More Miles for Less Cash: DIY Car Repairs You Can Tackle

Taking your car to the local auto repair center when something needs fixing might be convenient but it is going to cost you way more money compared to getting under the hood yourself.

There are some repairs that need a qualified mechanic to handle but there are plenty of DIY auto repairs that you should be able to do, which will help save money and keep your car on the road for longer.

Here is a look at some of the maintenance tasks and repairs you can do yourself and which tasks to focus on if you want to keep your car running and performing at its best.

Maintenance Essentials

If you don’t think about maintenance for your vehicle until something goes wrong you are probably spending more on your running costs than needed, plus you run the risk of breaking down at some point.

Your engine is the most obviously important component that needs looking after and one of the best ways to keep it running smoothly and performing as efficiently as possible you need to change the oil regularly.

If you look at changing your oil every six months or so based on your average mileage you will be giving your engine the best chance of suffering minimal wear and tear. Mechanics regularly point to a lack of oil changes as the culprit for worn engine parts, and we all know which one of the two is cheaper to replace.

It is very easy to change the oil yourself and not very expensive to do either.

Keep the fluids topped up

At the same time that you are checking and changing your oil, it would be a good idea to get into the habit of checking all the other fluids that your car uses.

Low levels of transmission fluid and brake fluid can mean that your car will not be able to perform as well as it could do and it might even lead to a breakdown or failure if these fluids drop to a lower than acceptable level.

Also, check the coolant level and remember to flush out the transmission fluid every 50,000 miles for peak performance.

Keep your brakes in good working order

There are bound to be a few tools and accessories that you will need to use when you are doing some of your own repairs and maintenance, and some of those items might be found here.

Once you have a basic toolkit to work with one of the jobs you can tackle is to check the condition of your brakes and decide what maintenance needs to be performed on them.

Check the brakes at least once a year but sooner if you hear any nasty grinding noise coming every time you brake or the car shakes or vibrates when you try to slow down.

Changing your own brake pads is not that difficult if you follow a step-by-step guide for your model of car, which should be easy to find on the internet. The cost of a new set of pads and your time fitting them will compare very favorably to the bill your local garage will give you for doing the job, so it makes sense to add that job to your list of DIY auto tasks.

There are also plenty of other jobs you can do yourself rather than spending money at your local auto center, plus you get to prolong the life of your car when you maintain it regularly.