I’m the kind of person who likes to have a more hands-on role in the fixing of my car. It’s nice to know how the car works and be able to save a few dollars while doing it. As much of a DIYer as I am, there are some pieces of maintenance that I wouldn’t, and honestly shouldn’t, attempt on my own. That being said, this week and next week’s blogs will talk about what maintenance you can do on your own, and what you should leave to the professionals. First things first, below you will find a list of the car maintenance that you can probably handle on your own without causing too much trouble with your vehicle.

Air Filter
You need a new air filter for your car every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is a fairly easy job that would take probably 10 minutes to do on your own.

Headlights
Depending on your vehicle, replacing your headlights is a fairly simple task and should only take you about ten minutes. The only cost with this maintenance task is the cost of the new headlight, which can run anywhere from $20-$100 depending on what kind of bulb you need.

Spark Plugs
Changing your spark plugs can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on how many plugs you have. It costs around $15 to do this yourself (the price of new spark plugs).

Oil/Oil Filter
Your oil is typically changed every 3,500-5,000 miles depending on your vehicle. If you aren’t sure, check your owner’s manual. Your engine keeps everything in your engine running smoothly and acts as a temperature regulator, so it is vitally important that you keep up with your oil changes. It takes about 45 minutes to change your own oil and will cost around $30 (the price of oil and a new filter).

Windshield Wipers
You’ll need new wiper blades after about six months or a year of use. It depends on how much you’ve had to use them that year. Driving with a streaked windshield is unsafe for you and those on the road around you, so it’s not worth the risk to ignore something as simple as this.

So now you know what you can handle on your own in terms of maintenance for your vehicle. If you still aren’t interested in maintaining these things on your own you are more than welcome to stop by Zappone Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Granville, and we’ll be more than happy to take care of everything for you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we’ll do what we can to answer your questions.