Car maintenance can seem daunting at first, but learning to do simple tasks can save you a lot of money on car repairs. Here are some simple car repair tasks that you can do by yourself.
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Replace Your Wiper Blades
It’s easy to tell that your wiper blades need to be replaced. Press the washer button and see if your blades wipe clean. If they cause streaks, they need replacing. You can buy blades from the auto parts store, or find spare car parts at Tony’s Auto Wreckers, at various different price points. Choose a quality wiper blade, which will wipe better, last longer, and have better UV protection.
The package should have installation instructions. Get a firm grip on the wiper arm once you remove the old blade. If you let it go, it can hit the windshield and crack it.
Replace Engine Air Filter
Unscrew or unclip the air filter box retainers and take out the old filter. Hold a light behind the filter to see how much light can pass through. If the filter blocks more than half of the light, it should be replaced. If the light comes through, put the filter back in and secure the air filter box cover.
Replace Non-Headlight Bulbs
To get at the license plate, side marker, or fog light bulbs, you can remove the retaining screws and pry off the lens. Take the bulb out of the socket. Hold the new bulb in a paper towel or wear gloves so the oil from your skin doesn’t get on the glass and cause problems. Push the new bulb into the socket until it clicks. Put the lens back and you’re finished.
Replace a Broken Antenna
Replacing a fender mount antenna is an easy job. Unscrew the mast and buy a replacement one at any auto parts store. Replacing a pillow mount antenna is a bit more complicated, but can still be done yourself. Disconnect the antenna cable from your radio and connect some heavy string to the end. Unscrew the antenna mount from the pillar and pull out the antenna and string. Attach the new antenna cable to the string, pull it back into the vehicle, and connect it to the radio. Secure the antenna to the pillar and you’re done.
Touch Up Chipped Paint
If the paintwork on your car has been chipped, and you don’t cover up these chips, they can rust and cause a much bigger and more expensive problem to put right. Touching up paint is actually quite easy. Buy some touch-up paint, fine tip paint applicators, and some wax and grease removers. Use the wax and grease remover to clean around the chipped area, then let it dry. Next, dip the applicator into the touch-up paint, and carefully dab it onto the chip. Don’t add too much paint onto the applicator or it might drip. Let the paint dry completely and apply wax to the area after thirty days. You will have no more chip!
