DIY Car Repairs Can Save Money

Photo Credit: kozumel

If you live in an area with a good transportation system, be thankful. You’ve just saved some money. Owning, maintaining, and insuring a car can be expensive. Getting repairs done a car can add up very quickly. The average rate for labor is $50-$120/hour.

If you think you’re up to it, then doing some basic checks and repairs can save you alot of money and extend the life of your car. Here are some relatively easy things you can do to keep your car running smoothly.

• Check the tire pressure on all four tires and, if necessary, put air in them to the recommended amount in your owner’s manual.
• Check the fluid levels (oil, wash fluid ,transmission fluid, etc) in your car and adjust as needed. When I had a longer commute, this became even more important.
• Check, clean, and perhaps replace the air filter your car.
• Replace your windshield wipers if they are worn. This is a relatively easy task . I’d also apply some Rain-X while I’m doing that.

There are sites that have some instructions on doing basic auto repairs yourself. I’ve include a video to give an idea of what is available on the web.

If you doubt your abilities or want a professional to handle it, then by all means, look for a mechanic that you can trust. While we check our fluids and can replace our wipers, there are some things I’d want a mechanic to do. Since we moved, I’ll record the process we’re going through to find a local shop that is reliable and affordable. (Don’t laugh!)

What preventative work do you do to save you money? Any suggestions on finding a good mechanic?

Update: This post was included in the 8th  Edition of the Money Hack Carnival at Being Thrifty Like Us.

• Walking: Good For You, Good For Your Wallet Kelly Whalen can be found at The Centsible Life and on twitter. She writes about getting out of debt, organizing, and family life with 4 kids, 2 cats, a crazy puppy, and an amazing husband. Most days find her walking to and from the local elementary school. Walking to Save......
• Guitar Hero III: Saving Money has Its Perks Yesterday, I picked up Guitar Hero III for the Wii. Since Rock Band isn't out for the Wii, I wanted to ‘rock' out with this game. We actually wanted Guitar Hero for our wedding anniversary, but they were sold out due to the holiday demand. There were only a......

• How to choose & open a checking and savings account If you've never had a checking or savings account before, the process of opening one might seem intimidating. But it's really just a matter of figuring out what you're likely to need, and then searching for banks or credit unions that will meet those needs. At a minimum, search for......
• American Bailout: $1 Million A Day For 2,260 Years My fellow Americans, details are emerging for the second economic stimulus plan endorsed by President Obama, and the majority of members of the United States Congress.  From the sounds of it, this economic stimulus plan will dwarf the costs of the first stimulus plan, and the first bailout, combined! This......