April 17, 2012

3 Car Repairs That Any Driver Can Handle

Owning and operating a vehicle can be a fun but difficult task all at once. The reason is that vehicles require a lot of attention and maintenance in order to keep them running at their optimal level. A lot of factors go into owning a vehicle including having an insurance policy. With the cost of car insurance rising, having teen drivers added to a policy can mean that drivers must be extra careful with their vehicles. While not all teen drivers are reckless, chances are that they are not experienced enough to account for all incidents on the road. In order to keep an affordable car insurance policy, there are some repairs that car owners can handle so as to not use their policy for the repairs and keep costs low.

As far as repairs that a driver can handle without the need of a professional mechanic or notifying their insurance company, one of the easiest is covering up scratches. Cars experience dings and little scratches here and there, even if it's the fault of other drivers. Rather than take the car in to get those dings and scratches repaired and to keep an affordable car insurance policy, a driver can handle this repair on their own. Many auto stores will carry just about any and every tool necessary to maintain and repair a vehicle. All a driver needs to do is procure some scratch touch up including a cover-up and paint pen, and they are on their way to covering up their car. Reading the instructions carefully and ensuring they select the right color for their car is critical. Store associates will be able to determine which one matches their car.

Drivers can also handle changing out their battery and air filter. Although when first glancing at an engine, it can seem like an endless sea of complicated wires and motor parts, this repair is fairly easy. The most important part of replacing the battery and air filter is finding the appropriate matching parts. Ensure that the battery and air filter are for a driver's specific make, model and year. Next, online tutorials can help guide a driver as to how to remove the old filter and battery as well as install the replacements. The entire task should only take a half hour at the most.

Finally, drivers can take their car to a mechanic to get the wheels changed out and get an alignment. Tires can become damaged because of perils that are always on the road. Over time, tires also become worn out. A good mechanic will be able to replace the tires and complete the alignment without ever contacting the insurance company.