Car maintenance you should be doing yourself.
Are you that person who is too afraid to touch his or her car but also hates paying someone else to do a task you know you should just do yourself? This post is going to breakdown three tasks that will save you financially including changing your engine oil (yes, we went there), windshield wiper maintenance and changing your brake lights with the help of guided tutorials.
According to a poll by Cheap Insurance Net (link to https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/draft-60-percent-people-can-t-change-flat-tire-most-n655501), only 26 percent of 2,000 car owners were confident enough to change their engine oil by themselves. The most accepted rule is to change your oil every 3,000 miles, but if you want to live on the edge, let 5,000 miles be your maximum. The cost to change your oil at a service station can range from $30 to $60, over half of that price is just the labor fee. Think about it. If you drive 20,000 miles a year, that’s at least $200 you’re spending. Opting to do it yourself will cost you around $20 for the oil and filter. Here’s one of the best tutorials we found to demonstrate how easy it is to change your own oil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2KDbTx9gVo
The next car maintenance you should feel 100 percent comfortable completing is switching out your windshield wipers. The typical rule of thumb suggested by the auto industry is to inspect the wipers at least once a year. Depending on the climate you live in, you may not have to change them as often. For example, someone who deals with hail and freezing rain in Michigan probably should switch them out after the winter season unlike someone in Arizona who has one season, hot. One other thing to note is that you need to make sure you’re choosing the right type and size of windshield wipers for your car, which can be found in the manual or take a look at the old ones for size guidance. Depending on what brand and features you choose, the parts can range from $7 to $30. Additionally, some places do add in labor costs to put them on for you, so be sure to research! Below is a quick simple tutorial on how to change your windshield wipers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mOm2u9YqwA
Lastly, you may not have even known you can change your headlights and brake lights yourself, but you can! Depending what type of bulbs/lights you want, the cost for the parts is anywhere from $25 to $100. That’s not including labor charges, which could be anywhere between $50 to $100. Save yourself the money! For example, take a look at our flashing brake lights. Not only are they a safety precaution, but also they’re cost-friendly. For $29.99, which includes free shipping, you get two of the bulbs for your brake lights, and you can watch this tutorial for how to install them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T--pArulxUA&feature=youtu.be
The saying that it’s the little things that add up is really something you should think about when it comes to maintaining and repairing your vehicle. Although, the tasks like changing your oil, replacing your windshield wipers and installing your brake lights seem like small tasks, they can equate into preventable expenses.