Not every little automotive repair or maintenance task warrants a trip to the dealership or autobody shop. There are a bunch of things you can do at home even if you have little or no car repair experience.
Clean Your Headlights
More complex car problems like a smoke test vacuum leak or catalytic converter failure involve hard to find or expensive equipment to fix. Cleaning your headlights, however, is as simple as purchasing a headlight restoration kit. These kits are usually sold for around 20 dollars and come with detailed instructions on how to sand and buff your cloudy lenses. New headlights often cost anywhere from 40 to 250 dollars each making self-restoration a great cost-saving skill.
Fix a Malfunctioning Defroster Grid
Winter can be a difficult season to maintain your car in. The icy and wet elements are enough to wreak havoc on your automobile. A defective defroster grid in your vehicle can only add to your winter weather troubles. Luckily, most auto parts stores sell grid repair kits and pens from anywhere between 10 and 20 dollars. Fixing your defroster grid takes about 5 minutes of active work and 30 minutes for drying- not a bad investment if it keeps you from having to scrape ice and snow from your windows in the cold.
Test and Change Your Coolant
Making sure your coolant is functioning properly and replacing it when it’s time can save you from dealing with future radiator, water pump, and heater core failure. Investing in a voltmeter or multimeter to test your coolant is an easy way to avoid huge replacement costs down the road. Be sure to take note of what kind of coolant you have as different types are changed at different intervals.
While these are some cost-effective ways to keep your vehicle in good condition, there are even more automotive repairs you can do yourself from the comfort of your home.