Working on your car can be a fulfilling hobby — not to mention a money-saving one since you won’t be paying to take your car to the shop. However, it isn’t always the easiest chore, especially if you don’t have the right tools or equipment. Here are four tips and tricks to make working on your car more comfortable, so you don’t dread heading out into your garage.
1. Buy a Space Heater
No one likes trying to loosen bolts with frozen fingers. Before it starts getting cold, purchase a space heater to keep you warm while you’re turning wrenches. If you’re going to be inside, an electric heater is usually sufficient to keep the space warm, especially if you keep the door closed. If you’re going to be outside or working in an ample open area with a lot of ventilation, a larger propane heater might be the better choice.
On the other side of the coin, make sure you have a portable A/C unit to keep you cool during the warm summer months. If you’re looking to make a significant investment, consider adding insulation to your garage to help it stay more temperate no matter what the weather is like outside.
2. Invest in a Lift
Jacks, jack stands and ramps might work well for some projects, but there are some things you won’t be able to do unless you can get the car a few feet off the floor. This doesn’t include removing the engine in an old VW Bug — then, all you need to do is remove the motor mounts and lift the body of the car over the engine. For other projects, though, consider investing a lift for your garage. You have plenty to choose from even if you don’t have a ton of vertical clearance.
3. Use Proper Lighting
It’s hard to work on your car if you can’t see what you’re doing. Having good lighting in your garage isn’t an option — it’s a necessity. You need two kinds of lights for your garage — overhead lighting and portable lighting. Invest in some good fluorescent or LED overhead lighting to make sure your garage is bright enough to navigate safely. For getting into those little nooks and crannies under the hood, or for areas that your overhead lighting doesn’t reach, you’ll need portable options. Flashlights, LEDs and even cap lights can all give you the mobility you need to see what you’re doing under the hood.
4. Crank the Tunes
Good music can make even the most annoying chores at least tolerable. Why should working on your car be any different? Build a playlist of your favorite songs to listen to in the garage or find some podcasts that will keep you entertained while you’re under the hood. Studies have proven that listening to music helps to increase your productivity, whether you’re in the office or the garage. Plug in your headphones or turn on your speakers and crank up those tunes!
Of course, we could have added other tips to this list, like making sure you have the right tools and enough space to work. Hopefully, these four tips will help you enjoy working on your car even more than usual.