Do you wish you could fix your car yourself? Sometimes car repairs can seem difficult, but there are many great rewards. You could also save a lot of money by fixing your car yourself and performing preventative maintenance. Read on to learn how to do basic car repairs in your own driveway.
Check out your mechanic to see if he is A.S.E. certified before allowing him to do any work on your vehicle. This kind of certification tells you that whoever will be working on your car has a couple years of experience and has passed a test. This is one good way to separate the wheat from the chaff when picking a good mechanic.
Monitor your radiator. Run your engine for several minutes, and then turn it off and pop your hood. Do not open the radiator if the car is running. Use a dipstick to check the fluid level in your radiator and mix some coolant with water if you need to add more fluid.
You don’t need to call someone to repair your car each time you’re experiencing trouble. There are a few things that you can fix easily yourself. If you feel confident, you can get on the Internet and research to discover the problem. If it is not a very difficult job, you can save some money by doing the repairs yourself.
Be careful of mechanics that do unnecessary repairs to the car. Good mechanics will tell you about worn down pieces without replacing them automatically. If a mechanic tries to charge you for unneeded repairs, find another mechanic.
Make sure you know what is in your auto manual, and mark certain pages for reference. During auto repair visits, your mechanic will probably need to gather some information from you, about your vehicle. You may even find, when you read the manual, that what you think is an issue is easily fixed.
Make sure you have both a spare tire and a jack in your trunk. Many cars will come with these straight off of the dealership’s floor. Being stuck with a flat tire is not something anyone hopes for. Paying for someone to help is expensive. You can save money and have an easier time doing it on your own.
Think about finding a mechanic who does repairs in his or her own garage. As long as he knows what he is doing, he can charge less for the same work. This could easily save you hundreds of dollars and help someone out by giving your business to them instead of a big shop.
Ask for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts. OEM parts means that part was produced by the manufacturer specifically for your make and model of vehicle. It’s cheaper to get the generic parts, but the quality may not be the same. Getting a good deal on generic parts means you might have to purchase the same parts again and pay a mechanic to change them within the next few years.
Do not forget that fixing your car yourself comes with some dangers. Be sure someone is watching you repair the vehicle just in case something bad happens. Buy good quality tools that will not break easily. You definitely don’t want to skimp when it comes to the items you use for tire changing. Also, buy a strong jack in case you need to prop your car up in an emergency. That’s why sometimes it’s best to get a hydraulic jack that comes with jack stands that are approved.
Educate yourself on the basics of car repairs and warranties before going to the mechanic. Know the difference between rebuilt and reconditioned, new, and salvage parts. New parts are exactly as they sound. They are brand new and created to the specifications of the manufacturer. “Re-manufactered, rebuilt and reconditioned” are parts that are restored to a good working condition. Salvage parts are used.
Are your headlights clean? The roads you drive on sometimes contain greasy residues, which can get on your lights. Therefore, this will reduce the brightness of your lights. Wash them with glass cleaner and you should be able to see better.
Check into the technician to learn if he has the certifications that are necessary. Particularly, make sure they are approved by the NIAE and other licensing boards. This will tell you if they are properly trained and will provide you with quality service.
Believe it or not, there are a few shady auto repair businesses that will take your newer tires and switch them with older tires. They do this to make money off of those who do not know enough to check. Mark your tires with chalk. If you find the chalk is missing later on, question the shop about what happened.
Invest in a spare tire and a jack, and keep them in your vehicle. Many new cars have these. You would hate to be stuck out in the road and be forced to spend money on a tow. It is a whole lot easier and cheaper if you do it yourself.
Do not allow an auto repair technician to convince you that getting your engine flushed is a normal maintenance process. It is quite expensive and usually only necessary for engines in very bad shape. There is a good chance they are just trying to “pad” your bill, unless your engine is in real trouble.
Read your owner’s manual when you get a new car. It is important to thoroughly read over this manual so that you can learn all you need about your vehicle. This will allow you to maintain and perform minor repairs on your vehicle.
Put together a small tool kit for your car and keep it in your trunk. Your car came with equipment needed for changing a tire. Be sure to purchase a lug wrench and a car jack if you haven’t got one. You should also have good quality Phillips head and flat head screwdrivers, socket wrenches and a ratchet set, a torque wrench and an adjustable wrench. Never buy cheap tools. Invest in quality tools that will not break as you perform repairs on your vehicle.
Don’t be scared of repairing your vehicle yourself. While the parts of your car may look confusing, you can start getting to know them better so that you can make the repairs. Look back at this article and it’s tips for future reference. Quality auto repair can be possible if you use them to your advantage.