People who know about car repair have an uncanny sixth sense. They can open the hood or tilt their ear to the engine and pinpoint the problem exactly. What’s the difference between these superhuman car wizards and you? The only difference is experience.
The truth is that it doesn’t take a certified mechanic to fix common problems. With a little bit of experience doing it yourself, you can quickly become an expert on everything that can go wrong with your vehicle.
How To Become A Car Repair Wizard
The first thing you need is the manual for your model and make. Each manufacturer publishes a manual for each vehicle and year. This is your Bible. It can be used for troubleshooting any problem that comes up, and it’s custom tailored to your vehicle.
You can buy one from the company, or use the copy at your local library. Libraries stock these manuals for those of us who need them. You can also find manuals online for download.
Get Online And Get Learned Up
The web is full of excellent car repair sites. There are so many that it’s absolutely mind boggling. The Internet is a tool for knowledge, so use it! Find a few good sites that are easy to read and study up. Sites like eHow and Wise Geek also offer great automotive tips as well as other things. Bookmark all useful sites and refer to them whenever there’s a problem.
The Most Common Problems
You should know all about the mechanics of cars and how they work. This will make troubleshooting and repairing much easier. The most common car repair problems are also easiest to fix. Here’s a good list to start with:
– Engine overheating
– Oil changes
– Leaking coolant
– Engine not turning over
– Tire pressure
– Clogged air filters
– Worn out wipers
– Battery changes
These are all simple things that anybody can tackle with little know-how. Working out these problems will give you a great basic knowledge of your vehicle. Start with small repairs and maintenance first, and then work your way up to bigger things.
Get Your Hands Dirty
Studying and reading manuals is excellent for gaining knowledge, but it’s nothing like hands-on experience. In order to become a real fixer wizard, you’ll need to get your hands dirty.
Hang around mechanics, car clubs, dealers and other auto nuts to learn from them. If your neighbors have a auto job they’re doing, offer to help and consider it a free education. They’ll be happy to have a hand and show you what they’re doing.
What’s the greatest and fastest way to become a repairing genius? Own a clunker! There’s nothing like owning a piece of absolute junk to teach you the ins and outs quickly. When you HAVE to fix it or you don’t move, you’ll learn fast. But one warning: This might cause other problems in your life, like being late for work or stranded on the highway, so it’s only for those who are really committed to learning car repair!
