Cars, as much as we love them, certainly aren’t cheap! The asking price alone will usually be one of the most expensive purchases we ever make in our lives, and that’s only the start of the cost of actually owning the thing and keeping it on the road! Maintenance is one of the big costs we all have to cover in one way or another as motorists. If you’re trying to find ways to save a little more on the cost of repairs, here are a few DIY maintenance jobs that will save you a fortune!
Changing Oil
An oil change at a typical lube place can cost anywhere from $30 to $70, and some can go even higher if you happen to own a pricey import. Doing the job yourself, on the other hand, can cost well under $15! Go out and buy a high-quality oil filter, along with the highest grade of oil you can afford from a nearby supplier. Auto specialists will have a wider selection, but there are a lot of retail outlets which will sell these things for competitive prices. If you don’t have them already, you’ll also need a jack and jack stands (find the best jackstands here), a drain pan and oil filter wrench. Yes, I know the price is stacking up a bit now. However, after buying this equipment once it will last you for decades.
Changing Brake Pads
Of all the DIY repairs you can do, changing your brake pads offers some of the biggest savings. A totally new set of brake pads will generally cost between $20 and $40. Most auto shops, on the other hand, will charge $250 an axle! Now, while I’m all for saving money through DIY car maintenance, this is a slightly more complex procedure compared to others, and obviously screwing up your brakes can have some pretty dire consequences! If you want to play it safe, it may be worth going to a professional repair shop like Dunnellon Auto Repair. Still, if you have all the right tools and follow a detailed guide to the letter, replacing your brake pads can be an easy process that saves you hundreds. You’ll need some basic wrenches, a lug wrench, pliers, and of course the whole jack setup.
Change the Battery
This is another remarkably easy procedure, which a surprising amount of people will go straight to the mechanic for. Different cars will take different models, but generally the price for a new battery is about $80. However, a lot of auto shops will charge you well over $200 for the change. Be sure to buy your new battery before it’s due to be changed; you don’t want to start having problems with it on the road! All you need to change your battery is a set of basic wrenches. The most important thing is to make sure you’re removing and replacing the cables in the right order. Remove the black negative cable first, and replace it last having fitted the new battery.
Start doing these repairs yourself, and you’ll be amazed by how much you save!
