Living in hail country, it’s important to know how to do small repairs that can help keep your car running after getting hail damage, especially if you can’t take your vehicle to a hail damage car repair shop right away.
But hail damage isn’t the only thing car owners in Colorado, Texas, and other states in “hail alley” have to worry about. It’s also a smart idea to know a few more general car repairs. Keep reading to learn the three most essential repairs you should learn to maintain your car’s overall health.
Changing Your Oil
Checking and changing your car’s oil is essential to prolonging the lifespan of your engine and ensuring that your vehicle is always running smoothly. It’s also not that hard to do yourself in most vehicles.
Simply drain the oil by removing the oil drain plug, unscrewing the oil filter and emptying it into a container or pan. Then, put the oil filter and drain plug back, then remove the oil filler hole cap and pour in some fresh oil. The entire process shouldn’t take more than a half hour.
Changing a Flat Tire
There’s a reason “wheels” is slang for “car” — it’s the most important part of the vehicle! Your tires are essential to keeping your car working, and once in a while, they go flat — usually in inconvenient situations, like when you’re on the highway thirty minutes outside of town.
Fortunately, changing a tire isn’t as complicated as it may seem. Simply loosen the lug nuts with a wrench and use a jack stand to lift the car off the ground. Then, remove the lug nuts and tire, place the spare tire on, wrench the lug nuts back into place, and lower your car again.
Removing Paint Scratches
Scratches are some of the most annoying and pesky damages your car can have. Even the tiniest scratches can be visible from a distance, and can ruin the overall appearance of your car.
To make matters worse, scratches can be difficult to repair. While some kinds of scratches can be buffed out, painted over, or filled in on your own, in general, it’s best to leave scratch repair to the pros. This is especially true if you’re dealing with hard to see hail damage on your car. An expert will have the right tools and know-how to properly fix the scratches and make your car look like new.
