The simplest car repairs can be costly. Oftentimes a car owner will pay more in hourly service fees than the actual parts. There may also be costly diagnostic fees to determine what is actually wrong with the car.
Another downside to taking your car to a repair shop is having to waste time waiting for the mechanic to get to your car. A bigger inconvenience is being asked to leave your car at the repair shop and finding alternative transportation.
Many people would be surprised to learn that basic car repairs can be done in the convenience of their driveway or garage. Another fact, most DIY car repairs can be done in less than an hour.
If you’re tired of being overcharged for minor car repairs, continue reading for five easy repair projects.
1. Replace Your Brake Pads
Replacing your brake pads is a common do-it-yourself car repair. Maintaining your brakes is essential to the safety of your vehicle. Changing the pads regularly can prolong the life of the brake system.
Find everything you need in one quick trip to the auto supply store.
2. Rotate Your Tires
Like your brakes, preventive maintenance can extend the life of your tires. Tires are not meant to last forever. Whether you drive your car often or not, tires should be rotated every six months or 7,500 miles.
You also should plan to replace your tires every six years, regardless of their condition.
Tires that have not been properly rotated can be hazardous to drive. You may experience a blow-out, loss of tire pressure, or risk hydroplaning when driving on wet surfaces.
3. Change Your Oil for DIY Car Repair
Your vehicle’s oil should be changed between each 3,000 – 5,000 miles depending on how much you drive your vehicle.
Oil changes are relatively simple. Be sure your car has had a chance to cool off before changing the oil. Each time you change your oil, also change the oil filter.
Always follow proper environmental disposal protocol for your area.
4. Replace Worn Windshield Wipers
Have you ever been caught in a rainstorm and realized your wipers are falling apart? It can be quite frightening.
Windshield wiper replacement takes about five minutes. On most vehicles, you slide out the old worn blade and slip in a new one.
Check your wiper blades regularly as part of your DIY car maintenance. Also, keep a spare pack in your trunk just in case.
5. Change-out Dirty Filters and Cap-off Fluids
Dirty filters and low fluids can lead to major damage to your engine, transmission and heating and cooling systems.
Most filters are easy to access and don’t take much to replace. It is the same with fluids.
For DIY car maintenance, check your owner’s manual for replacement schedules and notate when you replace filters and cap-off fluids.
Are You Ready To Save Money on Auto Repairs?
We hope these simple DIY car repair tips have been useful. You don’t need to break the bank repairing your car.
Visit our DIY Auto Repair Blog for more information on do it yourself car repair.