If you're a confirmed gear head with a garage full of tools, then there's likely to be very few car repairs that you can't do yourself. For motorists who aren't quite so experienced, there are still plenty of car repairs that are quick and easy to tackle. Your skill level will dictate just which repairs you can make by yourself and which will need the trained skills of a professional.
Trying to make repairs that are too ambitious can be catastrophic and may result in you needing to scrap the car that no longer works! If you're looking at a damaged car right now, here are some repairs that it's best to avoid doing yourself and why a professional is often the best option.
Changing the Clutch
Automotive Tools
If you try to do this yourself, the consequences can be fatal to your vehicle. This is one of those borderline tasks that are perfectly within the skillsets of some motorists, but it can mean some serious heavy lifting. Changing a clutch often means taking out the engine entirely, and that's going to mean having lots of spare muscle around or having the specialist lifts that can make the process easier. This is one of the repair jobs where the actual mend is relatively easy: it's the getting everything in place that's the challenge.
Air Conditioner Repairs
You might think that repairing an air-con unit in your car is going to be a quick and easy task. The problem isn't just the fact that the freon in your unit is dangerous, but that there's also a lot of high pressures in an air-con unit, as well as lots of tubing and specialist components that are usually hidden away and hard to access. Unless you have a very clear idea about the first law of thermodynamics, then it's best to leave air conditioner repairs to the pros.
Anything Involving Airbags
Whether you're repairing the airbags themselves or just making repairs to the dashboard, airbags can be very dangerous. Not many people realize that airbags contain an explosive charge. That explosive charge is something that you don't want to have to deal with if your face is close to the dashboard and you're not expecting it to go off. So if your steering wheel needs to be realigned or you need to remove your entire dash, call a professional and don't take the risk yourself.
Hail Damage
ceramic coating for cars
If you live in an area that experiences a tough storm season, then you already know how frustrating hail damage can be. Not only does hail damage affect your car's value, but it can also make it dangerous to drive. The good news is that even a car that is now covered in a combination of small and large hail dents can be repaired, but it can be a very time-consuming and difficult task if you lack skilled professionals' training. Plus, there are methods of paintless dent repair, which is both cheap and efficient. With proper insurance policies and deductible coverage offers, you may not pay anything out-of-pocket.
Look at the best auto hail repair professionals in your area to find out more about how that can make your car look better, instead of taking the months it can take to make those repairs yourself.
The Electrics
There are two types of electrics to deal with in modern cars. The first is the traditional type, which is largely a lot of old-school wiring and basic components. There's a good chance that you will be able to make many of those repairs yourself simply by looking at YouTube and following a step-by-step tutorial. What you should never do is try to repair the smarter electronic parts of your car. Modern cars are essentially computers on wheels, and unless you know a great deal about printed circuit boards and computer components, you're going to run into trouble. Not only that but by tinkering with those high-tech components, you may void any warranty that you have remaining on your car.
Windshield Replacement
While this is very doable, it can also be very dangerous. That's because you will be moving around a very large piece of glass, and it has to be maneuvered into exactly the right spot. You'll also need to ensure that it is held in place with the right adhesive, and that can take skill and experience to get right. Of course, if you're pretty good with a spot of caulking, then this may be something that you can tackle yourself. If you're not that confident about the process, then it's time to start looking around for a specialist in auto glass repair.
If you've got the right skills and experience, making auto repairs yourself is often very achievable. However, some forms of car repairs should always be left to those with the right training. The more you understand what you can accomplish and what you can't, the easier it is to ensure that you're not going to damage your car to the point where it can't ever be driven again.
