So you think you don’t have the time or just don’t have the experience or education to take care of your car. Well I have news for you! It’s really not as hard as it looks.

1. DIY Car Maintenance
So you think you don’t have the time or just don’t have the
experience or education to take care of your car. Well I have
news for you! It’s really not as hard as it looks and many
mechanics get a premium for these simple tasks that we
could be doing at home. Here are some things that you
should be able to do on your own with relative ease. By
doing some of these, you will not only save money but keep
you and your loved ones safe at the same time.
Air Filter
Your air filter needs to be changed at least once a year or around 12,000 miles. Paying a mechanic for
something this simple should never be done. If you pop the hood of your car and notice that black
rectangular box with clips, then you are on the right track to finding out how to change your filter. First
take out the old one and remember how the old one sat. Then get a new one and insert it the same
way…pretty simple right? Well the filter only costs about $10 and it takes less than 15 minutes.
Windshield Wipers
This is a must-do-at-home project, unless you are simply too lazy or busy to do it yourself. It costs about
10-20minutes and it is even easier than the air filter. Here is how you do it: first take the remove the old
blades off (once again, it is important to remember how you take it off so you know how it all goes
together). Don’t try and muscle things off.. This goes for
almost everything in your car. To many times people will
watch mechanics that bang and hammer things into
place. There is often a simple and effective approach to
putting things together. Sometimes all it takes is patience
and systematic thinking. Take your new wiper blades and
put them on, making sure you aren’t bending or
scratching anything. Most wiper blade sets have
instructions with them, so if you ever get lost you can
reorient yourself.
Spark Plugs
If your engine is not starting, you may find that your spark plugs need to be replaced. This should
happen every 30,000 miles. It may seem like a big job since it isn’t just one of those things that is outside
of the engine… we are actually talking about getting in there! Don’t be intimidated though cuze all it
takes is a 12” socket extension and you should be good. First you need to remove the wire above the
first spark plug. Use your socket to remove the old spark plug and then put in the new one. It is just like
a game you played when you were a toddler. Now make sure you don’t overtighten things. Now you can

2. go on to the next spark plug you need to replace. Make sure you do not mix up the order of the wires
there is a certain order they need to be in. That is why it is best to only take on one at a time.
Use these tips to get ahead on your car maintenance this year and don’t forget to get Auto Insurance
from Lakewood, CA because that is one of those things you really should save on!
Photo Credit: Brendan Aanes, John W. Iwanski