There are certain types of car repairs that anyone can handle. Here are a few easy fixes that don’t need a mechanics hand.
You love your car, but that doesn’t mean you want to spend your hard-earned money at the garage every few months. Instead, do basic maintenance and simple repairs yourself, and keep your ride looking good without spending lots of cash.
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To be prepared for on-the-road emergencies, assemble a toolkit, and keep it in your car at all times. Be sure to include the following items: rags, reflectors, and a flashlight; lug wrenches, a socket set, screwdrivers (Phillip’s head and flat), and pliers; a spare tire and a jack; deicer and scrapers; spare parts, such as fuses, belts, radiator caps, air filters, spark plugs, and coolant hoses; and emergency fluids like oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid.
With these items in your kit, you should be able to handle most problems that arise when you’re traveling. And that will save on tow bills as well as repairs.
You can also take care of other minor repair work yourself. For instance, you can repair rust spots, minor scratches, broken power windows, and take care of engine overheating without resorting to an auto repair shop.
To fix rust spots, scrub them with a wire brush and sand them with sandpaper (220 grit) to remove the paint and the primer. Then slowly grind the areas with a metal-grinding wheel. Wipe the car down, cover areas you don’t want to paint, and spray on the primer. Once the first coat of primer has dried, spray on another. Finally, give it two to three coats of paint, allowing it to dry thoroughly each time.
Are minor scratches ruining your car’s good looks? You can fix them easily, too. First, give your car a good washing and let it dry. Then carefully look at the scratches to make sure they’re not actually flaws in the paint.
If they are scratches, use sandpaper to sand them down. Wipe them clean, and then fill each scratch with compound and allow it to dry. Once again, use sandpaper to make the area level and then wipe it down with a clean cloth. Spray with primer and allow to dry. Finally, touch the area up with paint.
If your automatic windows are sticking, you may be able to fix the problem simply by cleaning the switch. If they won’t budge at all, a blown fuse may be the culprit. Find the fuse box under the dash and replace any fuses that have broken strips.
If your engine overheats, park the car. Then turn the heater and blower on high, raise the hood, and let the engine cool. Once it has, remove the radiator cap and check the coolant. Add more if it’s low. If there’s adequate antifreeze in the radiator, adding more won’t solve the trouble. You need to consult a mechanic. Your car probably has a major problem you can’t fix.
By following car repair manuals and your owner’s manual, you can accomplish many car repairs yourself. Not only will doing so save you money, but it will also give you enormous personal satisfaction.
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