For many drivers, a car repair can be nothing short of a
horror story. The car won’t start. The battery… it’s dead! Dollar signs dance
before your eyes as your cell phone seems to dial the tow truck all by itself.
What’s that silhouette coming over the hill behind you? It’s The Mechanic, a
gruesome beast here to sap you of next week’s paycheck. He’s getting closer,
there’s nowhere to run!
The good news is that you can avoid a scary service bill with
a little forethought and these easy at-home car repairs. Not all car repairs
can be done at home (can you say serpentine belt?), but there are a few quick
fixes that are easy and inexpensive.
Replace a Car Battery
- This is an easy one that can save you around $30 when you skip the repair
shop. A replacement takes up to 45 minutes to complete, and you will need to
wear some protective gear.
Change Windshield
Wiper Blades – This is a 10-minute repair that could cost you nearly $50 in
the service station. Wiper blades tend to cost under $20, so the savings are
significant. Read our blog below for simple steps on how to do this yourself.
Fix a Burnt-Out Tail
Light – How many mechanics does it take to change a light bulb? About $20 -
$100 worth (depending on your car model). But getting pulled over for a
burnt-out tail light is no fun, so it is a good idea to fix a bad bulb as soon
as possible. Look for our next blog to feature steps on how to change the bulb yourself.
Jump-Start a Dead
Battery – In our drive-in scenario, hopefully there would be a nice bearded
man in a pick-up truck that is more than happy to help you jump-start your car.
In case he turns out to be a little old lady without jumper cables or a clue,
you’d better learn how to jumpstart a dead car battery. Progressive has a set of
jump-start instructions to study before you find yourself in trouble.
While you can save a lot of money by taking on simple car
repairs, you should also know when to throw in the towel. Modern cars are
complicated, with onboard diagnostics systems and engines that can be hard to
work around. If you aren’t sure of how to proceed, go to a knowledgeable
mechanic. It is best to get an expert on the job than to risk doing further
damage to your car.
If you own a Saturn vehicle and you are unsure where you can take your car for a Factory Warranty and Repair, then here's a tip. Take your 
Kudos to you for posting this article! I never knew changing wiper blades can be done at home and I've just realized the significant savings that I can have when I do it on my own.
ReplyDeleteGreat work, this is a really good post for those not in the know. People spend a lot of money going to garages when they don't really need to. But it's worth pointing out that you can't do all repairs yourself! The boys at Kingshurst Automotive pointed this out to me when my masking tape and cable tie job didn't quite do the trick...
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