Above and beyond spare tires and oil changes...
July 30, 2018 1:47 AM
Recent automotive misadventure reveals, in full HD technicolor, abject ignorance re all things automotive. Can-do attitude + pathetic compensatory panic to "be a man" has since yielded I-can-handle-this mastery of two essential automotive skills (see question title). Subject now wants to know what other essential, useful, (relatively) easy-to-learn automotive skills to take on next
Anyone should be able to:
Check and maintain tire air pressure, including spare.
Be able to open the hood.
Check and fill fluids. Washer, radiator, oil, brake and steering.
Replace air filters, both engine and cabin.
Replace wipers.
Jump start the car with cables and another battery pak or car.
Replace the battery.
Check once in a while that the taillights all work.
Replace burned out light bulbs.
posted by Marky at 3:05 AM on July 30, 2018
Check and maintain tire air pressure, including spare.
Be able to open the hood.
Check and fill fluids. Washer, radiator, oil, brake and steering.
Replace air filters, both engine and cabin.
Replace wipers.
Jump start the car with cables and another battery pak or car.
Replace the battery.
Check once in a while that the taillights all work.
Replace burned out light bulbs.
posted by Marky at 3:05 AM on July 30, 2018
And for less common things, what I do is...
1. Google the symptoms, which almost always leads to an enthusiast bulletin board or YouTube video describing how to fix the problem.
2. If the fix (usually a parts replacement) looks simple, and the part is cheap, I'll do it myself, gambling that I've identified the problem correctly by not spending money on expert diagnostics.
3. If I was right about #2, I'm done, usually for less than $100 and an hour of my time.
4 If was wrong, or the repair looks way more complicated than I want to take on, or the part is expensive enough that gambling on my YouTube enabled diagnosis seems like a bad bet, take it to my trusty local mechanic.
I've probably saved thousands in repair costs over the years, and I got over 200K miles out of my last car.
posted by COD at 5:17 AM on July 30, 2018
1. Google the symptoms, which almost always leads to an enthusiast bulletin board or YouTube video describing how to fix the problem.
2. If the fix (usually a parts replacement) looks simple, and the part is cheap, I'll do it myself, gambling that I've identified the problem correctly by not spending money on expert diagnostics.
3. If I was right about #2, I'm done, usually for less than $100 and an hour of my time.
4 If was wrong, or the repair looks way more complicated than I want to take on, or the part is expensive enough that gambling on my YouTube enabled diagnosis seems like a bad bet, take it to my trusty local mechanic.
I've probably saved thousands in repair costs over the years, and I got over 200K miles out of my last car.
posted by COD at 5:17 AM on July 30, 2018
(I mean, since you have learned how to get a tire off then back on it seems to me that DIY’ing a brake pad replacement is the next level up. Next step after that is flushing your brake lines, but you’re not ready for that yet)
posted by nikaspark at 5:34 AM on July 30, 2018
posted by nikaspark at 5:34 AM on July 30, 2018
On replacing bulbs.... maybe. I remember beginning to try to figure out how to replace a headlight bulb in my Toyota Celica, and being mystified about how to begin. So feeling defeated and stupid, I took it to the dealer, and there I stood and watched not one but two Toyota technicians spend 40 minutes and shed some blood fixing it. Was glad I didn't get far in my attempt.
posted by smcameron at 6:48 AM on July 30, 2018
posted by smcameron at 6:48 AM on July 30, 2018
Yeah, be aware the bulb replacement on some models is more involved.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 7:14 AM on July 30, 2018
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 7:14 AM on July 30, 2018
Learning how to read and use a Chilton/Haynes manual is invaluable.
posted by humboldt32 at 8:55 AM on July 30, 2018
posted by humboldt32 at 8:55 AM on July 30, 2018
YouTube is the place! I recently changed out all the bulbs in my instrument cluster, and I feel so accomplished! Just being able to trouble-shoot problems makes a big difference. Once again I go to YouTube to get the scoop on weird noises, etc. That way I don't feel like such a doofus when I do have to go to a repair place.
posted by PJMoore at 9:28 AM on July 30, 2018
posted by PJMoore at 9:28 AM on July 30, 2018
Marky: "Replace the battery.
Replace burned out light bulbs."
Note that on a lot of new cars these items are major operations involving removing body panels.
posted by Mitheral at 10:35 AM on July 30, 2018
Replace burned out light bulbs."
Note that on a lot of new cars these items are major operations involving removing body panels.
posted by Mitheral at 10:35 AM on July 30, 2018
Does your car have an accessible fuse box? Learn how to troubleshoot and change fuses.
Sometimes it's not the bulb!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 11:09 AM on July 30, 2018
Sometimes it's not the bulb!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 11:09 AM on July 30, 2018
Car repairs totally suck (unless you are a car person) because cars are meant to go together and not come back apart and they've been value-engineered where the chips and clips are so chintzy - and you need specialized tools or tiny hands - but I agree that YouTube is the place to start. Same advice for laptop computers really.
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:32 AM on July 30, 2018
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:32 AM on July 30, 2018
The biggest maintenance hurdle is home ownership, 'cause having a roof over your head is sort of a requirement for a lot of what follows here....
Most car repairs are do-it-once-every-5-years type of things, so it's not like developing proficiency in any one thing is going to help. What's important is just being stubborn and brave enough to take on stuff that seems incredibly overwhelming on first blush.
Fact of the matter is, with the internet, everything short of HIGHLY specialized (e.g. engine rebuilds) is pretty doable. Any sufficiently motivated 16 year old can pick up a bunch of tools, go to an enthusiast forum, and figure out how to replace a timing belt or a transmission. As a grown-ass man, you've got the advantage of literacy and the ability to be meticulous and you can legally buy the beer necessary for problem solving. Your only disadvantage is that you're probably less willing to suffer.
Buy the factory service manuals. Find the right forums. Track down the factory parts diagrams online. Get a laptop and find a bootlegged version of the dealer service software. After that, it's just like following a recipe. Get some blue painter's tape and label both sides of wiring harnesses when you take them apart. Take lots of pictures. Lay things out nearly in the order they were removed. Remember that putting it back together again is almost always easier than taking it apart. Be not afraid: I've never had to have something towed away to a professional because I botched it.
Oh, and get the right tools for the job. The money you save doing your own repairs very quickly bankrolls some major investments. I saved around $2000 doing a single job last weekend. That'd buy you a great floor jack, jack stands, hand tools and, hell, probably an air compressor and a bunch of air tools.
posted by woof at 11:32 AM on July 30, 2018
Most car repairs are do-it-once-every-5-years type of things, so it's not like developing proficiency in any one thing is going to help. What's important is just being stubborn and brave enough to take on stuff that seems incredibly overwhelming on first blush.
Fact of the matter is, with the internet, everything short of HIGHLY specialized (e.g. engine rebuilds) is pretty doable. Any sufficiently motivated 16 year old can pick up a bunch of tools, go to an enthusiast forum, and figure out how to replace a timing belt or a transmission. As a grown-ass man, you've got the advantage of literacy and the ability to be meticulous and you can legally buy the beer necessary for problem solving. Your only disadvantage is that you're probably less willing to suffer.
Buy the factory service manuals. Find the right forums. Track down the factory parts diagrams online. Get a laptop and find a bootlegged version of the dealer service software. After that, it's just like following a recipe. Get some blue painter's tape and label both sides of wiring harnesses when you take them apart. Take lots of pictures. Lay things out nearly in the order they were removed. Remember that putting it back together again is almost always easier than taking it apart. Be not afraid: I've never had to have something towed away to a professional because I botched it.
Oh, and get the right tools for the job. The money you save doing your own repairs very quickly bankrolls some major investments. I saved around $2000 doing a single job last weekend. That'd buy you a great floor jack, jack stands, hand tools and, hell, probably an air compressor and a bunch of air tools.
posted by woof at 11:32 AM on July 30, 2018
Great answers so far. Keep them coming!
Nobody has mentioned spark plugs. Aren't they something that needs changing?
posted by BadgerDoctor at 12:46 PM on July 30, 2018
Nobody has mentioned spark plugs. Aren't they something that needs changing?
posted by BadgerDoctor at 12:46 PM on July 30, 2018
Nobody mentioned putting gas in the car either. They both need to be done.
Of course the Chilton manual would tell you this, how to, and how often.
posted by humboldt32 at 4:09 PM on July 30, 2018
Of course the Chilton manual would tell you this, how to, and how often.
posted by humboldt32 at 4:09 PM on July 30, 2018
Yes, spark plugs are a wear item. But the newer the car the less often they need to be replaced. For some vehicles, they're easy. For others, well, not so much.
Spark plug wires sometimes need changing. See also distributor cap and rotor and the ignition coil (or coil packs for distributorless engines). I've also replaced the air filter, air intake sensor, the intake boot, the PCV valve and hoses, drained and filled the coolant, replaced the coolant temp sensor, the (mechanical) thermostat. I also repaired the horn contact mechanism with foam and electrical tape (car has no airbags).
I bought a decent jack and stands, but I'm too chicken to use them. Whatever you do, protect your hands. Also, 10 mm sockets and wrenches, stock up. (For general automotive fascination and learning by osmosis, if you don't mind the culture, Just Rolled Into The Shop on reddit is a personal favorite. I know, but it is educational for the what not to do. This might help you feel better about the oops at the pump.)
Haynes manuals are easier to understand than Chilton, if they have one for your car. Or cultivate an interest in car repair videos. I love Eric the Car Guy. The earlier videos are more informative about practical repair, but he's getting back to it after drifting away for a while.
posted by monopas at 9:09 PM on July 30, 2018
Spark plug wires sometimes need changing. See also distributor cap and rotor and the ignition coil (or coil packs for distributorless engines). I've also replaced the air filter, air intake sensor, the intake boot, the PCV valve and hoses, drained and filled the coolant, replaced the coolant temp sensor, the (mechanical) thermostat. I also repaired the horn contact mechanism with foam and electrical tape (car has no airbags).
I bought a decent jack and stands, but I'm too chicken to use them. Whatever you do, protect your hands. Also, 10 mm sockets and wrenches, stock up. (For general automotive fascination and learning by osmosis, if you don't mind the culture, Just Rolled Into The Shop on reddit is a personal favorite. I know, but it is educational for the what not to do. This might help you feel better about the oops at the pump.)
Haynes manuals are easier to understand than Chilton, if they have one for your car. Or cultivate an interest in car repair videos. I love Eric the Car Guy. The earlier videos are more informative about practical repair, but he's getting back to it after drifting away for a while.
posted by monopas at 9:09 PM on July 30, 2018
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Replacing a windscreen wiper
Replacing a bulb
Jump-starting a car
Knowing what tyre-wear patterns to look out for (e.g. under-inflated, misaligned, needs replacing, etc)
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:03 AM on July 30, 2018