In these cash-strapped times, you could potentially save money by doing some of your own vehicle repairs. Peter Rosenthal looks at your options
If you’ve never really worked on your vehicle, head to Halfords (halfords.com). They offer a wide selection of socket sets and you want to look for their Advanced range. Bahco (bahco.com) also has great value socket sets.
Halfords sells torque wrenches, too, essential for tightening fixings to the correct torque – these are needed for work on the drivetrain.
We’d also suggest buying a multimeter – these start from as little as £10 online and are important for a range of tasks, from testing fuses to checking batteries and alternators.
For an oil and filter change, investing in an oil filter removal tool (under £20) can be helpful, while a brake caliper wind-back tool is another useful thing to have (around £20) if you want to swap a set of brake pads.
For years, the motor industry has told us how complicated modern vehicles are, and you must always visit a main dealer for servicing work.
If your ’van is under manufacturer warranty, we’d definitely concur. But what if you have an older vehicle, or want to do a simple job that doesn’t need to involve pre-booking and a tediously long wait in a reception area?
Actually, some tasks on modern vehicles are easy to do and best of all, you can save a small fortune by doing them yourself. If your dealer is miles away from where you live, you need to factor in your time, too. For many jobs, it’s quicker to fix it yourself than travel.
The tasks we’ve outlined here won’t steal a whole weekend of your life away – just a few hours, tops – and they don’t require specialist tools.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU SAVE?
As an example, Halfords charges £20 for swapping a vehicle battery. This is five minutes’ work with a basic socket set on most ’vans, so it’s an easy win. They also charge £9 for fitting each light bulb. Again, these can be an easy fit.
However, the big wins come if you do your own oil changes and replace the brake pads. A simple oil and filter change can cost £180 or more at a main dealer; doing it yourself can cost as little as £50 and an hour of your time.
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