Autos - How to Do Car Maintenance & Car Repairs

How to Do Car Maintenance & Car Repairs

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Car maintenance

 

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A car is usually the second most expensive purchase someone makes, besides a house. So doing regular car maintenance and repairs is a good way to make this investment last as long as possible and to keep repair costs down. The average car owner can sometimes easily do maintenance and repairs, but there are some procedures that, if you are not comfortable with them, should be left to the pros.

 

 

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Owner's manual

1. Read your owner's manual. Your owner's manual should tell you the specifics of how often and with what type you should replace or refill basic fluids and how often to do other regular scheduled maintenance. This will include oil changes, antifreeze changes and to what level things like things like brake fluid should be. At the very least you need to know how often maintenance should be done.
   
   
2. If you want to know how to do a certain type of maintenance or a certain kind of repair, you can buy a Haynes or Chilton manual for your specific car type, which will show with some level of illustration how to do basic automotive work. These manuals are not written to the absolute beginner, though, so you may or may not find them completely helpful. They will, at the very least, give you a better idea of what to look for and a better understanding of what you are looking at on the car. The maintanence most people can do themselves include oil changes, replacing the air filter, replacing spark plugs and filling low fluid levels and tires to correct air pressure.
   
   
3. Know your limitations and be safe. Working on a car or other automobile can be very dangerous. For starters they are very heavy, and if you don't know what you're doing you shouldn't be jacking them up or driving on ramps. Do the work with the car on flat stable ground, with blocks on the tires keeping the car from moving. Also wait until the engine has been off for at least several hours to avoid getting burned. Wear gloves to keep your hands from being cut by auto parts. Be very careful where you stick your hands, especially in small places, so they don't get stuck. Most important, keep small children away from the work area. If you really don't understand or know what you are doing, you can really mess up your car, so if you're wary, get help.
   
   
4. Get the right tools. It may initially be expensive, but getting the right tools for the job will make it easier, save time and possibly keep you from installing something wrong or breaking it. Car parts are often under a lot of pressure, and not securing something properly can lead to it breaking or coming loose while driving. If you use the wrong wrench you may also easily strip the part and be unable to finish putting it on or taking it off. It can be very expensive to tow it to a mechanic to get it fixed. One item you should always have handy is a pair of safety goggles.
   
   
5. Take a class and learn. Community colleges sometimes offer courses in basic car maintenance. These classes will help you learn how to correctly do a lot of things that regularly need to be done on a car, from oil changes to changing brake pads.