Brian Cooley is CNET's Editor at large and has been with the brand since 1995. He currently focuses on electrification of vehicles but also follows the big trends in smart home, digital healthcare, 5G ...

It's a tale as old as time. An unsuspecting person takes their car to the local auto mechanic for a routine check-up or repair, only to be told it needs a series of unexpected and expensive repairs.

Owning a car has plenty of benefits but also carries significant responsibilities. Keeping a car in good shape requires allocating funds toward routine car maintenance, as well as unexpected repairs.