If you live in a country like America, or a country similar to it in any way, you find that many times you run into the problem of ridiculously high costs of services. This is especially true every time you need to see a doctor, and at least as true every time you need to get your vehicle fixed!
We’ve talked before about lowering your auto insurance, but in many cases repairs, even the most routine ones, can run you several times what you typically pay in insurance over the course of any given year.
This is why it’s not a bad idea to learn some of the basics of auto mechanics and do some of the more simple jobs yourself. As you learn, you’ll probably be in shock when you realize how easy the job is that you used to pay a professional $100 or more to do.
Make Sure You Are Comfortable
The first step before working on any vehicle should be making sure you are properly outfitted. You need clothing that doesn’t restrict movement but at the same time isn’t too lose. A string from a hoodie or a long sleeve can easily get caught in something like a fan belt and really ruin your day if you’re not careful! Gloves are also an absolute must for this kind of work.
Think about everything from your shirt to your shoes. Try and learn more about how you can be as comfortable as you can be while confined to being under a car working on it, often in all sorts of weather conditions.
Don’t Bite Off More than You Can Chew… At First
It’s really important with something as complicated as auto mechanics to take things slowly. Learn the different tasks in proper order. This means learn the simplest tasks first, and keep going in that order.
Examples of simple jobs people can usually learn to do quickly are:
-Changing the battery
-Changing the oil (although disposing of the old oil can be a pain)
-Changing air filters
-Changing spark plugs
-Changing brake pads and even brake rotors
-Rotating tires (as long as you have the right tools and make sure the nuts are tightened properly)
-Recharging the AC
The idea behind this is to save money, not to do every conceivable task. Even professional mechanics often have to refer customers somewhere else, because of specializations which some mechanical problems require, or expensive tools one mechanic may have that another one does not.
The good news is that the tasks on this list are some of the most necessary and common tasks that need to be done for your car.
Treat Tools and Auto Parts with Respect.
Tools and especially parts from your vehicle can be surprisingly fragile, especially the latter. Things like exhausts, electrical parts and manifolds can break really easily if you’re not careful.
It’s a great idea to invest in pallets and containers from a reliable company like https://www.jecoplastics.com/ in order to protect some of those parts while working on your vehicle.