You may not be an ace mechanic, but there are some simple car repair jobs that just about anybody can do. In fact, the more you can do yourself, the more you'll save for when you really need help. Doing your own car repair is a fulfilling way to get closer to your beloved vehicle. It all starts with having the right tools.
Just like collecting anything else, getting your kit together becomes a sort of addiction. Watching it grow tool by tool, and seeing how each part can be used, is lots of fun and it makes driving your car more interesting. Keep in mind that this list is only the absolute basics; as you learn more about car repair, you'll add to it.
- Jack And Lug Wrench. You'll need a jack for lifting up your car and a lug wrench to remove lugs. These simple tools come in handy for almost everything. Your vehicle comes with a jack already, but it's best to ditch it and buy a better one. Hydraulic jacks are generally considered to be the best.
- Socket Set And Box Wrench Set. You can buy a basic socket set from any hardware store. You don't need anything fancy to get started doing your own car repair. The box wrench is useful for getting to hard-to-reach areas, and there are plenty of those on any vehicle. Start with basic sets and buy more as you need them.
- Combination Wrench Set. Same as above, you'll need to do some serious twisting to get at the trouble spots of your car. A combo set will have various sizes and types, and this should cover all the stuff you'll need to do with your vehicle.
- Auto Repair Manual. It's always surprising how much a good, old-fashioned repair manual will come in handy. Get the instruction manual for your car's model and make if you anticipate doing some serious repairs from time to time. If you're not going to spend so much time fixing stuff, you can always check it out of your local library.
- Work Lights. Good lighting enables you to do your work in the evening, and even in daytime they can help a lot to really see what you're doing. The best work lights to get are fluorescent shop lights. They're bright and tough, and they'll stay cool. They're great for lighting up what you're doing. Be sure to have some good extension cords as well.
The above list is very basic, but it will at least get you started. When you're first buying stuff for your car repair kit, remember that you don't need anything fancy. Salespeople will turn your head around with the latest gadgets and tools, but what you really need are some simple things that you can use when you've got something to do a car repair. Start simple and cheap, and expand into bigger and better things as your collection grows.
Just like collecting anything else, getting your kit together becomes a sort of addiction. Watching it grow tool by tool, and seeing how each part can be used, is lots of fun and it makes driving your car more interesting. Keep in mind that this list is only the absolute basics; as you learn more about car repair, you'll add to it.
- Jack And Lug Wrench. You'll need a jack for lifting up your car and a lug wrench to remove lugs. These simple tools come in handy for almost everything. Your vehicle comes with a jack already, but it's best to ditch it and buy a better one. Hydraulic jacks are generally considered to be the best.
- Socket Set And Box Wrench Set. You can buy a basic socket set from any hardware store. You don't need anything fancy to get started doing your own car repair. The box wrench is useful for getting to hard-to-reach areas, and there are plenty of those on any vehicle. Start with basic sets and buy more as you need them.
- Combination Wrench Set. Same as above, you'll need to do some serious twisting to get at the trouble spots of your car. A combo set will have various sizes and types, and this should cover all the stuff you'll need to do with your vehicle.
- Auto Repair Manual. It's always surprising how much a good, old-fashioned repair manual will come in handy. Get the instruction manual for your car's model and make if you anticipate doing some serious repairs from time to time. If you're not going to spend so much time fixing stuff, you can always check it out of your local library.
- Work Lights. Good lighting enables you to do your work in the evening, and even in daytime they can help a lot to really see what you're doing. The best work lights to get are fluorescent shop lights. They're bright and tough, and they'll stay cool. They're great for lighting up what you're doing. Be sure to have some good extension cords as well.
The above list is very basic, but it will at least get you started. When you're first buying stuff for your car repair kit, remember that you don't need anything fancy. Salespeople will turn your head around with the latest gadgets and tools, but what you really need are some simple things that you can use when you've got something to do a car repair. Start simple and cheap, and expand into bigger and better things as your collection grows.
