Some people consider it a rite of passage, having to pull over to the side of the road and change out a bust tire on their car, whereas others view it as a complete and utter inconvenience.
Where you stand on that issue most likely defines which side of the argument you fall down on when it comes to DIY car maintenance or sending your vehicle into the repair shop. Is one viewpoint superior to the other? Read on to find out.
Why You Should Use The Repair Shop
Expertise:Do you know what the quietest tires are for your car? Did you know that the spark plugs on your car are notoriously hard to remove and need a special tool? If the answer to either of these questions is no then you should be taking your car to the repair shop.
Nothing is as straight forward as it seems, so if you’re new to DIY and are relying on a few online tutorials and YouTube videos to fix your car, think again and leave it to the professionals. If anything goes wrong they have the expertise to make sure your car doesn’t end up on the scrap heap.
Safety: The average midsize car in the USA weighs around 3,000 pounds. Travelling at a speed of 70mph, that car would create, give or take, 491,810 foot pounds of energy and that could cause a hell of a lot of damage.
If there’s something major wrong with your car, take it in to the repair shop and get the professional to look at it. You don’t want to take a risk and do it yourself, because if you get it wrong, your car could cause a hell of a lot of damage to you and others.
Why You Should Consider DIY Maintenance
Confidence: Beyond the nitty-gritty, one of the biggest benefits you will get from carrying out your own car maintenance is a boost in confidence. It feels good to be able to take care of yourself and save money through your own ingenuity.
If you’re the type of person who has always had to ask others for help, start out small and see if you can replace the tire on your car or change the oil. It might be tough at first, but you will get to grips with it soon enough and the boost to your confidence will be well worth it.
(Online guides like this can show you how to safely and securely complete simple car maintenance tasks that will boost your finances and your confidence.)
Money: It costs an awful lot of money to take your car into the repair shop and if you’re not careful, you can fall foul of an unscrupulous mechanic who charges you more than you need to pay. If you learn how to maintain your car yourself, you’ll save plenty of money on the small tasks.
In addition to that, you’ll have a better understanding of how much things cost if you do need to take your car in to a mechanic. Knowledge is power after all.
In Conclusion
If you are a retired car mechanic or have experience working with tools and machines, then DIY maintenance is the best route for you. Conversely if money is no issue and you have a busy schedule, why not drop your car off at the repair shop?
If you’re neither of those extremes it’s a good idea to do a bit of both. For the small jobs like changing bulbs, changing tires and maybe even changing spark plugs – learn how to do them for yourself.
For the bigger jobs, the ones that are likely to significantly compromise the safety of your car, drive your car to the repair shop and hand it over to the professionals.