According to AAA, about 1 in 3 motorists can’t afford to pay their automative repair bills.
If you’ve recently had something break on your car that you know you need fixed but don’t have the money to pay for the repairs, you can always do some of these repairs yourself.
Are you trying to be frugal and save some cash? Read this article to learn more about DIY car repair and things you can repair on your own.
1. Change Your Brake Pads
Most people think that changing your brake pads is only something that you should let the professionals handle.
But it’s actually really simple and won’t cost you much to do on your own. If you take it into the shop, they could charge you hundreds of dollars to replace and fix. They actually profit off of you thinking that you can’t do it yourself.
To do this, all you’ll need is some basic wrenches, pliers, a jack, and a wheel lug wrench.
Make sure the car is securely jacked before you get under it. If you’re still worried, make sure you have someone there to help you if something goes wrong.
You’ll also need some new brake pads. They only cost about $20 to $40, depending on what material they’re made of and what car you have.
The procedure is actually pretty easy too. All you have to do is take off the wheel, remove the hardware, take out the worn brake pads, push in the caliper piston, and then install the new pads. After that, just put all the wheels back on and you’ll be good to go.
2. Replace Windshield Wipers
This is another repair that dealerships will try and charge you a lot of money to use.
However, it’s one of the easiest things to replace. Go to your local department store and find some wipers that fit the make and model of your car.
There are all kinds of different ones to choose from, but you might want to choose a higher-quality one that will last longer.
Normally the wiper blades come with instructions on how to install it. Make sure that you hold the wiper arm when you remove and install the new one. If it hits the windshield, it could crack it.
3. Replace Headlights
Replacing your headlights also doesn’t have to be too difficult.
The hardest part of this might just be choosing a new bulb. There are so many choices and different styles, so make sure you do your research beforehand.
At the end of the day, you want to choose one depending on the brightness level, the light color, life span, and energy consumption.
4. Change Your Air Filter
Changing your air filter is also really easy to do on your own and save you a bunch of money.
The cost a filter normally is only about $15 – $20, versus the $150 a dealership could potentially charge you. This cost will all depend on the make of your car.
However, all you have to do is open up the hood of your car, turn a few screws, open the place that houses the air filter, and swap them out. Once you’re done, just replace the screws. Yes, it’s really that easy.
5. Fix Dangling Exhaust Pipe
If you’ve heard something dragging behind your car, you might have a dangling exhaust pipe.
Most cars have rubber loops to hold them up, but if those are damaged, you’ll have to replace them. Thankfully they’re cheap and easy to do.
6. Change Fuel Filters
Another filter you’ll have to change is the fuel filter.
Normally these cost about $15, but it can cost you hundreds of damage if it isn’t changed regularly.
Before you replace this, make sure you release the fuel system pressure before you replace it.
7. Refurnish Wheels and Wheel Covers
A middle-aged car can still look okay, but sometimes the wheels and the wheel covers will have issues with it.
Thankfully you can fix this yourself. To remove the rust and then repaint the wheels may take a day, but it’s an easy way to spend a weekend. A lot of this isn’t all labor; you just have to wait for the paint to dry.
The wheels have to dry for over 24 hours after painting them before you can put them back onto the car. If you plan on needing your car that day, you should make sure you have some backup transportation.
The supplies to fix this can cost you, on average, about $50.
8. Fix a Blown Fuse
If replacing your headlights didn’t work, you may have accidentally blown a fuse.
You can check the car’s fuse box to see if it needs to be replaced.
There are three different types of car fuses: blade, ceramic, and a glass tube.
If you aren’t sure where the fuse box is in your car or which one you need to replace it with, check your car repair manuals.
9. Replace a Car Battery
Your car won’t be able to run without your battery, but your dealership can also charge you a lot of money in order to replace it.
Replacing a battery can be dangerous on your own, but it is possible. Just make sure you wear approved gloves and cover and protect your eyes. The acid from the battery can be really dangerous.
10. Replace a Tire
Over time, tires will lose their tread, and you’ll need to replace them.
Replacing your tires may be one of the more common procedures. All you need are some spare tires, a jack, and some tire changing tools.
You should always have a professional check and balance them later.
Discover more DIY Car Repair
These are only a few of the DIY car repairs you could do for relatively cheap.
There are many more, depending on your skill level and how much you know about cars. If you don’t know too much, you could always try asking a family member or friend to help you as well.
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