DIY Car Repairs
Perform Your Own Easy Car
Repairs and Save Car Repair Costs
Introduction:
Although there are some car
repairs you should leave to the experts there are
others that you can do yourself and save a lot of
money. These repairs are very simple, safe and
inexpensive DIY projects.
These are basic car repairs that you don’t
need an expert to perform or a complex car repair
manual. You can do them at home in your garage or
backyard.
You can save yourself some
serious money if you make these easy car repairs on
your own. As long as can read and follow
instructions from a repair manual or the owner’s
manual for your car you should be able to learn how
to do minor maintenance and repairs.
Some tasks of fixing a car are
simple and very basic which means you do not have
to know a tremendous amount about cars or be an
automotive engineer to do them. If you do run into
a problem while performing these repairs you can
always visit your local mechanic for the help you
need to make sure that the job gets done right.
It is a disappointing
experience to come out to your car to discover that
your battery is dead. There are a variety of
reasons why a battery fails to work properly. These
can include a faulty charging system, an old tired
battery that needs charging or corroded terminals.
It should only cost you about
$75 to replace your own battery, depending on the
type of car and battery. You should always wear eye
protection when you change the battery and follow
the directions in the manuals.
To have an
expert to change your battery will cost
approximately $150.
Oil changes are often
necessary to insure that the lubricating system has
clean oil.
You can find out the type of oil your car
uses from the owner’s manual as well as the
quantity and how often it needs to be changed. It
is recommended that you also replace the oil filter
at the same time you change the oil. To do these
repairs all you need is a couple of common
household tools, a filter wrench and container for
the used oil. Changing your own oil and filter will
cost about $20 but at a repair shop it will cost
approximately $45.
Windshield wipers replacements
are very easy and only take a few minutes to
change. In order to keep your wipers in good shape
it is recommended that you change your wipers on an
annual basis. For most cars you only need to
replace the rubber blade as opposed to the entire
windshield wiper assembly. Changing the blades
yourself will cost approximately $35 for
replacement blades. If you taking it to a car
repair shop to replace the windshield wiper blades
the cost will be close to $80.
Changing a headlight bulb or
tail is very easy. In most instances you will not
need any special tools at all to do this simple
task and it should take only a few minutes. If your
motor vehicle has halogen headlights behind the
lens then it will be easier than if your car has
sealed beam head lights.
The owner’s
manual will give you information on changing
headlights. Most manuals will also feature a
diagram to make the process as uncomplicated as
possible. Depending on the car, changing a
headlight or taillight bulb will cost less than $10
but a repair shop or gas station mechanic will
charge close to $25 to complete the task.
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