Getting a car is not difficult. Keeping a car in shape is what separates the best car owners from the average person. A well-maintained vehicle means you can retain the resale or trade-in value of your car for a long time.

To achieve this, you don’t need to be an auto expert or know how to handle every single mechanical or electrical issue. You need to be able to do the necessary car repairs that keep your vehicle purring along nicely. Learning how to do these to not only extend your car’s resale value but also save you some dough.

Here are five car maintenance tasks that you can do yourself.

#1. The Spark Plugs

Your spark plugs are an essential component of powering your car. They do this by creating sparks that ignite the gasoline inside the car cylinder. However, by 10,000 miles, they start to wear out.

Changing them is pretty straightforward: you just need to locate the faulty plugs, remove the wires connecting to your car’s electrical system, and then take out the plugs. Insert the new plug in place of the faulty one, fix the wiring, and you are done. It is wise to watch a tutorial before you do this yourself.

#2. The Air Filters

Most car owners don’t bother to check their air filters. These little devices keep your engine free from dust and contaminants. A blocked air filter can make your car engine sputter or stall. They are affordable and are easy to fix, so you shouldn’t have a problem.

To change your air filter, open up the casing and take out the old air filter. Clean the housing and insert a new filter into the casing. That’s how easy it is to replace your air filter. You need to change your filter once every year, or every 30,000 miles.

#3. The Catalytic Converter

The catalytic converter is a vital part of your exhaust system and helps keep your exhaust system working correctly. It does this by converting all the harmful waste and byproducts from your engine into carbon dioxide and water vapor.

To clean your catalytic converter, all you need to do is buy a catalytic converter cleaner and pour into the gas tank when you top up your gas. If you aren’t sure which catalytic additive to buy, this clean catalytic converter review gives you a comprehensive list.

#4. The Windshield Wipers

You don’t want your windshield wipers to fail on you while driving through rain or a snowstorm. The resulting blindness could be life-threatening or cause catastrophic damage to your vehicle. You need to replace any faulty wiper blades once you notice any issues.

To fix any faulty wipers, lift the wiper arm away from your windshield, and depress that small tab at the joint. Pull out the old wiper blade and slide in the new one. Push it in tightly and release the tab. That’s it, and you are done. If you’re still not sure, a video tutorial can reduce any doubts.

#5. Broken Headlights

A broken headlamp is not only discomforting when driving at night, but it is also illegal. You also need to change them once they begin to discolor or fade.

The process of fixing a headlight involves unscrewing the headlight frame, disconnect the electrical connection and then remove the faulty bulb or the broken headlamp. Replace with a new one, plug the electrical connector back and screw the frame back onto the car.

The Bottomline

Fixing any of the issues mentioned above at the auto shop can be unnecessarily expensive. Doing all these yourself saves you thousands of dollars in the long run. However, always keep yourself in check about what you can or can’t do, especially if it’s your first time. You don’t want to damage your vehicle or injure yourself in the process.