Explore the advantages of DIY car maintenance with our insightful guide. Learn how working on your own vehicle saves money and empowers car owners.
When you bought your first car, you probably only thought about using it as a tool to get to and from places. After all, most people don’t have a deep interest in vehicles. They don’t really care about things like the engine and tuning it because all they need from the car is that it can drive them from point A to point B.
But did you know that, much like many things in life, learning more about the things you use on a regular basis comes with tangible benefits? This couldn’t be more true when it comes to vehicles. So let’s embark on a journey of discovery and talk about some of the benefits you can expect when you learn to work on your own vehicle.
What does it mean to work on your vehicle?
Working on your vehicle can mean many different things. In fact, there’s a whole range of activities that can be considered when working on your vehicle. From practical things that anyone can do to more technical modifications, there’s a whole range of things you can learn.
Preventative maintenance is the most common thing to learn
In terms of time investment and benefits you can expect, learning about and performing preventative maintenance is probably one of the best investments you can make as a vehicle owner. A proactive approach like this can extend the lifespan of your car and significantly reduce the chances of a costly repair later in the future.
Once you familiarize yourself with basic maintenance tasks like oil changes and fluid checks, your vehicle will be in much better shape than before, and you won’t need to take it to a mechanic as often. This is important regardless of how much you drive and should be a skill that all vehicle owners have at least some knowledge of.
So if you’re tired of always calling a friend or professional when your car has problems, don’t be afraid to learn a bit about preventative maintenance. It empowers you with essential knowledge that will save you a lot of time and money; it promotes safety; and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing how to fix your vehicle in a pinch.
Car repairs and restoration can help you save a lot of money
Another reason to work on your own vehicle is for the sake of car repairs and restoration. While we all hope that we’re never in an accident, there might come a time when you cause a bit of damage to your vehicle. Maybe someone else bumped into your vehicle; perhaps you accidentally hit a curb; or you could even get into a full-on accident. Either way, knowing how to perform small repairs can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Typically, this starts with some troubleshooting. Diagnosing and fixing issues such as overheating, poor performance, or even strange noises can help you get a better idea of what’s going on with your vehicle. After that, you could learn about electrical repairs, such as fixing your battery or the electronic control units. Later, you could look at other parts, such as the suspension, transmission repairs, and so on.
You could even consider bodywork and restorations. Maybe you or someone you know has an old vehicle that could do with a bit of fixing up. You could even create custom car builds and save money on repairs and upgrades in the future. There’s a lot you can do with your car, and it’s all down to your skill level and imagination.
There’s a lot to learn about vehicles due to all of the individual components, so it’s natural to feel overwhelmed at first. But if you work on projects one by one and focus on learning new skills, you’ll be an expert before you know it.
Upgrades and modifications offer advanced tweaking options
Now we’re getting into the more technical side of working on your vehicle. The main purpose of car upgrades and modifications is to change how your vehicle works. You can do simple upgrades, such as installing a new speaker system or adding entertainment packages for your passengers. This is great for family vehicles or if you want to boost the quality of your car speakers. However, you can get a lot more technical with your upgrades as well.
For instance, performance enhancements can change how your car runs. If you’re familiar with concepts like horsepower, torque, and handling, then you can modify these variables by making changes to the vehicle itself. Do note that this will likely void your engine’s warranty. Car manufacturers often state that any modification to their components that is not approved will void the warranty. This is to prevent people from modifying their vehicles and potentially breaking them.
So while car upgrades and modifications can alter the way your vehicle works, it’s important to remember that this should be reserved for more experienced drivers and mechanics.
As you can see, working on your vehicle covers a lot of different skill sets and areas of your car. You don’t have to specialize in everything, but it helps to have a bit of knowledge on all of the different components of your vehicle so you can at least diagnose a problem.
Why working on your vehicle is such a good investment
So now that we know what “working on your vehicle” consists of, let’s dive into some of the biggest reasons why people do it and the benefits you can expect.
Personalizing your car
Lots of people enjoy making their cars unique with custom paint jobs, components, and tuning. Perhaps you absolutely love your vehicle and want to get the most out of it, or maybe you just want to stand out from other people on the road. No matter your reasoning, personalizing your vehicle is a great way to express yourself through it.
Doing your own car repairs
Car repairs can be costly due to the expertise and time required to fix something. Thankfully, you can save a lot of this money by simply doing your own car repairs. From a new Tundra exhaust to individual nuts and bolts, you can find all of the parts you need on the internet. While it might be a little expensive, it’s ultimately a fraction of the cost that you’d pay a mechanic. Just remember that this is an investment, and it’ll take some time before you start seeing savings.
Increasing resale value
By taking care of your vehicle, you can actually hold its resale value higher than what it normally would go for. Aftermarket repairs and upgrades often carry over into the final resale value of a car, and many vehicles sell for much more if they’re taken care of. The better condition your vehicle is in, the more you’ll get for it in the future if you decide to trade up for a newer car.
Saving money on maintenance
One of the big reasons to do your own car maintenance is to save money. There are loads of simple changes and upgrades that you can make to your vehicle that will save you a lot of money over a long period of time. Initially, it’ll feel expensive since you have to invest in the tools, parts, and other materials needed to perform repairs. However, as you get more accustomed to it and learn more, you’ll find that it’s quick, easy, and even therapeutic to work on your vehicle.
Improving vehicle performance
Understanding your vehicle opens you up to performance enhancement. A lot of people mistake this for simply making your car go faster, but that’s rarely the point. Car performance affects a lot of things, such as better handling, improved braking, or even better fuel economy. There are loads of positive changes that you can make to your vehicle to improve performance, leading to cost savings and a longer average lifespan for your vehicle.
Learning about vehicles
Vehicles are complex machines, but with a bit of effort, you can learn a lot about how vehicles work, what the components do, and how they come together to form a complete machine. This knowledge not only helps you with car maintenance and repairs but could potentially lead to a new career or hobby.
In Conclusion
Since buying your first car, you’ve probably learned a lot about your vehicle through experience, reading, and maybe watching videos. You’ll naturally learn more about your vehicle as you use it, so even if you’re not purposely trying to learn about your vehicle, you’ll pick up on some knowledge that can make it easier and cheaper to run your vehicle.
But if you invest just a little more time and effort into your vehicle, you’ll find it surprisingly easy to perform repairs, upgrade your vehicle, and do preventative maintenance, which will save you lots of money and time in the future. It’s one of the best investments you can make as a car owner, and there are a plethora of resources on the internet that will help you get started.
