New Headlight Bulbs
How many people does it take to change a bulb? Just one! After buying an affordable bulb from an auto shop, it’s simply a case of removing the headlight cover, disconnecting the wires attached to the bulb, and then securing the new one. People have been changing headlights themselves for decades.
Oil Change
Contrary to popular belief, oil changes aren’t complicated procedures. Many people waste money employing a mechanic when they could do the job themselves, just as grandpa used to do. All you need to do is drain old oil, remove and replace the filter, and add new oil.
Paint Touch-Up
There’s nothing worse than worn-out paint on a car. Paying a professional to do it can cost thousands, but doing it yourself is far cheaper. It’s also a simple job if you choose a good paint sprayer and an auto paint that matches your vehicle.
Brake Pad Replacements
Rising part prices have put many people off getting essential work done to their cars. However, you need good brake pads to drive safely, so why not learn to replace them yourself? Once you understand the braking system, you must dismantle the wheel to release the old pad and then install the new one.
Cabin Filter Changes
Small jobs like changing filters can cost a lot if you go to an auto shop, so it pays to be self-reliant. This is one of the easiest DIY car maintenance tasks because it really is as simple as slipping out the old filter and replacing it.
New Spark Plugs
Though our grandparents did it without instructions, there are plenty of DIY spark plug replacement guides online that you can follow. With the right tools and proper direction, anyone can disconnect the battery, replace old spark plugs, and put the engine back as you found it.
Tire Rotation
While your grandpa may tell you that changing tires is easy, sometimes it’s not necessary. If your tires are still in good condition, you can rotate them instead. This involves jacking up the car, removing the tires, and putting them back in different positions, usually front to rear and vice versa.
Replacing Wheel Studs
Wheel studs keep wheels attached to their hubs, so they’re pretty important! But you don’t need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on new studs. You can buy them for a low price online and then tighten them onto your wheels yourself.
Brake Fluid Flushes
Your car needs brake fluid to keep the brakes in safe working order, so it’s good to know when to perform a brake fluid flush. You can do this by accessing the master reservoir, bleeding out any leftover liquid, and filling the cylinder with fresh brake fluid.
Battery Installation
Back in your grandpa’s day, people didn’t give up when their cars broke down. All they needed were good tools and some basic mechanical experience. With the same, you can install a new battery in your own car and instantly expand the vehicle’s lifespan.
Wiper Blade Replacements
Wiper blades are one of the cheapest and least technical car repairs you can perform yourself. New blades are usually very cheap, and you don’t need to use any tools to put them on, either. Once you slide off the old blades, you can slide the new ones on.
Changing Tires
It’s easy to imagine our grandfathers changing tires outside their homes, and we can do it, too! And you don’t even need complicated tools; a car jack and torque wrench will do the job perfectly. Knowing how to change a tire is one of the oldest and most important life skills.
Topping Up Fluids
Many people (your grandpa included!) will tell you that paying someone else to top up fluids in your car is extortionate, and they’d be right! Things like coolant, washer fluid, refrigerant, and transmission fluid can all be topped up at home with products bought from auto stores or the Internet.
Fixing Muffler
Car mufflers work to maintain exhaust health and reduce the noise that your car produces, and they wear out from time to time. But they don’t always need to be fully replaced. For minor damage, like cracks and dents, you can use exhaust tape and sealant to fix them yourself.
Rear Bumper Replacement
The rear bumper is an important car safety feature, but many people don’t know that you can fix them without a mechanic’s help. Unless the damage is very serious, you can buff out dents, touch up paint, fill in cracks, and weld pieces back together without any help.
Covering Seats
Old seats don’t look good, but they’re fussy and pricey to replace. So, why not take a leaf out of your grandpa’s book and do some interior repairs? You can reupholster seats with nice materials, like leather, with some simple stitching skills and plenty of patience.
Removing Oil Filters
As with air filters, it’s silly to pay a professional to remove and swap oil filters for you. This is easy work that anybody can do themselves, so long as you don’t mind getting messy! You just need to pop the hood, loosen the filter, and twist it out.
Changing Radiator Hose
Your car’s radiator hose is a crucial part of the engine’s cooling system. If it breaks, you can get to know your engine better by mending it at home. It’s a simple but precise task that involves draining coolant, loosening clamps, removing the old house, and putting in a new one.
Mending Side Mirrors
Side mirror damage is very common, but our grandpas never let it stop them from driving. While some shops charge a small fortune for replacements, you can save money by detaching the broken mirror, fixing the glass or other damage, then reattaching it to the wires.
Repairing Body Rust
Rust commonly causes people to trade in their cars for new ones, but it’s more economical and independent to repair the rust instead. You just need to scrape off the rust, add a good primer, apply enough filler, and then paint over the spot to disguise it.
New Alternators
Alternators keep the battery charged and the electrical system functioning, so we’d say they’re pretty important. Your grandpa would too, and many of the older generation changed their own alternators by disconnecting the old ones from the belt and attaching a new one. You can do it, too!
Fixing Broken Tail Lights
Broken tail lights can get you pulled over by the police, so it’s best to fix them as soon as possible. If you do the job yourself, you’ll save time and money. You can access tail light bulbs via the trunk, unscrew them, and put fresh ones in their place.
Replacing Fuses
If you can fix blown fuses in a house, you can fix them on a car. All you need to do is get inside the fuse box and gently remove the broken fuse with a set of pliers or tweezers. Make sure you follow the car manual to properly replace the fuse.
Patching Up Dents
While dents typically only cause aesthetic damage, it’s still good to patch them up. Even better, you can do it without other help. The “plunger method” is recommended to suction out dents, but you can also use filler if they’re very bad.
Jump Start
Finally, while jump-starting a car may not be a typical “repair”, it’s a very important life skill that your grandfather will doubtless have mastered. With jumper cables and strict instructions, you can use one car’s battery to shock new life into another car’s dead battery.
