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Lots of people would like to know how to repair their own car, whether to save money on repairs, help your car to hold its value, or just to understand the workings of the car a little better. There will always be times when you need a professional, but there are ways to learn the basics yourself.
Don’t be Intimidated by Car Repairs
For some people, repairing a car can seem like a very daunting task. Taking a quick glance under the hood is enough to have most people running to their nearest mechanic, instead of trying to solve the problem themselves.
Of course, beginners should never attempt to make any complicated car repairs such as fixing engine problems themselves and should have a proper car service instead. This can be both dangerous and end up costing you more in the long run. However, if you can learn some basic car maintenance and know-how to repair some common issues, these are useful skills to have. It will also reduce expensive visits to mechanics for things like having the oil, spark plugs or battery changed.
Start Learning Basic Car Repair Skills
A total beginner will need to start from scratch and this can be scary. The best way to learn is to get under the hood and take a ‘hands on’ approach. If you have friends or family who often carry out their own car repairs, ask to join them and help out. Learning by doing is one of the fastest and most effective ways of getting to grips with the basics. Ask to help with common maintenance techniques and to fix basic engine problems and these skills will soon become second nature.
Carry Out Car Repair Research on the Internet
Just about anything can be found by searching the internet, and car repairs are no different. There are plenty of specialised websites that cover car repairs and maintenance, and just as many YouTube videos. These sites and videos give step by step tutorials, easy to follow videos and forums where beginners to repairs can ask questions and get advice about specific repairs. The advice is usually in-depth, easy to understand and is a very affordable, if not free, way to learn basic and even some more complicated car repair skills.
Learn Car Maintenance through Local Colleges
Night classes or part-time day classes at a local college are an effective and inexpensive way to learn some of the basic skills in car maintenance and repair. Colleges will teach their students the basics up to some more advanced skill levels. Technical colleges will have well-equipped workshops and will be set up to teach you the practical skills you need rather than only the theory. Searching on the internet should help you to find courses in local areas in vehicle repair and maintenance. Part-time car maintenance courses could include working towards a diploma or just be for fun.
Learn By Reading the Car Manuals
Car manuals that are by companies such as Haynes are one of the most popular and common ways to learn some car maintenance and repair skills. Car manuals can be found for any type of car and should include a step by step guide to all sorts of common engine and bodywork issues. Companies like Haynes also often supply accompanying DVDs that act as a visual guide for simpler learning. The big bonus of this method is that you can take as much time as you need when learning your new skills. Some car manufacturers will also supply manuals and common troubleshooting problems on their company websites.
Rent Garage Space and Tools to Conduct Repairs
A lot of car garages now rent out some of their workshop space and tools to customers for very low prices. The equipment that is available for hire might include ramps to lift cars and any of the tools needed to carry out basic jobs. At least a basic level of car maintenance skills will be required to do this. When you compare the cost of hiring space against the prices charged by mechanics for simple jobs this could be a good deal.
With the average cost of car repairs going up all the time, it is cost-effective to learn some basic car repair skills. Once these skills have been learned they can last you forever and could majorly cut the cost of maintaining your car. With self-service garage space and tools available to rent it has never been easier to put those newly acquired repair skills into use.
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