Hello fellow Mustachians!
I’m new to the forums, just wanted to share that last weekend I changed the timing belt on my 2007 Hyundai Tucson in my driveway. I’m not a mechanic; nobody ever taught me how to work on a car. Everything automotive related I learned from YouTube, internet forums and Haynes manuals. I originally started doing my own oil changes and other maintenance with simple tools, and over the years I have built up confidence to take on major repairs and a respectable collection of tools. Before the Tucson I had an ‘05 Hyundai Accent, and over the life of that car I changed the timing belt twice, did brake jobs, replaced the struts and other suspension components, did body repair, and a bunch of other smaller repairs that allowed me to save thousands of dollars and keep that car for years longer than anyone paying a mechanic could justify. Now the same is happening with the Tucson. The timing belt job alone saved me $400-$600 on labor. The best part is that this car is barely worth $2000 so it would be a tough call to spend 30-50% of the car’s value on preventative maintenance, but an easy call to make when the parts cost $150 and I already had all the tools needed.
I challenge others to learn how to fix their own vehicles and embrace the savings! You can start small – an oil change just needs a wrench and a catch pan. Before I made ramps to drive the car up on (yes homemade) I used to just drive one wheel up on the curb in front of my house. That allowed enough room to get underneath the car safely with the catch pan. Your abilities will increase as your car gets older and needs further repair. Once you start, it will be hard to imagine paying anyone to work on your car!
