixing what you own.
7. When the Car Isn’t Worth Fixing, Sell It — Don’t Sink Money Into It
The savings tip nobody puts in these lists: sometimes the cheapest repair is no repair. If the fix costs more than the car is worth, or it’s the third major failure this year, stop feeding it. Our guide on when to junk your car walks through that break-even decision honestly.
And a dead car is not worth zero. Cash Car Heroes, our buying arm, pays cash for junk cars in any condition with free towing across Central Indiana — or start from our sell your car page and get an offer fast. That cash becomes the down payment on whatever you drive next, instead of one more repair bill on something that was done anyway.
That’s the full loop, by the way. Cars that get sold to us become the donor vehicles on our lot — fluids drained, hazardous materials recycled, parts organized by make and model — and those parts are what save the next driver 20% to 80% on their repair. Indianapolis drivers have kept our end of it rated 4.8 stars across 320+ Google reviews, and we’d like to keep it that way.
Not sure if we have your part? Call (317) 787-7555 and we'll check the yard while you're on the phone — Monday–Friday 8–5, Saturday 9–2. Get in touch →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to fix a car in Indianapolis?
Buy the replacement part used from a salvage yard and either install it yourself or pay a shop for labor only. Recycled OEM parts cost 20% to 80% less than new (Automotive Recyclers Association, 2026), and on simple bolt-on jobs like alternators or mirrors, DIY installation drops the labor charge to zero.
How much cheaper are used auto parts than new ones?
Typically 20% to 80% off the new price, per the Automotive Recyclers Association. At The New Country Auto Parts, a used alternator runs $30-$100 against a new part price of $100-$2,500, and a used engine at $300-$2,500 compares to $4,000-$12,000 new. Savings are largest on major assemblies and body parts.
Will a mechanic install a part I bring in?
Many will, some won’t — always call first. Shops that accept customer-supplied parts may charge a slightly higher labor rate since they’re not earning the parts markup, and they’ll typically warranty only their labor, not your part. On big-ticket components, you usually still come out well ahead.
Are used auto parts reliable?
For non-wear parts, yes. A used OEM part was built by the same manufacturer to the same spec as the new one. Buy from a yard that inspects its parts and backs them — our parts carry a 30-day warranty unless sold as-is. Wear items like brake pads, rotors, and belts should always be bought new.
How much should I budget for car maintenance?
There is no single right number — it scales with the car’s age and mileage. Cover the routine items first: oil changes on schedule, air and cabin filters, tire rotations, and a set of tires spread across a few years. What wrecks a budget is the unplanned repair, and that is exactly where buying the part used instead of new turns a four-figure bill into a three-figure one.
When is a car not worth repairing?
When the repair costs more than the car’s market value, or when major failures are stacking up faster than you can pay for them. Compare the repair quote to the vehicle’s value and to the $11,577 annual cost of replacing it with a new car (AAA, 2025). If the car loses, sell it for cash instead.
The Bottom Line
Most of what you pay for a car repair is decided before the wrench turns: what part goes in, who supplies it, and which shop does the work. Get those three choices right — used OEM part, sourced smart, installed at a fair rate or in your own driveway — and you’re routinely cutting bills in half without cutting corners.
The New Country Auto Parts is at 3013 Stanley Ave on the south side of Indianapolis, near Madison and Troy. Hundreds of vehicles, all makes and models, part-pullers on staff, and a phone number that gets answered: (317) 787-7555. Plan your visit and see what your repair actually needs to cost.