Automobile DIY work that everyone should do (1 Viewer)

[FreeBaGeL]

It's super easy (barely an inconvenience)

Oh really?

 

[Ron Swanson]

I need a tire patched at least twice a year. This past weekend was the first time I watched the mechanic do the patch. It was super easy. I paid $30 and then later that day saw Wal Mart has a pack of five for like $6. I'm kind of ok paying $30 just to make sure it is done right, but it also looked like it would be hard to do it wrong and mess something up so maybe I should give it a try next time.

Cabin air filters and engine air filters are easy on my cars, so I always do that myself. Jiffy Lube charges twice as much as an auto parts store. They don't charge labor, but they just seem to overprice their filters. Wipers are the same way.

It's annoying how difficult it is to get to bulbs on most cars, but I was able to do brake lights on my 2005 Highlander recently because they were easily accessible. Of course, I bought the wrong bulbs at first and had to go back, but I did it all myself!

I think my Acura needs a new evap purge valve. YouTube videos make it look easy, but I'm nervous that I'd mess something up. I lack the confidence to do this type of stuff.

A friend of mine changed the brakes (pads and rotors) on my car recently. He has a whole set up in his garage. I just watched. Didn't look that hard, but I don't have the equipment for that and, again, I lack the confidence.

I think your tire was plugged...patches require removing the tire from the rim and applying the patch from the inside. They aren't particularly complicated and are very safe if done correctly but some what laborious and require tire removal and remounting equipment. Plugs are jabbed in from the outside. They work in a pinch but I don't like them a ton long term

I'd rather change brakes than do an oil change. I just don't like dealing with the used oil hassle. When I was a kid my dad used to use it to "paint" railroad tie curbs we had with it but in 2025 that seems like low grade pollution...

But yet you want to write your own will with an online form??!!

Kinda the same reason. Trying to avoid the greasiness.

 

[Jayrod]

I have been doing our brakes for like 10 years now.

I've done an F150 alternator, F150 starter, VW coils and Acura spark plugs.

Did like 2 oil changes but for the cost it just isn't worth the hassle. The place I buy tires from does free rotations, so I've never done those.

I usually poke around when things go wrong on my own to see if I can handle it.

 

[AAABatteries]

Do most of my own stuff except water pumps etc.

I replaced a water pump once. Huge PITA and made me realize a desk job was probably best for me.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I've considered looking into whether or not my local community college has a basic auto mechanic class.

I don't know if there are any near you, but VoTech schools are another option. I used to take my vehicle to one, but that's been 3 decades or more ago and I don't know if it's still a thing.

 

[dgreen]

I've considered looking into whether or not my local community college has a basic auto mechanic class.

I don't know if there are any near you, but VoTech schools are another option. I used to take my vehicle to one, but that's been 3 decades or more ago and I don't know if it's still a thing.

Actually, I meant a class for me to attend and learn about cars. The HS near me has an auto mechanic class that will work on cars, but I think you have to be willing to leave it with them for a while. I’ve never tried that.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

In my years of driving I have learned as many as 6 things I trust myself to do.

Pump my own gas
Add windshield washer fluid
Add a quart of oil
Add air to a tire
Wash the car
Not fall asleep behind the wheel

 

[arrow1]

I was a certified tire technician back in the day. Mounted and patched hundreds of tires. These days there are a ton of places that do it for free or minimal charge, I will not patch tires.

You know anything about riding lawnmower tires?

I have a John Deere X700 and one of the back tires has a really slow leak. Wasn't sure if I could blow some fix-a-flat in there and see if it works.

I have a similar model JD and I did just that. Fix-a-flat worked great.

 

[beer 30]

In my years of driving I have learned as many as 6 things I trust myself to do.

Pump my own gas
Add windshield washer fluid
Add a quart of oil
Add air to a tire
Wash the car
Not fall asleep behind the wheel

Mans gots to know his limitations

 

[nirad3]

In my years of driving I have learned as many as 6 things I trust myself to do.

Pump my own gas
Add windshield washer fluid
Add a quart of oil
Add air to a tire
Wash the car
Not fall asleep behind the wheel

This would be me, and for awhile there I was even able to replace the wipers, but then I heard that O'Reilly's puts them on for you at the store when you buy them there. Might as well have them do it.

I remember helping a buddy do an oil change on his first car back in HS. It took us hours and it just resulted in us being sweaty and dirty/greasy. I mean, why?

 

[the moops]

I've considered looking into whether or not my local community college has a basic auto mechanic class.

I knew a guy who "volunteered" at his mechanics shop. Did some grunt and office stuff, in exchange the mechanic showed him a a bunch of stuff and let him help him fix some stuff.

Always thought that would be a cool option for a lot of stuff. Like pay your plumber an extra couple hundred bucks and instead of just fixing whatever, he shows and explains to you. Or same with a bike mechanic, or electrician, or whoever

 

[Buckna]

Oil, bulbs, brakes & rotors, wipers, filters, basic fluids, batteries, rotate tires, fuses, and some other basic things are pretty easy and I've done them in years past. Some of these are free like tire rotations with new tires so I just have them done for me now. I've done a few more complicated things like pull a bumper off and hammer out a minor impact from sliding on ice at low speed into a guardrail. Had to swap out some battery cables due to rust/corrosion on my old Tacoma. Youtube is a gold mine for knowledge on DIY.

Upgraded to some newer vehicles in recent years and don't do a lot anymore and sometimes it's not worth the hassle since cars are over-engineered and getting more and more complicated. Lots of places will include maintenance for the first few years these days when buying new or lightly used and I'm not out of that period yet. My last newer car had the lane assist and other tech braking features and it made changing brake pads a little bit more of a hassle but still doable. I'm sure my newer one now may be even more complicated.

 

[Clayton Gray]

Batteries and bulbs.

End of the list.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Always thought that would be a cool option for a lot of stuff. Like pay your plumber an extra couple hundred bucks and instead of just fixing whatever, he shows and explains to you. Or same with a bike mechanic, or electrician, or whoever

YouTube is free

 

[snellman]

I need a tire patched at least twice a year. This past weekend was the first time I watched the mechanic do the patch. It was super easy. I paid $30 and then later that day saw Wal Mart has a pack of five for like $6. I'm kind of ok paying $30 just to make sure it is done right, but it also looked like it would be hard to do it wrong and mess something up so maybe I should give it a try next time.

Cabin air filters and engine air filters are easy on my cars, so I always do that myself. Jiffy Lube charges twice as much as an auto parts store. They don't charge labor, but they just seem to overprice their filters. Wipers are the same way.

It's annoying how difficult it is to get to bulbs on most cars, but I was able to do brake lights on my 2005 Highlander recently because they were easily accessible. Of course, I bought the wrong bulbs at first and had to go back, but I did it all myself!

I think my Acura needs a new evap purge valve. YouTube videos make it look easy, but I'm nervous that I'd mess something up. I lack the confidence to do this type of stuff.

A friend of mine changed the brakes (pads and rotors) on my car recently. He has a whole set up in his garage. I just watched. Didn't look that hard, but I don't have the equipment for that and, again, I lack the confidence.

I think your tire was plugged...patches require removing the tire from the rim and applying the patch from the inside. They aren't particularly complicated and are very safe if done correctly but some what laborious and require tire removal and remounting equipment. Plugs are jabbed in from the outside. They work in a pinch but I don't like them a ton long term

I'd rather change brakes than do an oil change. I just don't like dealing with the used oil hassle. When I was a kid my dad used to use it to "paint" railroad tie curbs we had with it but in 2025 that seems like low grade pollution...

Yeah, oil change is another thing I don’t see the cost benefit in. Unless you have some specialty car and you want to make sure it’s done to your specifications, the cost savings isn’t nearly enough for me to burn my arms and deal with the old oil.

I am a service manager at an auto dealership, can use any of the hoists in the shop and any of my mechanics tools. I still don't change my own oil. I still have to pay for the oil and filter so the only thing I am saving is the labor cost which in our shop is $30 for an oil change. 45 minutes of my time after being at work all day/week is a lot more valuable than the $30 it costs me to get it done so I jus have my mechanics do it and move on.

 

[the moops]

Always thought that would be a cool option for a lot of stuff. Like pay your plumber an extra couple hundred bucks and instead of just fixing whatever, he shows and explains to you. Or same with a bike mechanic, or electrician, or whoever

YouTube is free

True, but I am sure you have experienced someone showing you how to do something and it being far more effective (and perhaps enjoyable) than having to watch, rewatch, pause, rewind a youtube video.

 

[Beef Ravioli Part 2]

I need a tire patched at least twice a year.

I fear saying this (I will probably get a flat tire today), but I’ve been driving for 38 years and I have probably only had a flat tire or needed to have a tire plugged five or six times that whole time. “at least twice a year” sounds like a lot!

I’ve done a lot of things on my cars through the years or helped my friends who knew what they were doing. Not anymore. It’s great having a good friend that owns a mechanic shop! He gives me a fair deal and I know I can trust him not to tell me I need to do something extra I don’t need. He’s retiring and probably moving away next year which is a bummer!

 

[dgreen]

I need a tire patched at least twice a year.

I fear saying this (I will probably get a flat tire today), but I’ve been driving for 38 years and I have probably only had a flat tire or needed to have a tire plugged five or six times that whole time. “at least twice a year” sounds like a lot!

I’ve done a lot of things on my cars through the years or helped my friends who knew what they were doing. Not anymore. It’s great having a good friend that owns a mechanic shop! He gives me a fair deal and I know I can trust him not to tell me I need to do something extra I don’t need. He’s retiring and probably moving away next year which is a bummer!

The car I just had plugged is 2 years old and has 36,000 miles. This was the third plug. Add in our other cars and 2x/year is about right for me. We seem to always have some kind of road construction within a few miles of our house.

 

[trogg78]

I have 5 cars I maintain on the side of the street in front of my house in the gutter. I've done timing belt, water pump, valve adjustments, oil pumps, along with all the brake, suspension, bearings, and regular fluid and maintenance. I'm still learning and I brake a lot of stuff but I can take my time since I've got a spare car if one goes down.

 

[the moops]

I have 5 cars I maintain on the side of the street in front of my house in the gutter.

Your neighbors must love you

 

[shuke]

I've been doing my own oil for years, but with rising prices, going to my local Honda dealership is almost as cheap, I think around $45. I've tried to teach my son a few times to do it on his 2014 Camry, and the filter is kind of a pain in the ***, you don't actually replace the whole thing.

I replaced the headlights on my Accord last winter after hitting a deer. Not the bulbs, the entire units. I basically had to take the entire front end of the car apart. Probably saved a bunch, but not something I'd want to do again in extreme cold temps. I don't think I got everything back together again completely right but nothing has fallen off yet.

I've been wanting to do brakes, but have felt intimidated by the safety factor if I screw up.

 

[Joe Schmo]

I've been doing my own oil for years, but with rising prices, going to my local Honda dealership is almost as cheap, I think around $45. I've tried to teach my son a few times to do it on his 2014 Camry, and the filter is kind of a pain in the ***, you don't actually replace the whole thing.

I replaced the headlights on my Accord last winter after hitting a deer. Not the bulbs, the entire units. I basically had to take the entire front end of the car apart. Probably saved a bunch, but not something I'd want to do again in extreme cold temps. I don't think I got everything back together again completely right but nothing has fallen off yet.

I've been wanting to do brakes, but have felt intimidated by the safety factor if I screw up.

Agree on the headlight replacement process. I know I lost a screw somewhere but so far the wheel well flashing is still holding minus that one.

As for the brakes, totally get being intimidated if you've never done it before but can attest that once you do it once you'll be surprised at how easy it really is to change out pads or rotors. Replacing the caliper isn't too hard either, just a bit more patience needed. It's become a contest for my brothers and I to see who can change out pads by themselves fastest. Under 20 mins is doable if you have the right jack.

 

[SWC]

used to do everything from head gasket replacements to alternators to water pumps to exhaust work to timing etc but that was when you could damn near stand in the engine bay next to a straight six and when cars were cars and not computers and since i am not good with computers and carbeurators went away now i drive on over to goodyear for anything engine related take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Joe Schmo]

used to do everything from head gasket replacements to alternators to water pumps to exhaust work to timing etc but that was when you could damn near stand in the engine bay next to a straight six and when cars were cars and not computers and since i am not good with computers and carbeurators went away now i drive on over to goodyear for anything engine related take that to the bank bromigos

Yes! I was youtubing replacing my alternator and discovered that my make and model was designed so it's a 4-6 hr. job requiring removing the fan and radiator, getting to the belt from the wheel well and unbolting the alternator from the top by reaching down into the dark ether. Can't remove it from underneath because the ac compressor blocks it in. Screw that, it's gonna be near 100* this weekend, I'm taking it to the shop.

 

[thecatch]

I have fond memories of doing car maintenance with my dad growing up and at one point I aspired to be handy myself. But no, now I'm perfectly content to let a dealer charge me a ridiculous premium so I don't have to worry about it or spend my extremely limited free time on it.

 

[MTskibum]

I can do most my own repairs, however I have newer cars.

I do a lot of boat and trailer maintenance though, replacing bunks, axles, brakes, wiring, tongue, etc in the past.

I have also been forced to do a lot of boat maintenance: starters, ignitions, plugs, wiring, fuel lines, various pumps, fiberglass work, electronic installation/replacement, etc, etc

I have owned multiple older saltwater boats if it can break it probably has.

 

[MTskibum]

used to do everything from head gasket replacements to alternators to water pumps to exhaust work to timing etc but that was when you could damn near stand in the engine bay next to a straight six and when cars were cars and not computers and since i am not good with computers and carbeurators went away now i drive on over to goodyear for anything engine related take that to the bank bromigos

100% this. I have spent the last 12 years of my career in software but i would much rather work on an older car than a newer car.

Replacing a starter for example in highschool the first time i ever did it, that only took me an hour. Diagnosing the starter issue is about the same difficult now as back then, however then replacing it is more time consuming now.

Same with alternator. Those are simple repairs on older cars. Find the part, disconnect belt, replace part, reconnect belt.

Probably with both the first step in a newer car is remove air filter assembly, then probably remove a few more parts.
Then no way do I want to deal with a modern serpentine belt.

Terrible