MAIN Cars Car Repair & Maintenance

Diagram from a typical car owner's manual. (You have your car owner's manual in your glove compartment, don't you?)

Avoiding service station charges? It's money in your pocket.

That feeling of satisfaction on a job well done? Priceless.

Both are pretty good reasons for getting up to speed on buying auto parts to make simple car maintenance checks and repairs. Later, you can tackle that new sophisticated computer system, or learn how to rebuild your entire car engine. But for now, knowing the basics of car maintenance or simple do-it-yourself repairs is an easy step to greater confidence both under the hood and behind the wheel.

Safety First

Be prepared for a little homework before you embark on any repair. First, read your car owner's manual for valuable information on what makes your car tick. Ask other car owners, or seek out other intrepid do-it-yourselfers in online car forums who have been there before.

Most importantly, think SAFETY. The object of this game is to drive away with a sense of accomplishment and all digits intact. No sense paying extra for a botched repair job or being driven to the hospital for a konk on the head, or worse.

Along with the usual pliers, wrenches and screwdrivers, be sure to invest in other tools such as a quality ratchet set, vise grips, a top of the line car jack and jack stands, or any other equipment for the long haul. Besides being a great investment in the life of your car, a good set of tools will make tackling any current or future project that much easier.

Car Repair and Maintenance 101

Just up ahead, check out a handful of projects for beginners with step-by-step instructions and important related saftey tips - for undertaking your first maintenance project or do it yourself repair:

More Do-It-Yourself Car Repair & Maintenance Tips around the Web:

Auto Repair: Repairs and Maintenance You Can Do Yourself - About.com guide with tips and tricks to easy fixes, regular maintenance, electrical and more advanced DIY repairs with photos and instructions.

Car Maintenance - How To Information - Hundreds of star-rated tips from the eHow community with step-by-step instructions for DIY car repairs and general maintenance.

Car Bibles.com - The whole car encyclopedia including facts, information, tips & advice on basic car maintenance, car oil, transmissions, suspensions, tires, with related product reviews.

Edmunds.com - Car Maintenance and Service - Helpful feature articles on do it yourself maintenance basics, tips on service repair ripoffs, car recalls and related forum posts searchable by keyword.

Find Your Car Owner's Manual Online

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For informational purposes only. For complete expert advice,
see your car dealership or professional auto mechanic.