Break Out the Tools: Save Money by Maintaining Your Car from Home

We all know that the price tag isn’t the only cost associated with owning a vehicle. Cars require regular maintenance to continue running at their peak performance and to avoid costly repairs in the future. Still, there are minor repairs and replacements that inevitably will need to be done, and these simple repairs can be surprisingly expensive at your local dealership or mechanic shop. This article will look at some of the simple car repairs that can be done at home to save hundreds of dollars- even if you don’t have much mechanical knowledge!

Before we jump in, remember that all cars are different, and you should consult a professional before diving into any projects yourself. Always be sure you know exactly what to do and are sure to have the exact parts you need. Consult your car’s manual, look online or ask a professional for the correct parts you need for your particular make, model, year, etc. With that being said, most people with a few common tools, the right knowledge and a little determination will be surprised at how much work they are able to complete on their car at home.

Please note that this article is not meant to be used as a guide to perform any repairs on your own. This article is simply meant to provide information on the various repairs that can be done on cars at home with the correct knowledge, parts and tools.

The Easy Ones

The first, and one of the more obvious, item on the list to stretch your dollar is to perform oil changes at home. Although driving to an instant- change oil shop may be fast and convenient, you’ll often pay premiums for bigger or nicer cars. Some places may offer lower prices, but with low- quality oil mixes or other hidden fees or purchase requirements. For about the same price as your typical oil change at a shop, which may not be using the best oil filters and oil mixes, you can buy a high- quality oil filter and enough full- synthetic oil to properly change the oil in your car. Using high- quality oil mixes and filters keep your engine running smoothly for longer, and regular changes help to prevent harmful buildup and unnecessary wear-and-tear in your engine.

After making sure to buy the right oil and filter for your car, it’s a fairly simple matter of getting under your car, draining the old oil, replacing the filter and adding the new oil. If you do decide to change your own oil, always make sure to research the exact procedure to follow for your particular vehicle, and responsibly recycle your used oil! Many oil shops will allow you to drop off used oil for free or fairly cheaply, and they will recycle the oil in an environmentally friendly manner for you.

There are a couple other extremely easy vehicle fixes that can be done in minutes at home that people often overpay for. People often will pay more than they need to for windshield wipers and air filters, and then pay additional service fees to have them installed when they really can be done in minutes. A good set of windshield wipers will cost about $20 or less and will keep your windshield clear for up to six months. After checking for the correct style and blade length for your car, you’ll find instructions with the wiper blades on how to secure them to your car properly. Most cars use one of a handful of universal clipping methods, and your wipers should come with a variety of interchangeable clips in the package. From there it’s a simple matter of finding out which clipping method your car uses, attaching the proper clip to the wiper blade, then clipping the wiper blade to the wiper arm.

When you realize how painfully simple changing your air filter is, you’ll probably wonder why you been paid to have it done all those times before while your oil was getting changed. Except for some foreign imports that use a couple bolts, most cars house their air filter on the top or front- side of the engine under a plastic cover that’s simply clipped in place. After purchasing a new air filter according to your vehicle’s specifications, usually no more than about $15, simply uncover the air filter, pull out the old one, put the new one in place and re-cover it. It can really be done by just about anyone in less than five minutes and can save you a hefty fee for an hour of service that a dealership might charge you.

Shining a Light on Electrical Repairs

Another easy fix that often needs to be taken care of quickly for the sake of our safety, and the law, are the various lights in and around your car. Please note, you should always use gloves when changing any lights on your car. The oils on your skin can permanently damage the bulbs and decrease their lifetime, among other problems.

The easiest fixes are your interior lights. After figuring out which type of bulb you need, most interior light covers are easily popped off with a flathead screwdriver. Simply pull out and properly recycle the old bulb and replace it with a new one. Then replace the cover, and you’re done! These bulbs are hardly ever more than $5 and should last you a long time.

Your license plate lights, blinkers and rear taillights will require a little more work but are still very manageable. Most cars will require removal of a couple screws before the cover can be removed. After that, it’s again as simple as pulling the old bulb out and, with a gloved hand, replacing it with a new bulb and screwing the cover back in place. Headlights are more involved, as the entire housing may need to be unscrewed and pulled out from the front of the car. From there you could carefully replace the bulb, then secure the housing back in place. Most non- headlight bulbs will only cost you a couple dollars and only take a few minutes to replace.

Sometimes, you don’t even need a new bulb. Over time, your lights may start to get cloudy and this can greatly reduce the effectiveness of even the best bulbs. There are a variety of affordable products that allow you to clean and defog your lights and save you the cost of completely replacing everything, as well as improve your visibility at night or in poor weather. These products usually cost $20 or less and will last for multiple cleanings, saving you the cost of a new light housing.

Batteries are another deceptively simple fix for most car owners. With some models being exceptions, most cars house the battery in the front or side of the engine compartment. After purchasing a new battery according to your car’s manual, you’ll often find that changing the battery is as simple as unscrewing and removing a cap or cover from around the battery, disconnecting and removing the old battery, reconnecting the new battery and securing it back in place. Note that although the process itself is fairly simple, you should always take care when handling your car’s battery. It’s recommended to use battery lubricant when reconnecting your new battery to help maintain a clean, strong connection. Regular checks, and cleaning if required, of your battery’s connections can help prolong the life of your battery. After you replace your battery, make sure to take your old battery back to the shop- you can often get money back as your old core can be recycled!

When your battery is working fine but some of the electrical components of your car still aren’t working, it may be time to replace some blown fuses. Your vehicle’s manual will tell you where the fuses are located for the various different electric components in your car. Once you find the blown fuse and purchase the correct replacement, simply pop the old one out and pop the new one in. Another simple fix that can be done in minutes at home with the right know- how.

More Skill, More Savings

There are a couple more fixes that require a little more skill and knowledge, but can still be done fairly easily from home, and can save you hundreds if you do it yourself. The first of these is changing your serpentine belt. Most cars use a single serpentine belt that winds through a variety of pulleys. Although it may be intimidating to look at, the process of changing the belt is fairly simple. After carefully studying the belt placement, a ratchet is normally all it takes to loosen the tension on the belt, so it can be pulled out safely. From there, replace the old belt with the new belt according to your vehicle’s manual and re-apply tension to the belt. The biggest concern here is making sure the belt is replaced exactly the way it was, or certain components in your car may not work properly. Besides that, this is a fairly simple and quick fix that can save you big on service fees if you were to have your mechanic replace it.

One last repair that can be done from home to save hundreds of dollars is changing your brake pads. When you start hearing squeaking sounds when you apply the brakes, your brake pads may be worn down. Depending on your vehicle, new brake pads usually can cost well under $100 for a full set. You’ll have to remove your wheels, loosen and move the calipers, then remove your old brake pads before replacing them with new ones. This requires a little more mechanical know- how and skill but can still be done with simple tools at home in less than an hour on most vehicles. This is a great deal, considering some brake shops will charge you upwards of $150- $200 to change your brake pads.

Conclusion

Although this certainly isn’t an extensive list of all the repairs that can be done to a car from home, it shows how many of the repairs and services you spend valuable time and money on at mechanic shops can be done right in your driveway. When you consider that most of these fixes can be done in thirty minutes or less, and the parts required usually aren’t more than about $20 or so, you can easily save hundreds every year on your car’s maintenance bill.

Holbrook Auto Parts takes pride in providing the Detroit community with affordable new and tested used auto parts. Stop by one of their multiple locations serving the Detroit area and save big on the parts you need to maintain your car and keep it running smoothly for longer.

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