You might know your way around a car, but does that mean you should take it upon yourself to fix every issue that comes down the road?
Negative.
If you’re wondering what shouldn’t be on your DIY car repair list, keep reading.
When To Avoid DIY Car Repair
There are some things that you should leave to the professionals, not because they’re mechanically smarter or anything, but because they have the tools and resources to get the job done right.
If you try to fix something your way with your tools, you could make the matter worse! Check out our list and if there’s ever something you’re unsure about, feel free to reach out and contact us!
1. Suspension
The suspension is one of those things that most often requires the car to be on a lift
So, unless you have a garage with a built-in lift system, leave this one off your list.
Even if you are one of those people with a lift system in your garage, you might want to avoid doing this repair.
Suspension requires a balancing of the wheel axes, and computer assistance is often required in getting the job done right.
The pros have the software to ensure this, do you?
Timing Belt
The timing belt controls a thing called the Cam Shaft, which is what’s used to ensure smooth control of valves and things within the engine.
Although it may seem like a simple replacement, the specifics and rigging of the timing belt require a lot of precision.
You can do this yourself, but you’re banking on luck to help you out.
And if it doesn’t, the damage you could cause to the components within your engine might raise the repair cost by a few thousand dollars.
Yikes!
Transmission Repair
Aside from total engine repair, this is the big one.
Trying to fix your own transmission without the proper tools, knowledge, and computer software is like trying to drive to work blindfolded.
Transmission repair is expensive, but a few self-errors could render your car unrepairable.
That doesn’t mean you should pay the first offer given. We recommend getting a quote and using someone like provo car repair to make sure you’re getting charged fairly!
Shocks
IF you blow a shock, DO NOT TRY TO FIX IT ON YOUR OWN.
Even when a shock is bad, dissembling it can be a DEADLY process!
Shocks are under immense pressure, and if you undo that pressure improperly, the shock can rocket out so fast it kills you.
We recommend leaving this one to the professionals because they have the systems to remove and replace shocks the right way. Don’t risk it!
Radiator Repairs
This is the mechanism that helps keep your car temperature cool.
If your radiator is going bad, you shouldn’t drive.
Fixing this on your own is running a risk. If one thing is out of place or done wrong, your car could over-heat on your next commute and crack your block!
Ever heard of a cracked block? Basically, your engine is shot.
Leave this to the pros so the job gets done right and your car is good to go.
More Mechanics
We hope this guide has helped you decide what DIY car repairs you can make and when you should leave something to the pros. For more content, check out our blog page where we have tons of articles.
We’re here to keep you cruising!