DIY repair is deeply ingrained into the car community as a whole. Wrenching on your own car used to be the norm for enthusiasts. Granted, things were very different back then. Cars were simpler, and people more eager to engage in some good old problem-solving. These days things are slightly different. Cars are much more complicated, which prevents DIYers from fixing certain car parts easily, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to wrench on your ride. Here are some DIY tips that will help you save thousands and get you started as a do-it-yourself mechanic!
Working on Your Own Car – How Hard Is It?
Wrenching on a car is requires more effort than it used to. That much is obvious. For one, motors have become much more complex with all kinds of electronic aids standing in for what used to be purely mechanical systems. More importantly, there’s less room in an average engine bay. If you take a late ’80s 3-Series BMW, you’ll find loads of space when you pop the hood. Every part of the engine is right there, easy to reach and work on.
A brand new 3-Series is a whole different beast in this regard. Everything’s under plastic covers, and even after you take them off, you’ll still be lucky to stick your hand in there without hitting something.
All that being said, there’s still plenty you can work on in your car by yourself. Besides, not all modern vehicles are the same, and some will allow you to reach deep enough into the engine bay without removing the whole engine.
Start Small and Work Your Way Up!
One of the coolest things about wrenching on your car is that everything you do saves you money, no matter how easy it is. Because of that, most pros recommend that brand new DIYers start with simple things.
Many of us see cars as this machine that either works or doesn’t. In reality, cars are comprised of various fairly independent systems. While it might be unrealistic to expect a complete newbie to install racing cams, it’s not so farfetched to have them change the engine oil.
If you’re just starting, and are still learning about cars, start small. Things such as oil changes, coolant flushes, brake jobs (you can read more about How to Change Brake Pads here!), are all easy to do on just about any vehicle out there. However, don’t always expect a smooth ride all the way through!
Expecting the Unexpected
If there’s one DIY tip we can give you, it’s to expect the unexpected. The moment you pick up a wrench and start working on a car, you’re entering the world governed by Murphy’s Laws.
Oh, you want to flush the oil? Too bad the last lube tech to touch your car has torqued the oil drain plug way over the specified limit. Good luck forcing that thing open without a cheater or breaker bar you can’t even use under the car due to the lack of clearance. Situations like these happen all the time, and it’s important not to give up when they do.
Patience is key. Every problem has a solution, and all you need to do is find it. Working on cars improves your problem-solving skills as much as it improves your skills as a mechanic.
Get to Know Your Car
Working on a car comes with a few prerequisites. One of them being the familiarity with how the car works and what systems are involved in making it work. Learn about the engine, transmission, braking system, cooling system, suspension, and more. Find out how these things work in principle. This basic knowledge that can be obtained in a matter of days is essential.
Find a Mentor to Help You with Larger Repairs
Information is easily accessible today. The advent of the internet has allowed us to exchange knowledge and learn new things with a press of a button. If you think about it, all of us carry the sum of all human knowledge in our pockets.
With that said, nothing can replace the 1 on 1 mentorship. Especially when working on cars. When you have a mentor at your side, things are much easier. Finding a mentor isn’t all too difficult, either. The chances are that you have that one car nut in your group of friends who will be more than eager to help you learn. If not, you can always look for one in your local car enthusiast community. If there’s one thing car enthusiasts love to do, it’s to talk about cars.
Reach out to people, and you’re almost guaranteed to find a mentor who will help you transition into a real DIY mechanic.
Have the Right Tools for the Job
A massive part of being able to do any job is having the right tools by your side. If you talk to any mechanic or automotive tech, they’ll tell you that their tools are probably the most important thing in their shop. So much so that some technicians invest massive sums on a good toolset, knowing that it’s literally the main prerequisite for getting anything done.
Don’t get discouraged, though. You won’t have to invest a massive amount of money into tools to wrench on your vehicle. What you are going to need is a basic set of tools. A few specific items will come up more often than others, such as the notorious 10mm socket that has become a meme by now.
Metric or SAE?
Tools come in two types – metric and SAE. Metric tools use the metric system, while standard tools use the standard imperial system with fractional measurements. Wrenching on European cars means that you’ll likely have to use metric tools as that’s what most European manufacturers use when building cars. That being said, you might also end up needing SAE. We generally recommend a mix of both.
Besides socket wrenches, you’ll need screwdrivers Torx and hex bit sets, needle nose pliers, lineman’s pliers, and more. Listing out every tool out there would take too long. The best way to go about building your toolbox is to decide on a project, say a brake job, and then figuring out which tools you’ll need to get it done.
As time goes by, your toolset will improve and evolve, just like you. Oh, and make sure to have zip ties, plenty of zip ties. You’ll end up needing them a lot, that’s a guarantee!
Find the Right Manual
Workshop manuals are the cornerstones of DIY mechanical work. You’ll only be able to do as much as your manual offers information on. You can find two types of workshop manuals: the factory issued manuals and the 3rd party manuals.
Factory Issued Manuals
Factory auto repair manuals are the holy grail. These are often sold or issued to dealership technicians during their training and involve every bit of information on a specific car. Finding these manuals is often hard or impossible.
Some car manufacturers are very strict on the dissemination of this type of info, while others have strong safeguards that prevent copying of said manuals. However, we do get lucky from time to time. If you’re out there looking for a workshop manual, make sure to search for the factory issued one first. If nothing comes up, there are always the 3rd party manuals.
3rd Party Auto Repair Manuals
The lack of official workshop manuals didn’t prevent the DIY community from thriving. Several companies, most notably Haynes, have stepped in to fill the void with quality automotive manuals. Granted, these don’t offer as much depth as the official ones do, but Haynes will generally cover most of the issues an average owner could run into.
Best of all, manuals from companies such as Haynes are relatively cheap. Getting one is a small investment that will make working on your car much, much easier.
Types of DIY Jobs and Hot to Approach Them
There are several tiers of work you can perform on your car. It’s a gradient scale of sorts, which is excellent since progressive overload is the best way to grow almost any skill out there. We’ll cover the basics first and then move into the more serious stuff later on.
Basic Tier Maintenance
Basic tier maintenance involves staying on top of fluid changes, filter changes, and similar. This is the type of DIY job that will save you from going to your local lube shop. Some of the actual maintenance jobs in this segment include the following:
- Oil Changes – Performing an oil change is one of the most common types of car maintenance jobs while also the easiest. It requires knowing how much oil your car takes, getting a good quality oil like Motul, or whatever your car’s manual requires an oil filter, and an oil drain pan. This job alone will save you anywhere from $20-$50 or more depending on who’s billing the work hours.
- Air Filter Replacement – Swapping the air filter is another essential maintenance task you can do at your home’s comfort. The filter itself is easily accessible on most cars, although some vehicle models have it buried under a bunch of plastics. Either way, since it’s a part of the intake system, it can’t be too inaccessible by default. Doing it yourself is another $30-$50 in labor costs you’ve just saved.
- Coolant Flush – Flushing the coolant is something everyone should occasionally do, no matter what type of antifreeze you use. It’s another simple job that is sometimes vehicle-specific, so make sure to consult your owner’s manual. That’s at least $50 saved while you might save up to $100 if you’re doing the flush in a dealership.
- Brake Pad Replacement – Brake pads wear out over time and need to be replaced periodically. It’s an interesting DIY job that is simple to do. Many shops will tell you it’s their bread and butter since everyone has to do it. Most shops charger around $100, sometimes per axle. That’s a significant saving right there.
Advanced Tier Maintenance
By now, you’ve probably realized that that labor prices increase with the complexity of the job. More advanced maintenance such as timing belt replacement, suspension work, alternator or starter motor replacement, all cost a lot in labor but are entirely doable at home. Once you’ve made yourself comfortable with the basic stuff, you’ll feel confident enough to tackle some of these higher tier jobs.
By now, you’ll already have the manuals, the tools, the mentorship, and the experience necessary. Completing that first big repair will make you feel like you’re on the top of the world, and rightfully so!
Bodywork and Paintwork?
If there’s one way to give your car a fresh look, it’s to work on its paint job. It’s absolutely possible to do minor repairs at home, but keep in mind that doing so will require specialized tools. The same goes for bodywork. Then again, cars with imperfect paint or a few banged up panels are often sold well under the average asking price. Getting such a car and fixing it up could be a perfect way to save or even earn some money.
Find the Best Source of Quality Spare Parts
The only way DIY work pays off is if you have a good source of quality parts. Here at eEuroparts.com, we’ve built our entire business around the DIY community. As such, our products are priced in such a way that you’re always getting the best bang for your buck.
We offer a wide range of Genuine, OEM, and aftermarket parts that you can rely on. Head over to our online store, input your car’s year, make and model, and our system will show you all of the parts that match your vehicle. Feel free to get in contact with us if you have any questions. We’re standing by to offer any help that will turn you into a better DIY mechanic!
With the money I save on DIY repairs, I usually buy new tools or upgrade the ones I have. It allows me to do even more on my cars as time goes on. It is also very easy to be intimidated by some repairs but once you get into them, most are not that bad. I find the forums that are specific to the car I am working on can be a huge help when repairs are being made. But are also like most of the internet – be objective to what you read as there are some times you can be misdirected by well-meaning DIY’ers that may not fully understand the issues you are having diagnosing a problem.
An important note here should be safety, but there’s nothing mentioned about it. As a professional, I can tell you safety is critical when working on vehicles at home.
Using the correct rated jackstands, and jacks is important. Wearing safety glasses when using air/ power tools when debris could be flung into your face is important. Wearing gloves when dealing with A/C lines, which should be evacuated beforehand by a professional is imperitive. Under no circumstances should R135A or “freon” should be released into the atmosphere.
And having a workshop manual may be handy, but what you “do it yourselfers” dont know is that, manuals are only half of it. There are also required classes and training resources that manuals only compliment. There is always going to be a “special tool” that your not going to have access to, so planning ahead before a teardown is important.
Enjoy yourselves, and stay safe.
Excellent comment, thanks Nathan. Never cut corners with safety. I also use safety glasses and gloves with even the simple jobs, and I let the pros evac the AC every time. And after once watching a hasty friend drop a car without a jack stand, I made sure it never happened to me. Another thing to be sure that you know ahead of time are safety procedures like tightening suspension and lugs under load, and having a fire extinguisher handy if you ever deal with an open gas line, like when changing a fuel filter.
eEuroparts has great repair videos and links to “how-to” photo journals. I replaced the tailgate piston with one such photo journal that my local mechanic said use a stick. Also, replaced rear wiper motor, and that mechanic said all the plastic covers over the rear door latch ar broken. I didn’t break the plastic, but did replace the mechanic. Also, a nifty fix for the SAAB wheel well rust spot is spray polyurethane insulation, bondo, and NAPA exact patch paint. Next project is the cabin filter.
Nathan’s comment about manuals being half the story is correct. In my opinion though manuals are a must if you’re committed to performing effective repairs with a minimum of damage (which is likely to happen during your learning curve). After 48 years of DIY repairs I can say it will be one of the best investments you can make. Get the factory manual(s) and any aftermarket manuals available.
One other plus to DIY is that often you will save down time. Oil and filter changes take less time than driving somewhere and waiting for the service to be done. Repair shops frequently keep a vehicle for days when you could have finished much sooner.
Get a spiral bound pack of 3×5 cars and keep a logbook of date, mileage and notes on the repairs you do. It will give you a useful measure of how your vehicle is doing and highlight problem areas.
Good luck and don’t be intimidated. Like any other skill worth learning it will be slow at first, but eventually you’ll become a mechanical genius!
I’m 57 yrs old and am 2 years into the ownership of my first Saab – a 2003 9-3 SE convertible. I bought it knowing that I’d be working on it from time to time. I HATE paying someone else to do a simple job that I can do myself, so I’ve built quite a long list of tools in my garage. The basic tools mentioned above will certainly help you do the simple jobs. As you gain confidence and experience, you may find yourself tackling jobs that are more intermediate in nature, and that’s when you have to buy or borrow some more specialty tools. Here’s a few that I would recommend:
– Gear pullers: good for pulling gears and separating ball joints. You can usually rent or borrow one.
– Torque wrench: You’ll need this for many intermediate jobs, and SHOULD use one every time you remove and install a wheel on your car. Lug bolts should be torqued to proper specs! You can rent or borrow a torque wrench, but personal experience has taught me to have my own, and they aren’t too expensive.
– Pry bars: Get yourself a 12″ and an 18″ pry bar. They’ll come in handy in a wide variety of ways.
– Battery charger: You might not think of this as a “tool”, but when you try to start your car and realize that your battery is dead, it is a tool that will pay for itself in one use. And again, they’re not too expensive.
– Air compressor: Use it to air up tires, blow dirt off of grimy parts, or to power any impact tools you may wish to add to your collection. A small-capacity one is usually more than enough for a DIYer’s garage.
Best of success in your DIY projects!!
Great article Sam, brought back many memories. Wa-a-y back in the day I picked up my first SAAB, a 1974 99LE. I was dirt poor, working hourly type jobs then but wanted to SAAB and when one came along, sold to me by a coworker who I trusted, I pulled out all the stops and snagged it for $800. And so it began.
Ultimately I drove it for 7 years. Bought 2 other parts cars for $350 from another guy who grew tired of ‘making a second career trying to keep them running’. Had the help of an older guy, also a SAABer, who taught me how to change a water pump, rack and pinion, replace a head gasket. Since it was before there was an internet I also had a very worn Haynes manual (or 2) and of course NINES.
But too many Sunday afternoons trying to regain the ability to drive to work Monday morning (sometimes outside in brutal NE winter conditions), too many nights out worrying if the thing would overheat, or get warm inside, hoping my date had a sense of humor, led me to sell it (or give it away, I forget now) to a local family with boys getting ready to drive.
Leap ahead 20 years or so and a half dozen other cars and I’m in a much better financial situation (credit to SAAB for instilling patience and perseverance), and still I wanted a SAAB so I returned to a local dealer now defunct, New Salem SAAB, and hopefully returned all the favors they did for me back then by buying a (then) new 2002 9-5 Aero sedan, which I’m still driving 215K miles later. And if it’s going to take more than an hour of my time to fix, I take it to a local Indy.
So, not exactly a ringing endorsement I guess of the DIY spirit, but actually I mean it to be. Having that knowledge (and those tools) makes me a more independent car owner and ultimately a better member of the driving community. Everyone should DIY.