Car repair and maintenance is one of the monthly expenses that many of us forget to include in our budgets. Our cars need regular maintenance, which most of us are more than willing to pay for. However, some of us may feel reluctant to spend our monthly wage on servicing our cars, and this is fine as there are some auto repairs and maintenance jobs that you can do yourself at home. You can simply buy the parts online, grab some tools and with a little basic knowledge, many of your car repairs can be completed without the help of a mechanic.
Here are some of our easy car repairs that you can handle at home:
1. OIL CHANGE
According to experts, you should change your oil every 3,000 miles, but it’s likely that you can get away with changing it every 5,000. Buy yourself a good quality oil filter and the best oil that you can afford. Make sure that you’re comfortable safely handling a jack and remember, never change your oil when your engine is hot.
2. REPLACING HEADLIGHTS
Good car owners will regularly walk around their vehicle, mainly to ensure that all their lights are working as they should. It’s important to do this for many reasons, as not only are your lights essential for clear vision but you could also incur a traffic ticket if they aren’t working. When changing your headlights, ensure that you purchase the right bulb for your car. When it comes to changing it out, never touch the bulb glass with your bare hands.
3. WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Don’t throw your money away by paying for someone to replace your windshield wipers as it takes minutes to replace the wipers on your vehicle. You’ll more than likely need new windshield wipers after approximately six months to a year. If you get distracted when fitting your new wipers or can’t remember how to fit them, just look at the packaging of the new wipers as there should be a general set of instructions.
4. CHANGE THE BATTERY
A good battery connection is a key to ensuring that your car runs as smoothly as possible and is one repair that many believe is by far the easiest repair of all. All you need to change your battery is a set of wrenches and a simple visual check of the condition of your battery will tell you when you need to change it.
5. SPARK PLUGS
With spark plugs, it’s wise to check them on your vehicle every 30,000-40,000 miles. When the time comes to change your spark plugs, don’t rush as you need to install the replacements in a specific order. And remember, if you buy the right plugs, you won’t have to worry about any gapping the plugs as they’ll come pre-gapped.
6. RADIATOR FLUSH
In order for your car to work efficiently and effectively, your car’s radiator and cooling system need to be clean. You should perform regular flushes on your car as radiators can build deposits, which can clog up the cooling system. Again, check that your engine is cool before removing the radiator cap.
7. CHANGE YOUR BRAKE PADS
All you need is a jack and a set of jack stands, as well a wheel lug wrench and some pliers. The procedure is very basic and it shouldn’t take you too long to complete all four wheels in under an hour, even if you have never done this before. Safety is a top priority, so make sure that you check if your brake pads need replacing around every 20,000 miles.
8. AIR FILTER
A clogged air filter can lower your car’s performance and it’s recommended that you need a new air filter for your car either every 12 months or 12,000 miles. If you were to replace your air filter at home it would approximately take you about 10 minutes. It’s quite simple in most cases, just open the bonnet, turn a few screws, open the air filter housing, swap out the old for the news, and replace the screws. You could save yourself a ton of money.
These tips are all perfect for when you’ve just bought a new car that you’d like to repair a little. You can do the easy repairs that could cost you a lot of money. These are the types of repairs that are easier and could really save you a lot of money. They’re even great little tips for if you’re thinking of selling your car! It might be worth repairing your car before selling it to try and increase the value.
