DIY Auto Maintenance?

[Mercutio]

So I just purchased a (new to me) 2006 Toyota Corolla and I want to do my own maintenance. I'm already familiar with oil changes and simple things like air filters. But I'm wondering if there's any advice/tips/warnings about starting to work on brakes, transmission fluids, belts, etc?

I've found specific forums that deal with my car and some DIY videos, but I figured I'd ask here among the Mustachians to see if there is anything I should be aware of. The other forums all encourage it, but they seem to be leaning in that direction in the onset. 

I'm well aware of the advantages of the new knowledge and the learning curve, but I have a little bit of trepidation and worry that I might mess something up and end up having to pay a hefty sum. I was reading about people who changed their transmission fluid and their transmission ended up failing. I suppose that's just a risk I'll probably have to take?

[Parizade]

I found the sales personnel at auto parts stores to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. They sometimes have the same diagnostic equipment as a garage, so they can help you figure out what's wrong too. If you are buying the parts from them, they will often do minor installations for free (like a new battery for example).

[judgemebymyusername]

The first thing I buy whenever I get a new car is the corresponding Haynes repair manual. Here's yours: http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Corolla-Haynes-Repair-Manual/dp/1563928078

Seriously - the $17 bucks you spend on this thing will pay for itself the first time you do literally anything to your car. It basically tells you how to perform any repair your car would need except for a major accident or something. I don't know what more to say about it, just get it. It takes you through everything step by step with pictures. Unfortunately you may need to pick up some more tools to do certain things but tools are a good investment anyways.

[Blindsquirrel]

 Register your car at Autozone.com, they have a ton of online information. Our 1998 Corolla is running like a champ at 160k miles. If automatic trans, change fluid every 40k miles.

[tweedscholar]

I agree with the autozone thing - can't tell you how many headlights they've replaced for me. So helpful.
 I would also recommend scouting out a nearby junkyard. After market parts can be 40+% cheaper. The one closest to me has a website that allows you to search for a part/car before you go hunting.

Good luck!

[nolajo]

The first thing I buy whenever I get a new car is the corresponding Haynes repair manual. Here's yours: http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Corolla-Haynes-Repair-Manual/dp/1563928078

Seriously - the $17 bucks you spend on this thing will pay for itself the first time you do literally anything to your car. It basically tells you how to perform any repair your car would need except for a major accident or something. I don't know what more to say about it, just get it. It takes you through everything step by step with pictures. Unfortunately you may need to pick up some more tools to do certain things but tools are a good investment anyways.

How much do the cars in those manuals change from year to year? I ask because I have a 2003 Chevy Tracker and a quick Amazon search reveals only Geo/Chevy Trackers through 2001. For that matter, I can't even find a copy of the owner's manual online for it since that was apparently not included in the purchase price.

[Mercutio]

Thanks for the suggestions. The autozone tip is new to me, I'm looking to get a manual pretty soon, and I've tracked down a few salvage/junk yards in the area. 

My car is due for a transmission fluid change, it's quite dark. I'm only a little weary that it might mess up the transmission because I've heard some stories about people's transmissions slipping after they changed their fluid, but I guess that just meant it was due or defective.

[trammatic]

The reason that automatics sometime slip after a change is that they wear as the fluid gets less viscous.  It's not the result of doing a poor job changing the fluid, but rather that the transmission depended on the old fluid.  But, not changing the fluid adds more stress, wear, and tear on the tranny, so it's typically worth the gamble.  If I recall, Jiffy Lube makes you sign a waiver to change your tranny fluid if your car has more than 100k on it.

[judgemebymyusername]

How much do the cars in those manuals change from year to year? I ask because I have a 2003 Chevy Tracker and a quick Amazon search reveals only Geo/Chevy Trackers through 2001. For that matter, I can't even find a copy of the owner's manual online for it since that was apparently not included in the purchase price.

If both vehicles are the same model then the manual stays the same. The manual doesn't change until a major model refresh - for instance the 2004 Mustang versus the 2005.

[adam]

Another vote for the Haynes Manual since you're already on some car forums (which was my first suggestion).

I just rolled over 100k in my wife's Fusion and I imagine its about time for a transmission fluid change and and oil change.

[dark sector]

I've tried Chilton/Haynes manuals before and never found them to be useful.  Ever.  Obviously, other people have different experiences, but in mine, the car itself is usually less confusing than the multiyear multimodel aftermarket manual.

These days I don't buy a car unless I can find the OEM factory service manual on ebay.  Even if it costs you $50, it will be well worth the money.  You will have made up the difference when you replace your first axle.  Sometimes you can even find it for as low as $5.  There may also be other ways of getting it online too.

[etamme]

This is a great idea and can save you tons of money.  I used to work at a BMW dealer and as far as I know, all dealer service operates on "Flat rate" costs. 

This means that for any given job has a preset number of "hours" that it gets billed for like: front break rotor and pad change 1hr*.

Most dealers charge some where in the $100+/hr range.  This means that getting your front rotors and pads replaced is going to cost you $100+ even before factoring in parts costs, which as people have mentioned are significantly more expensive at dealerships.

*this also means that mechanics have incentive to do things VERY quickly.  If you get to charge 1hr's labor, but can do the job in 15 minutes and move on to the next brake job to make more money... why not?  This often leads to mistakes.

You already have a vehicle, but I would advise any one in the market to get a 'common' vehicle with a large aftermarket parts production base because it can make parts a lot cheaper.  In my experience volvo's, saab's, bmw, & mercedes all are rather expensive, and difficult to get parts for that are not OEM.  Stick to ford, toyota, honda etc. and you will probably do okay, but do your research!

Others have said get a manual.  I agree, but I would go further and say invest in as high quality set of tools and information as you can. 

• Shop manual:  Check to see if you can get an actual shop manual for your car.  I have found Haynes, and Chiltons manuals can be lacking some times.  An actual shop manual could be very expensive ($100 or more) but contain all the information that the mechanics at your dealership will have.  That said I would still buy BOTH a hanyes or chiltons and a shop manual.  Having two information sources can help clarify things at times.
• Electronic scanning tools: OBDII, CAN BUS, etc.  Cars are largely computer controlled and very complicated.  Check what system your car uses beyond the basic OBDII emissions system and, if you get a light or some thing coming on your dash, go buy the tool/scanner.  Many dealers will charge a diagnostic fee just to read the codes.  Autozone and other parts stores can lend you an OBDII scanner for reading emissions codes, but they do not have CAN bus scanning tools
• Hand tools:  buy them as needed for a job.  They are an investment.  For example If you dont have a jack, and jackstands, it will cost you $75-100 to get a set, but they should last you a lifetime, and will pay for them selves in the first 1 or 2 jobs you do on your own.
• Forum for your car model:  MANY popular car models have owners forums dedicated to them and can be fantastic resources for repair and maintenance information

We just replaced both front coil spring over shock suspension units for our vehicle.  Autozone had a deal where they gave you a $25 gift card for every $100, so I spent $350 on both shocks, got free shipping, and $75 worth of autozone gift cards.  It took my girlfriend and I a couple of hours to do, but it would have cost over $1000 at a dealer without question and we did it for less than $400 out of pocket with a net cost of $275 since we can use the gift cards to pay for oil/filters whatever in the future.

Regarding your trepidation.  All I can say is be methodical and do your research.  The wood working adage "measure twice, cut once" applies here... lets say .. "read 10 times, wrench once".  Vehicles are machines, not magic.  If you use the right fluid, in the right amount, with the right procedure ... they don't just "blow up", or fail.

Honestly I have worked on every vehicle I have ever owned, and I find that the only difference between you and a dealer mechanic is experience with the EXACT model vehicle you have.  I appreciate ASE certified independent mechanics exist, but wrenching on the same cars all the time is what makes you familiar with them, and cars are complicated enough now a days that knowing how one works doesn't mean you know them all.  Spend the time learning about your vehicle and the more you work on it, the more you will know.  I always try to read through the entire clymer/haynes/chiltons manual to get a good "overview" before I do anything.

[Jamesqf]

Most dealers charge some where in the $100+/hr range.  This means that getting your front rotors and pads replaced is going to cost you $100+ even before factoring in parts costs, which as people have mentioned are significantly more expensive at dealerships.

Not to mention that if you know enough about maintenance to check the pads for wear & replace them when needed, it's unlikely that you'll ever have to replace the rotors - which is a much bigger job.  A new set of brake pads might cost $20, and take you an hour or so to install.

Same logic applies to a lot of car-related stuff.  It's that old "ounce of prevention" adage again.  If you know enough to recognize & fix small problems before they become big ones, you can potentially save a lot.

[etamme]

Not to mention that if you know enough about maintenance to check the pads for wear & replace them when needed, it's unlikely that you'll ever have to replace the rotors - which is a much bigger job.  A new set of brake pads might cost $20, and take you an hour or so to install.

Not to be overly pedantic, but it really depends on the vehicle.  BMW "designs" the cars with softer rotors and the pads and rotors are meant to wear evenly and be replaced together.  So I was just speaking from my experience working at BMW.  For american cars especially, you are correct, the rotors virtually never need to be replaced unless you have some overheating problem which causes them to warp significantly.  I had a volvo 740 turbo station wagon that went through several rotors due to them overheating and warping. 

At any rate rotors is not a "big job" either.  Depending on the vehicle the brake caliper often needs to be removed to replace the inside brake pad.  At that point, you can usually just remove the rotor and put the new one on.

[bombcar]

As mentioned here, often problems that start after replacing the transmission fluid are caused by using the wrong fluid. In fact, some people have been known to buy old Chrysler minivans that don't shift right, drain the transmission and put in the right fluid and have a perfectly working van.

[Jamesqf]

Not to be overly pedantic, but it really depends on the vehicle.  BMW "designs" the cars with softer rotors and the pads and rotors are meant to wear evenly and be replaced together.

Ouch!  Yet another reason I'm glad I've never owned a BMW - I think that stands for "Bring Money With you" :-)

For american cars especially, you are correct, the rotors virtually never need to be replaced unless you have some overheating problem which causes them to warp significantly.

Or unless you let the pads wear down to the metal, and they score the rotors, as in "Hey, my brakes have been making funny noises for a while, do you think there might be a problem?"

[jawisco]

I think it is a great idea to do as much of your maintenance as you can and are able to enjoy to some level (either enjoy the process or enjoy saving the money).  Good advice to buy Haynes manual - I think that combined with online forums and you can do anything you care to take on.  Actual service manual is great, but can be a little much for a beginner.

You will mess something up that will cost you time and money - everybody does this. It is a learning process, so just start slow and look to do more and more.  A good way to start is to get the Haynes/Chilton manual, and go through the maint section.  Check things out, look at the pictures, and figure out where things are in your car.

 Over the long run, you will come out far, far ahead.  It is really something that can save you a ton of money over the long run - money on the repairs, better choices in future vehicles because you know more, and the ability to drive older vehicles because you can do most of the nickel and dime stuff.  Go for it and don't be afraid to buy tools you need to do it right.

[Forcus]

I highly recommend ALLDATA for online manuals. Constant updates too (as opposed to buying a PDF online, or a book). I was desparate for a manual for my Volvo (they don't offer a manual!!! Should have been a sign) and this was the only place I could find one. I also highly recommend forums for that model. I was able to diagnose several issues that caused much angst and were easy to fix and saved me hundreds in labor.

[frugal_engineer]

Not to be overly pedantic, but it really depends on the vehicle.  BMW "designs" the cars with softer rotors and the pads and rotors are meant to wear evenly and be replaced together. 

Be glad you don't own an Audi.  Buddy at work has an A4 and needed to replace the headlight.  How do you replace the headlight bulb on an A4? You remove the front bumper and several pieces underneath it until you get to the headlight. 

A note with manuals: if you don't find what you need in the Haynes / Chilton and can't access the manufacturer's service manual, check for forums for your vehicle online.  Someone has had the problem you have / done the job your trying to do to your car and posted about it somewhere.  A little searching before you start a job will save headaches for sure.

[menorman]

Not to mention that if you know enough about maintenance to check the pads for wear & replace them when needed, it's unlikely that you'll ever have to replace the rotors - which is a much bigger job.  A new set of brake pads might cost $20, and take you an hour or so to install.

Not to be overly pedantic, but it really depends on the vehicle.  BMW "designs" the cars with softer rotors and the pads and rotors are meant to wear evenly and be replaced together.  So I was just speaking from my experience working at BMW.  For american cars especially, you are correct, the rotors virtually never need to be replaced unless you have some overheating problem which causes them to warp significantly.  I had a volvo 740 turbo station wagon that went through several rotors due to them overheating and warping. 

At any rate rotors is not a "big job" either.  Depending on the vehicle the brake caliper often needs to be removed to replace the inside brake pad.  At that point, you can usually just remove the rotor and put the new one on.

This is exactly where I am. I drive a BMW and I have no idea when the rotors were last changed. I plan to change them when I next do brakes. However, you're spot on when saying they're not a "big job" for the most part. Some cars add little quirks, but the general idea of taking off the rotor and putting a new one on isn't rocket science. By doing it yourself, much money is saved and you're sure it actually gets done. Also, rotors really aren't that expensive especially when one stays away from the drilled/slotted racket. As for pads, AutoZone sells pads with "lifetime" warranties. Buy them once and as long as you never wear a set down to the metal, the rest are free until you get a new car model.