To The Future Backyard Mechanics Out There!

Take good care of your vehicle — it can lead to many years of trouble free, reliable service!

Many people, across this great nation of ours, work on their own car. Why, you ask? Well, it’s not only a great way to keep them on the road, but it’s also a great way to save some of your hard earned moolah in the process! Nobody (I mean nobody) wants to go to a car dealer or garage (both of which hire a lot of creeps that like to rip people off) for fun — we only go when we really have to (aren’t you in that same boat?)! Not to mention that it’s getting extremely expensive nowadays (upwards of $85 per hour for labor costs, with a half hour minimum at most places). So, if you are able to repair even the smallest things that can go wrong with your car, you might be able to both skip the mechanic, and keep some money in your bank account!

Ok, now that I got you all hyped up and you’re ready to tackle you car’s ailments, you should at least know the following major rules first (there are a million smaller rules that you can learn from car manuals, the internet or you uncle Charlie [who knows a thing or two about turning a wrench] but I’m only going to cover the very basic stuff here):

First rule: do not attempt repairs that are beyond your ability. Sounds simple, but many people forget this rule (and suffer in the process). If you feel unsure about a project, then by all means take it to a competent professional (better to pay someone who knows what they’re doing than to attempt to fix it yourself and screw it all up). Some repairs will require considerable skill and expertise, not to mention special tools and equipment. A simple mistake could ruin sensitive (and expensive) electronic components. If you’re not sure about something, seek help (that goes for everything in life).

Second rule: never attempt repairs yourself if can’t physically do the work. Replacing certain components may require some heavy lifting (changing a transmission, pulling a cylinder head, motor mounts, etc.) crawling under the vehicle, laying or working in an awkward position, reaching, bending, twisting, pulling, tugging, straining, or jerking (motions you may not be accustomed to making). Use common sense, before you start a job: if you have a bad back, joint problems or are just a plain and simple weak ass, then by all means hire someone to do it for you.

Third rule: make sure you don’t get sidetracked while you’re working on your vehicle, and for crying out loud switch your damn cell phone off (you can call Mom later)! You don’t want to get unfocused and then lose track of what you are doing, or how to put something back together. If you can’t help it, and you have screaming kids, a nosy neighbor or something else that’s going to distract you, at least make sure you double check (and then triple check) everything before you call it quits (or else you could be looking at some costly mistakes).

Fourth (and last) rule (miscellaneous stuff): don’t attempt to undertake any maintenance or repair work on your vehicle if you’re tired, sick, drunk, or on medication (prescribed or otherwise). Exhaustion, illness, beer and medication can all affect your judgment and perception, creating a potential for serious injury or error. Also, it’s a good idea never to smoke when you’re working on your car, especially if you’re working on the fuel line or any of its associated components — such as the fuel filter, fuel pump, or the tank (you shouldn’t be smoking anyways. Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox on that issue now).

Working on your own car is not only extremely rewarding (you can kiss those overpriced labor costs goodbye) but it will also give you a serious sense of accomplishment! In the beginning, you’ll be better off if you start with smaller projects like changing your own oil and sparkplugs, and then let the snowball effect take over: soon you’ll be tackling the bigger stuff like replacing an alternator and swapping out your whole exhaust system (yes, that day will come. Have a little patience)!

Have you been taken “for a ride” one too many times by a sleazy car repair shop or dealer? Then why let someone else do the work for you? When you do start fixing stuff on your own, you’ll begin to find out that even though you may not be as skilled as someone who repairs cars for a living, you can certainly do a better job, because you care enough to at least take the time to do it right…..