| You can save hundreds of dollars on garage | | | | could be done quite simply. Areas of the car |
| fees every year by carrying out minor | | | | that almost anyone can handle the regular |
| servicing and maintenance jobs on your car | | | | maintenance of are the interior and exterior |
| yourself. Armed with a selection of widely | | | | panels. Simple scratches and dents to the |
| available automotive tools, a garage manual | | | | bodywork are easy to repair using a soft |
| for your car, and enough time and patience to | | | | mallet for panel beating and abrasive paper, |
| get a job done properly, pretty much anyone | | | | spray paint and filler for paintwork repairs. |
| can carry out the routine tasks needed to | | | | If your car is well used, the interior is |
| keep your car on the road and running | | | | likely to start to look tired and dated and |
| smoothly. One of the most satisfying aspects | | | | in need of a little tender loving care. |
| of carrying out maintenance tasks on your | | | | Thankfully, there are many automotive |
| vehicle - aside from saving money on | | | | upholstery tools available to help you to |
| expensive garage bills - is that you are able | | | | tidy up the interior of the car and bring it |
| to get an understanding of how the car works, | | | | back to its sparkling best. You can repair |
| and the more you understand about the | | | | small tears and burns on the seats by darning |
| vehicle, the easier it is to put things right | | | | them or applying a repair patch over the |
| in the event of a breakdown. Any home garage | | | | affected area. The trim of the car can be |
| requires a good selection of automotive tools | | | | brought back to life with a good buffing |
| to carry out work on a car. Some vehicles | | | | using a polisher, while using specialist |
| from certain manufacturers have non standard | | | | tools it is possible to repair the carpets or |
| machining and sizes used throughout their | | | | even replace them. Of course there is much |
| construction, and you will need to get | | | | more to owning and maintaining a car than |
| automotive specialty tools designed for the | | | | just tightening nuts and sewing up split |
| purpose of working on that particular car | | | | seams, and you may find that you want to add |
| from a motor store. No home workshop is | | | | non-stock parts such as a more efficient air |
| complete without a trolley jack and axle | | | | filter or new exhaust to improve performance, |
| stands to allow you to get under the car and | | | | and once you understand the basics of |
| do things like oil changes and exhaust | | | | automotive maintenance, upgrades and tuning |
| checks. For most small jobs, such as changing | | | | will become more accessible, saving you even |
| the oil or replacing filters, changing the | | | | more money in the long term. Doing small jobs |
| spark plugs and brake pads on your vehicle, | | | | yourself can save you plenty of money on |
| general tools such as a wrench and a | | | | garage bills, and having the right automotive |
| screwdriver are all that is required, and | | | | tools to get the jobs done is an excellent |
| these are widely available in most hardware | | | | idea that will save you time and effort in |
| stores. It is a good idea to keep your | | | | the long run. However, one of the most |
| automotive tools separate from other tools | | | | important things for any mechanic to know is |
| you may have, because if you begin a job and | | | | when to pass over a job to an expert, and |
| then discover that the tool you want to use | | | | rather than potentially do more damage than |
| is missing, it can cause major headaches. | | | | good, to get a qualified mechanic to carry |
| Twenty years ago, cars were much simpler to | | | | out work on a car. |
| maintain and understand than they are today. | | | | |
| Computerised engine management systems and | | | | Jason has been in the construction equipment |
| adjustable fuel injectors are now | | | | and industrial sales business for over 10 |
| commonplace, and special automotive | | | | years. He owns and operates Red Hill Supply |
| diagnostic tools are required in order to | | | | to better serve the automotive and industrial |
| make adjustments to the engine timing and | | | | industries. |
| fuel air mix, whereas in the past, these jobs | | | | |