No one likes taking their car to the shop. The risk of the bill skyrocketing always seems all too imminent and the lack of knowledge of how cars work can make you feel like you’re at the mercy of your mechanic. What most people don’t realize is that there are tons of routine service issues that are actually easy to fix on your own. Things like changing oil or changing a tire might come to mind, but that’s not all you could fix by yourself. You don’t need to know what a frame cross member is to diagnose a problem if you know a few basic repairs.
Change Spark Plugs
Spark plugs are an integral part of your motor because they’re what ignites the engine. When these aren’t working, your vehicle won’t run and you might be stranded in the driveway until someone can tow you to a mechanic. If you can diagnose the problem, though, you can save a costly trip to the auto shop. All you need to do is purchase new spark plugs and replace them yourself. You can locate the spark plugs in the cylinder of your engine. They’ll be attached to a wire, which you simply disconnect, remove the old plugs, install the new plugs, and reconnect the wire. That’s it! Your car should run like new if that was the problem.
Change the Battery
A dead battery is no fun in any setting, but can be especially frustrating when it’s your car battery. If the battery has gone out, you might think you need to pay someone to install a new one, but it’s actually a very simple task. The first step, as with spark plugs, is to purchase a new battery. An easy way to find a model that fits your car is to take a picture of the existing battery, which should have labels with information such as size and part number, and show that to the clerk at your local auto shop. They can pull a model that will be compatible with your car. Next, you just disconnect the clamps on the existing battery, take it out of the car, and install the new battery by replacing the clamps on it. In most instances, the newly installed battery should look the same as the one you just took out.
Cars are complicated, but there are plenty of easy repairs you can do yourself to save some money at the auto shop.
