A lot of people would love to save money on car repairs, and it’s understandable. They are easily one of the biggest expenses for any car-owning household and the cost for basic repairs can be ridiculously high in some cases. If you are wondering if it’s possible to make car repairs yourself, the answer is yes, you can. While there are limits to what you can do on your own, you’d be surprised at the things you could do with a basic set of tools. Let’s take a look at some of the questions people may have about DIY car repairs.
What Kind of Repairs are Safe to DIY?
Anything that has to do with components you can see with your eyes can usually be performed on your own with various degrees of difficulty. If you are ready to take the time to learn, you could even perform things like paint jobs yourself. So, anything that has to do with the body, brakes, wheels, tires, and glass could be performed relatively safely.
When it comes to the motor and other components, you have to be careful. It’s more about the nature of the issue than the component. As a rule, you should stay away from anything that has to do with the car’s electric system or any type of leak.
You should also invest in an obd scanner to know exactly what component may be the cause of a problem. If an issue is caused by a specific part of the car, then you could replace it yourself. Replacements are usually much easier than fixes, so you can choose to replace a part completely instead of trying to tinker with it.
If you want to find a great obd scanner and learn more about them, we suggest you check out MyCarly.com. They run down exactly what an OBD scanner is, how it works, and why it’s essential not only for DIY car mechanics but for all car owners. You’ll know how to pick a great scanner and get a few recommendations as well.
What Tools Do I Need?
You cannot start making fixes on your car unless you have the proper tools, but you don’t need that many tools to get started. Your best bet would be to look for a mechanic tool set online. If you want to get great tools, then get them from the same place mechanics buy from. DeWalt and SnapOn are two great brands you could check out and their toolsets are used by mechanics around the world, so pick up a complete set from them and add to your collection as needed.
What if I Don’t Have Space?
There are repairs that you simply won’t be able to perform on your own either because you don’t have garage equipment or because you lack space. We spoke about paint jobs earlier, and while you can learn how to perform them yourself, you will need to have access to a professional paint room if you want to get professional results.
However, you can rent professional garage space in most major cities in the country. You can rent space with a bay and a lift and perform virtually any job a mechanic would. You can also rent paint rooms specifically for paint jobs. The nice thing about these places is that there will usually be other people just like you in there and a few seasoned mechanics too. They might volunteer to help you with some things and help you learn certain techniques.
Is it Actually Worth it?
Before you decide to make a DIY repair, however, you have to ask yourself if it’s truly worth it. You should check how much you can expect to pay to have any repair done first and how long it will take you. There’s no point in you spending a weekend performing a repair that a mechanic could perform in a couple of hours just so you can save a few bucks. Your time is valuable, and you might do a poor job that will force you to go see a mechanic anyway, so think about that.
You should also know about the very real risk of injury or damage. So many people end up making things worse when they’re trying to repair a component or will just damage unrelated parts by accident. So, you could end up spending much more than you originally would. This is why you need to both learn the cost of basic repairs and make sure that you have the skills and knowledge needed
Making car repairs on your own can be a great way to save money and learn a new skill. It can be very satisfying as well. Just make sure that you’re up for the challenge and don’t do anything until you’re 100% sure you’re ready.