DIY Car Maintenance Tasks to Save Money

Owning a car requires a handful of responsibilities. One responsibility that should be on top is the car's maintenance. Regular maintenance prolongs your vehicle's lifespan. It also ensures your safety while using your vehicle. However, car maintenance and services can be expensive and daunting for many car owners.

On average, annual car maintenance can cost around $1,500. A car's repair bill can cost about $600 while you need around $200 to $350 for car servicing every year. It can even cost more depending on the type of vehicle, type of damage, and the age of the car.

The good thing is that there are small repairs you can do yourself to save money. You may need a little skill, but doing some maintenance yourself will cut the cost of how much you spend on your car.

Here are easy car maintenance tasks.

Replacing Your Wiper Blades

It is vital to change the wiper blades to maintain clear driving visibility. Auto repair stores charge around $12 to $16 to replace one blade. That includes replacement and labor. You can cut the labor cost by buying your wiper blades and changing them yourself. It's as simple as sliding the old one out and putting the new one.

Make sure that you have the correct replacement wipers. Remember that windshield wipers don't have the same lengths. You should bring a measuring tape to double-check if you got the correct length refills.

Replacing the Engine Air Filter

Changing the engine air filter will help improve your car's performance. It can also increase gas mileage and reduce emissions. Thus, it is good idea to replace your air filter every 12,000 miles to ensure your vehicle is in top shape.

The cost and labor of replacing an engine air filter is around $20 to $50. It can even cost more depending on the accessibility of the filter's housing. Save money by inspecting and replacing your engine air filter yourself.

First, locate the engine air filter housing. The engine air filter housing is a black plastic box sitting on top or beside the engine. Once you've found the filter housing, unscrew the cover and remove the air filter.

You can now inspect your old filter. Test the real condition of your air filter by holding a light behind it. If it blocks fifty percent of the glare, you need to replace it.

To change your filter, place a new engine filter inside the filter box. After that, screw the cover back in place. The whole process takes about 20 minutes. It's a quick and easy repair.

Changing Your Oil

Oil changing prevents the engine from overheating. If the engine heats up because of old oil, it can cause further damage, which will cost you even more.

On average, auto shops charge about $70 for oil and labor costs. Learning to change your car's oil can cut most of your car's maintenance costs.

Changing the oil is easy. Start by finding the oil drain plug. You can also check your car's manual to know exactly where to find it. Once you've located the drain plug, place a big container at an angle to catch the oil. Then, unscrew the plug and pull it away from the oil stream. You should also remove the oil filter together with the rubber gasket. Once you've drained everything, screw back the lid. Refill your motor with new oil.

If you're changing your oil for the first time, it is crucial to know the right type of oil your car needs. You can check your car's manual to determine the specific oil you need to use.

Replacing the Fuse

A blown-out fuse can cause a minor electrical problem like damaged lights or turn signals. But, it can also cause something significant, like your car refusing to start.

Fuses prevent any severe electrical problem to other expensive parts. If you don't address a blown-out fuse, you may end up damaging your car more. You might end up taking a cash advance online to cover for your car's emergency expenses.

Avoid unnecessary expenses by inspecting your fuses monthly. You can find the fuse inside a transparent box in several places inside your car. Try checking your car's manual to see the exact location of the fuse box.

Once you know where to find the fuse box, inspect each fuse for any signs of damage. It can be a visible gap in the wire or a smear inside the glass. It would help if you replaced any damaged fuse with a new one.

Takeaway

Maintaining a car can get expensive, but there are many quick and easy tasks that you can do without any help from a professional mechanic. Aside from saving money, you are also learning a life skill. So, the next time your car breaks down, try grabbing your tools and fixing it yourself.