Transportation takes up a large chunk of household expenditure. According to the U.S Department of energy, transportation takes up a fifth of the total budget of the average family. The good thing is that there are various ways where you can cut down your car’s costs when you visit a car service provider. Things such as aftermarket truck accessories can be covered by taking out small loans. If you make the right choices, you can save a lot of money when taking your car for auto body repairs or auto interior repairs.
Car maintenance and repairs can cost a lot, but you can reduce the total spending you will incur when visiting a custom fabrication shop. You need to consider a lot of things such as the cost of auto towing or transmission repair. There are steps you can do to ensure you spend less when you take your car to a car service provider. Towing services and auto locksmith services are also important factors in your costs. Here are some maintenance and car repair tasks you can do on your own to minimize costs at a car service provider.
Replace Your Car’s Wipers
It’s easy to determine when your car window wipers need to be replaced. You only need to press the washer button and see if the blades wipe your car’s windshield clean. If they streak, it means that they are damaged. You can find affordable blades in auto parts stores but it’s advisable to have high quality. Make sure to follow the instructions outlined on the blade’s package. Also, ensure you handle the blades with care when replacing them.
Shake Your PCV Valve
It may sound complex, but shaking your PCV Valve is actually not a hard task to achieve. If you have a PCV Valve in your car, change it out during each oil change. In many cases, you can find the PCV Valve on top of your car’s engine by shaking it. If it produces a metallic sound, it means that the PCV Valve is in good condition. If it does not sound mushy or make noise, ensure you replace it.
Replace Your Engine’s Air Filter
Check and replace your car’s engine air filter. All you have to do is to unclip or unscrew the air filter box retainer and take out the old air filter to see the amount of light that passes through it. If it blocks fifty percent of the light, you should replace the air filter. If that is not the case, you can put it back inside, secure the box containing the air filter and continue using your vehicle. It is one of the easiest things you can fix before taking your car service provider.
Gas Lifts
Doing a gas lift cylinder repair is an easy task to perform on your car before you take it to your car service provider. You will need to buy new gas lifts at a reliable auto parts store. The most common one is simply unbolted by using a set of metric sockets. Others are connected with a socket style and ball using a spring clip. To disassemble this spring clip, place a flat blade screwdriver between the cylinder and the clip. You can then pull the cylinder out of the ball stud.
Replace Non-Headlight Bulbs
It is easy to replace a fender mount antenna mast on your vehicle. All you have to do is to unscrew the portion of the mast remaining and purchase a replacement at a reliable car auto parts shop. A pillar mount antenna replacement is more complex but it can be an easy DIY task that can reduce your cost when you visit a car service provider. To do this you have to unscrew the antenna mounted on the pillar and take out the old antenna and string it out. You can then attach the cable to a string and pull it back inside your car before connecting it to your car’s radio. Secure the new antenna using screws to the pillar.
Fix Leaking Sunroof
If raindrops keep entering your car’s interior, it is probably due to a leaking or clogged drains in your car’s sunroof. Fortunately, this is a problem you can easily fix. You can do so by opening the sunroof and looking if there are drain holes in the rear and front corners of your sunroof.
Fix Your Door Issues and Small Dents
If you are able to patch your home’s walls, you can do the same to dents in your vehicle. You will need various plastic applicators, a can of auto body cream and filler paste, and sandpaper grits. Fixing dents can save you money when you take your car to a car service provider.
Fix Tears in Vinyl and Leather
A custom fabrication shop charges expensively to repair your car’s seats. You can repair it yourself by using a leather and vinyl repair kit you purchase from an auto body shop. You will need to have experience in mixing colors that perfectly match your car.
Replace Your Cabin’s Air Filter
A cabin filter that is clogged up can cause damage to your AC’s efficiency and blower motor. Cabin air filters are easy to replace and access and you stand to save a lot of money when you replace them yourself. They are usually located in air ducts behind glove boxes.
Change Power Steering Fluid
Since testing strips for power steering fluid are readily available, you will have to depend on your car’s manufacturer recommendations or a general rule of thumb. Do not substitute a universally used power steering fluid or add additives that are miraculous to your vehicle. This can cause damage to your car’s steering system and cause it to fail
Change the Brake Fluid
Most car manufacturers advise car owners to replace their brake fluid every 24,000 miles or two years. It’s easy to take a test on your car’s brake fluid. You only need to dip a testing strip into the brake fluid and then compare the fluid’s color to the chart included on the packaging.
Use Sawdust to Soak Up Oil Spills
You can collect used oil spills in the garage or driveway by using sawdust. You can pour sawdust over the oil spills, and leave it to sail the spill for a few minutes before sweeping it up.
Brush Out Air Vents
Air vents are prone to get plagued with dust. A vacuum equipped with brush attachments might not be enough to rid of the dust from your car’s air vents. You can use an affordable paintbrush to give them a slight dust-off.
Pipe Insulation Hack
This is an effective solution to prevent things like cell phones and keys from falling in between car seats or the vehicle’s console which can be difficult or dangerous to retrieve while you drive your car.
Lubricate Window Tracks
Freezing water can find its way into your car’s window tracks and cause it to get stuck when you try to close or open the windows. You can avoid encountering this problem with your car by lubricating its window’s tracks using a dry spray lubricant or spray silicone. Use adequate lubrication so that it covers the entire window tracks.
Use a Toothbrush to Detail Your Vehicle
A simple toothbrush can be an efficient tool to clean the crevices in your car’s interior. Just as it loosens particles between a person’s teeth, it will do the same to your car. Once the toothbrush loosens the gunk in your car and brings it to its surface, you can wipe it off or vacuum it. You can also use the toothbrush to clean the headlights and rims as well.
Vacuum Your Car’s Interior Thoroughly
To reduce costs when you take your vehicle to a car service provider, make sure you vacuum every corner of your car. You can do this by sliding seats all the way forward to clean out all the dirt beneath them. Many people find lost pencils and pens, cell phones, and coins when they thoroughly vacuum their car’s interior.
Wash the Windows
When washing your car’s windows, remember to clean the top edges. Many people ignore this detail when they wash their vehicles. All you need is a reliable window cleaner and cleaning rag to do this.
Avoid Duplicate Labor Charges
In some cases, a mechanic needs to remove parts that cause problems to your car. This gives you an opportunity to save money on car repairs by fixing them right away. For example, estimating to repair drive belts that squeal may be an indication to change the lower and upper radiator hoses as well as thermostats and water pump, because your mechanic will remove some of those items to arrive at the drive belt.
Heed Warning Signs
After starting up your vehicle and it triggers the check engine sign, gets your car inspected in a few days. It could be a trivial issue, but at the same time, a serious problem. You can save money at a cat service provider by having your vehicle towed at your ideal auto repair shop. Waiting could cause severe damage to your car’s engine and even make you get an engine replacement.
Buy Spare Parts at a Discounted Price Online
There are many websites that sell effective auto parts at discounted prices. Ensure to check if they have a sales tax or charge for shipping. Compare these prices with a local auto dealer’s department or auto parts shop. If the prices offered on the website save you money on purchasing quality auto parts, you should try it out.
Find a Dent Repair Professional
It is inevitable for your car to get chips, dents, and dings in its paintwork. In most cases, an auto body shop will need to sand down the chipped or dented components to repaint and apply a clear coat to your vehicle. This can be quite expensive. Repairing dings and dents can, however, ensure your car maintains its value and prevents it from rusting.
Cover Lots of Ground When You Go out With Your Vehicle
Instead of just hopping into your car every time you need to go for an errand, you should consider making plans ahead to ensure you remain efficient when you leave your home. Consider shopping at stores located near each other and make lists of errands you need to do so that you don’t get distracted when going out. Cutting back on the frequency you go out could assist you to save on gas.
Don’t Overspeed and Ensure You Drive Carefully
This is an easy task to do and will save a considerable amount of money when you go to a car service provider. Driving carelessly is dangerous and also makes your vehicle strain. Accelerating and driving your car at high speeds will make you waste your vehicle’s gas and make you fill your tank up. Driving at the recommended speed limit can help you prevent a car crash and also help in cutting the cost of you to fill your tank.
Consider Carpooling
One way you can cut back on auto costs is by considering carpooling. You can carpool with family, schoolmates or even your colleagues.
Find Effective Ways to Lower Your Auto Insurance
It may require you to do research but when you lower your auto insurance rate, you can effectively slice your regular auto expenses by a large margin. There are several ways you can do this, but you need to clarify with your car’s insurance company and see if there are ways to lower your premium costs.
Spending less when it comes to car repairs requires you to consider many things. You should be able to arrive at a suitable decision after giving all factors a careful thought. If you want to save money when visiting a car service provider, you need to know the type of energy your car uses to function like electricity, petrol, or diesel. There are many other things to consider, so make sure you do your research.
