A little bit of car DIY can save you a lot of money

Cars are complex machines, and there are plenty of components that will gladly wipe out a huge chunk out of your bank account should they go wrong. But while some jobs (especially electric car repairs) require the wisdom of a professional mechanic, you’d be amazed at how many things you can fix yourself if you’re willing to learn the basics and get your hands dirty.

If you’re buying a used car, it’s possible that a defect will quickly make itself known. Even if the car is immaculate with a full service history, some parts may simply be at the end of their working life. 

I experienced this particular joy a mere week after purchasing my own car, a 2015 Suzuki Swift Sport, even though it had undergone a thorough inspection by a technician at a main dealer. Seemingly out of nowhere, my passenger window switch completely failed. This wasn’t anybody’s fault, though, it was just a case of timing.

Typically, the switch wasn’t covered by the used-car warranty that applied at the time, so I could either take the car to a garage and pay a three-figure bill for parts and labour, or do the job myself. I opted for the latter, and a quick search in an online owners’ forum revealed a broken clip within the switch was the problem. 

The forum also revealed that all I needed was a Phillips-head screwdriver and a bit of brute force to remove the door panel, access the switch and merely unplug and replace it. It was a nice, easy job that was boosted by the brand-new switch only costing me £25. 

With some research and some easy DIY, the overall cost of this repair was whittled down significantly. I’m not suggesting that you just dive in and hope for the best, because that could be disastrous. But there are a number of places where you can learn essential skills. If you have a mechanic friend like I do, they might even be willing to teach you. If not, there are a number of colleges and adult-education centres that provide workshops.

If you’re willing to invest in a few lessons and a simple set of tools, these could soon pay dividends when it comes to saving on your repair and maintenance bills. Jobs such as changing a headlight bulb, replacing a wiper blade and fitting a 12V battery are all very straightforward with just a little bit of extra know-how. 

Just remember the golden rule, though: if you aren’t 100 per cent sure of what you’re doing, leave it to the professionals. 

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