Modern cars can be a lot harder to fix than the older models. When you buy a car purchased in the last few years, you can run in to problem that you may not be capable of fixing yourself. For example, a lot of new cars now have high tech computers which can control a number of things from the fuel management to the level of wear on a brake pad. If you have an older car though, there is a greater chance that you can make the repair yourself.
When your car is acting up and not running right, many people bring the car to the shop to get fixed. Even when you are replacing a small part, you are getting charged for the part and the labor of the shop. The shop rate is something that people do not figure into the bill when they are trying to get their car repair so it costs more than you figured. Many of these simple car repairs can be done by yourself to save you money. If you are looking to save money on car repairs, here are a few things that you can do yourself.
Brakes and rotors are a couple of things that you can replace yourself. When you are trying to compare the parts you need to the shop rate, it is better to do this job yourself. Depending on the car your driving, the brakes and rotors can cost about £12 a piece. To do the complete job for the front end of your car, it will cost around £75 in parts and takes about 30 minutes a side. When you go to the shop to get the brakes done, it could run you about £190 for parts and labor. That is a great way to save money by doing the brake job yourself.
Another thing that you can do yourself when you are trying to fix your car is the belts. Changing the main fan belt in front of the motor can cost anywhere from £15 to £70 depending on the type of car you are purchasing the belt for. You have to figure in the cost of the part as well as the shop rate when figuring out how much money you could be spending. Car repairs are not cheap but you can lower the cost by replacing some of the parts yourself. Consider what it is going to take to change the part and then decide if it is cheaper for you to replace the part yourself or have a shop do it for you.
