Car repair and maintenance is a fixed cost, yet there are some things you can do to decrease it. In fact, not all issues require a professional fix because you can repair them with generic mechanic tools and spare parts you can get from the nearest auto stores. Here, you will learn three DIY maintenance tips that can help you to save up to $500 per service.

OBD Diagnostic Scanners

Not only will this tool be useful when you inspect your vehicle, but it will also prevent you from getting ripped off by fraud mechanics. If you know precisely which parts of your car are broken, you won’t get overcharged.

However, there are many OBD scanners in the market, and choosing the best one can be quite confusing. Therefore, we’ve made this list of the most trustworthy brands:

1. BlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBDII Scan Tool (iPhone and Android compatible)
2. Innova 3160g OBD2 Scan Tool
3. ANCEL AD310 Enhanced Universal OBD2 Scanner
4. BAFX 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool
5. ScanTool 427201 Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner (Windows compatible)

Perform the Regular Checkup List

Most major damages on cars are avoidable. And they happen solely because of the owner’s recklessness. For instance, changing the engine’s oil is not based on periodic intervals, but miles. If you drive your car for interstate journeys, then you will need to change the oil more often than usual cars.

Battery checkup is also necessary because once it has issues, your car will require a tow service, which will cost you anywhere from $50 to $100. Therefore, make sure you clean your car’s battery every month to prevent corrosion.

Build a Car Pit/Buy a Lift

A car’s lift will make your inspection way faster and easier. And if you think it’s going to take too much space in your home garage, some models are specifically designed for space efficiency. Some are even mobile enough to carry. However, the cheapest unit will cost you around $1000. Unless you are an auto enthusiast, you should prefer building a pit instead.

A repair pit, on the other hand, is a cheaper alternative to the car’s lift. It functions the same, but it will require you to slide through underneath the vehicle to perform the inspection. And it may not give full access to the car’s underside since the width of the pit is less than a quarter of the car’s. You will still have to get dirty for the underside checkup.…