If you dread the idea of taking your car to a garage for repairs, then you’re not alone. There are loads of people that feel the same because they’re no strangers to being ripped off by local mechanics, and they hate the idea of potentially overpaying for a simple repair.
Sure, if you have plenty of income and can afford car repairs and servicing, then this probably won’t affect you. However, there are many people who constantly question whether they’re getting a good service or price for something like vehicle repairs.
Aren’t Cars Difficult to Repair?
It depends. There are loads of people that are intimidated by the idea of repairing a car because there are just so many different parts and things that could go wrong. Diagnosing the issue is one thing, but performing a repair is completely different and you could get into a situation where you cause more damage to the vehicle, thus leading to a more expensive repair. In this situation, you probably should’ve just taken it to the garage in the first place!
But that’s only true at the beginning. There are loads of people that feel the same about building computers or repairing electronics like a smartphone or games console. The knowledge comes as you work on those skills, so it’s something that will get easier and make more sense over time. But with that said, it’s never a bad idea to learn a bit about repairing vehicles before you take out your tools or invest in equipment for your garage. You can learn from paid online courses, free resources, or even YouTube videos. There are plenty of options available and many of them are free!
Once you get more experienced, repairing vehicles will become second nature. It’s no different from someone opening up their computer to replace parts, fixing smartphone issues, or even putting together a shelf or some other DIY project. You’ll get accustomed to it as long as you put in the effort!
Are There Benefits to Learning to fix Your Own Car?
Absolutely!
One of the biggest benefits is that you won’t have to pay as much for repairs. This is a huge deal since it can save you tons of money, especially if you have a rather old vehicle that garages charge more for. This is usually because it requires specialized knowledge, or you need to purchase highly specific parts.
In addition to performing repairs, you can also make your car last longer because you’ll have a deeper understanding of how your car works, what makes it tick, and also how to maintain it properly. This is extremely useful knowledge that will help extend the lifetime of any car that you own. It’s not uncommon for people that have car repair knowledge to extend the life of their vehicle for decades!
Other benefits include being able to help friends and family members with their car repairs, and you could even turn it into a side gig or a fully-fledged career if it’s something that you really enjoy doing.
What About the Downsides to Fixing Your Own Car?
We’re not going to sugarcoat things here. If you’re inexperienced or overconfident in your abilities, then it’s really easy to damage your vehicle. In many cases, you’ll cause even more problems and you’ll eventually need an expert to help you fix those problems. If you’re not careful when you open your vehicle, then you could cause irreparable damage to certain components, resulting in even more costs to replace them.
But as long as you’re careful, this probably won’t happen. Don’t try repairs that seem too complicated, and don’t do anything that can’t be reversed. Take notes of everything that you do so that you can reverse the attempted repair should it fail, and don’t skip steps in an attempt to quickly fix something.
Another common downside is that you’ll be spending time on learning how to fix your vehicle, and repairs themselves can take some time as well. At the end of the day, the money that you’re paying for a professional repair results in time saved. Don’t forget that another massive bonus in taking your car to a mechanic to get it fixed is that they will either have the car parts in their inventory already or be able to order them quickly. When it comes to ordering parts, there is a lot more to it than you might think! It is really easy to order the wrong parts or the right parts and not have the right tools to fit them.
If you value your time more than the cost, then it’s probably a good idea to just get a repair from a professional. However, if you think that the long-term benefits of learning how to fix your car are worth the time investment, then you should definitely learn to perform your own repairs!
In short, there are two major downsides; the fact that you might damage your car if you’re inexperienced (which can be avoided if you’re careful) and the time investment involved. If you can overcome these two potential downsides, then there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t try to repair your vehicle!
Some Tips to Help You get Started With Vehicle Repairs
So if you’re looking to get started with your own vehicle repairs, we’ve got a few tips to help you get started.
Look up manuals for your vehicle
Whether it’s Chevrolet servicing or BMW repairs, make sure you get a manual for your specific make and model. This will have come with your vehicle if you bought it new, but you can also download these online if you do a bit of searching. These manuals will give you a better understanding of the inner workings of your vehicle, and they’ll also have a troubleshooting section to help perform basic repairs and diagnostics.
Search for Videos and Online Assistance
It could be message boards, Reddit, or even YouTube videos–these are all fantastic resources to help you get started with your own vehicle repairs. Don’t underestimate free resources either as it can be a great place to get started and learn some vital car repair knowledge.
Always Record What You’re Doing
Take pictures and write down notes on everything that you do. This will ensure that you have a reference to look at if you’re unsure how something is put back together, and you can read your notes to see what maintenance you’ve performed in the past so you know when to check your vehicle again.