I wrote this post because I'm used to bringing my car to an auto body repair shop for any car service or repair, and since now I have more free time I wanted to share some knowledge on this subject. If you are interested in this article you probably fall into one of four categories of "under the bonnet" people:

  • you already feel comfortable under the bonnet and want to know how much more you can safely do.
  • you're pretty practical about other things and want to try your hand at this as well.
  • you're not very practical, but would like to learn how to be.
  • you have absolutely no idea, but would like to try anyway because car repairs have become so costly.

"There is no better insurance than the knowledge of how to do something the right way. There is no greater peace of mind than knowing you did it the right way."
― Jerry G. West

The scope of this article is not to tell you exactly what you can and can't repair yourself – there are plenty of those lists online, with practical and detailed instructions or you can just trade up for a new vehicle you can find online, if interested click this link to view the catalog. Once you have read this through, I hope you will come away with two certainties:

  • the confidence that you can do it.
  • a strategy and game plan about how to do it.

These principles can be applied to any DIY task – but let's focus on car repair for now.

The first issue is time. DIY takes time. You need to inform yourself. This takes time. You need to find the time to actually do it. This can take a lot of time, especially if it's the first time you are doing the task. You'll also be taking your life in your hands with some of these. I would advise you go to a professional for things like brake services for example. If you are handy anyway, a quick learner, and want to save money, DIY car repair is very "do-able". You might be a slow learner and a complete novice, but curious anyway. In this case, pace your DIY learning. Start on little tasks and use your mechanic for the essentials.

As the legendary Henry Ford said:

  • "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs"

Since he's smart and knows about cars, why not take his advice?

Armed with this attitude, here are some DIY car repair pointers:

  1. Be aware of what you can and can't safely do, and what you can actually do and can't do. There are a number of factors to consider here.
  • There are a lot of repairs you can't do, simply because as cars grow more sophisticated, only the dealerships have the necessary diagnostic equipment and right auto parts to do the automotive repair such as transmission repair.
  • How safe and easy is it? That depends on the kind of repair. Some of them including transmission repair or auto detailing like applying a Car Polymer Paint Sealant which require expert skills, but many can be done, simply because most cars are the same old nuts and bolts, anyway, and are pretty robust and difficult to damage seriously. The first step to overcoming this fear obstacle, is to have a clear idea of what can and can't safely be done. If you're going to use your toyota spare parts to change the original ones, it can be fairly easy.
  • Have a reliable, well thought out, timesaving plan and method
  • Overcome your pen-pushing, TV- watching inertia and apathy, and just make a start. The first step is the hardest when you believe you can't.

What you can safely do:

1.Tune-ups are "do-able", even for a novice. This is the best place to start, even if you go no further. You will definitely save some real money.

  1. There are a lot more specialised DIY repair jobs you can move onto, if you like the first part, want to learn more, and save more money.

How should you go about DIY car repair? This is your basic armature.

  1. Become very friendly with the internet and technology
  2. Have a plan

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A WORKABLE PLAN AND METHOD

  1. First familiarise yourself with the task by watching a "how to" video online, choose a teacher who is practical , friendly and helpful. If the first choice doesn't work for you, just move on- who will be offended anyway? The idea is to get comfortable with the task.
  1. Do a "task"- step by step search, and print it
  1. Make a list of all the tools you will need- choose the tools that you feel comfortable with handling, and are efficient. You will also need to educate yourself with the car parts you might need to replace such as hydraulic hoses.
  1. If there are any tricky bits, try using a forum to clarify the issue.
  1. Don't hesitate to refer to expert sources- including user/manufacturer manuals.
  1. Keep your smart phone/tablet handy with you as you work.
  1. Take a picture of the problem area in your car on your smartphone for a visual reference
  1. Be cautious, don't just guess; check on the facts and correct procedures.

The greatest thing about DIY is that it helps you discover your inner ruggedness and self-help capabilities . You are no longer a slave to the expert and neither is your wallet. That's the greatest feeling in the world. Any form of real freedom always is!

Consider this

Becoming a DIY person in any area is a learned skill, which almost anyone can do if they take it step by step. The "some people are just practical", in my opinion, is a myth. Maybe some people are "more" practical, but with your friends, the internet, and modern technology, anyone can learn how to be practical and enjoy themselves doing so; and if all else fails, visit dentsociety.com for expert help and reliable car repair solutions.

"Having someone do certain things for you is like getting someone to chew your food for you.

It might be easier to swallow but it loses all its flavor…

And you want the flavor!"
― Ze Frank

Go out and be a DIY person- claim your ruggedness, enjoy the flavour of life!