You likely take your vehicle to a mechanic every year or so for a service to keep it running well, consuming less gas, emitting less pollution, holding its value, and cutting costs long-term on expensive repairs.
While this is an excellent habit to get into, keep in mind that you can still do plenty of car maintenance yourself to help your vehicle stay in prime condition. Read on for some of the top jobs worth working out how to do for yourself so you don’t always have to hire a mechanic for even the little tasks.
Change the Oil
If you don’t mind getting a little dirty, one of the jobs you could learn to do yourself is changing the oil in your vehicle. Depending on the make and model of your car (check the owner’s manual created by the manufacturer for further information), you may need to do this job between every 3,000 to 7,000 miles. Older models generally need oil changes sooner than the new ones, which are designed to work better in this area.
Since oil is crucial to any combustion engine, vehicles must have good oil in them at all times. Many people don’t realize that even the best synthetic oil breaks down over time and becomes dirty and sludgy. When this occurs, parts can be damaged in your car. This means that even though you may have plenty of oil in there, it’s not doing its job properly as time proceeds.
Change the oil at the recommended intervals to avoid this situation. The cost will usually be between $30 and $50, depending on the type of oil you need. To get the job done, you should only require a basic ratchet set, a container to catch and store the old oil for disposal, and a set of car ramps or some jack stands to lift your car for the job, so you have room to work.
Replace Windscreen Wiper Blades
Another simple job to get done is replacing the windscreen wiper blades. This usually needs doing every six to 12 months, depending on how often you get rain where you live or need to clean your windshield with the wipers when driving. If you notice that your current wiper blades aren’t clearing moisture as well as they used to, even if you haven’t hit the six-month mark yet, it may be time to replace them.
The rubber blades used on the wipers dry out from sun exposure or become worn, resulting in smeared water or dust and debris across your windscreen, making it hard to see out effectively. As such, don’t leave this job too long, or you might affect your driving safety.
You can usually do this job for between $10 to $30 per blade, so it’s one of the most affordable tasks to pop on your to-do list. Most blades snap into place with a plastic clip in a minute or two, so you don’t require tools to do this repair, either.
Diagnose Fuse Issues
You might also like to learn how to check and change car fuses after diagnosing issues with them. It’s not as difficult as it might sound. You should notice that things are carefully labeled in the fuse box cover so you know what is for what, and many are color-coded, too. Locating the fuse box may be trickier, though. The owner’s manual that came with your car may contain this information, or you can search online for details about where to find it in your vehicle’s make, model, and year number. The fuse boxes are often located in a panel in the trunk, on the side of the dash or under it, under the hood, or under the rear seat.
There may be spare fuses in the fuse box you can utilize, or you may need to purchase new ones. You’ll need to potentially purchase a few mechanics’ tools to do this job, although it is quite a quick one. In addition to a standard screwdriver and flashlight (for visibility), you may need a fuse puller, some needle-nose pliers, and a voltmeter, multimeter, or automotive light.
Fuses correspond to various parts of your car, such as the lights, radio, and horn, and can blow when the electrical current becomes too strong. If you replace a fuse and find that it blows straight away, you might also have circuitry problems.
Other tasks you may like to put on your learning list regarding vehicle maintenance are swapping out filters, such as the engine and cabin air filters, cleaning headlights, testing and replacing coolant, and putting in new bulbs in the headlights or elsewhere. Plus, you might learn to change and align the car’s tires, put in a new battery, and replace the antenna when it’s time.
Get handy at these skills, and you’ll save yourself considerable money over the long term.