Car maintenance myths
Car repair and maintenance is essential to the safe, efficient operation of your vehicle. Don’t skimp or delay on important work that needs to be done. But, be aware that some of the work your mechanic suggests, or that you do just because you’ve always done it, may be a waste of money. Here are a few examples of car repairs and maintenance on which you might be wasting money.
Cabin air (and other) filter replacement
Cars are full of filters. Some are more important than others, but each represents an opportunity for you to save money by doing the replacement yourself. A great example is the cabin air filter.
Generally accessed through the glove compartment, its main purpose is to improve air quality inside the car. Most service manuals recommend replacing it annually. A car repair shop will charge you as much as $70. Don’t waste the money — do it yourself. Just be sure to buy the right filter for your car’s make and model. Here’s how you can replace your car cabin air filter.
Regular engine tune-ups
If your car was built in the last 10 or 20 years, it does not need regular tune-ups as cars did decades ago. Modern on-board computers make adjustments to ratios and settings that optimise your engine performance. If the engine seems to be running poorly, a tune-up could cure it, but it’s likely a specific problem that you can fix yourself if you wish, such as replacing spark plugs.
See how super-easy new-generation spark plugs are to replace.