SPONSORED: Don’t make these DIY car care mistakes

When it comes to car care, do you like to take a DIY approach? You’re not alone. Lots of drivers like to take maintenance into their own hands either to save money or feel that sense of accomplishment that they’re caring for their vehicle (or both). Whatever your reason, it’s important that you go about do-it-yourself car care the right way. That’s why we asked our Charlotte auto service techs what common mistakes they see and how to prevent them, and compiled this handy list for you. Check it out!

6 common DIY car care mistakes

#1: Overestimating or underestimating what you can do.

How confident are you in your DIY car care skills? It’s critical that you don’t overestimate your abilities. Unless you have prior experience with auto service,  you should start small with routine car maintenance like oil changes and tire care - don’t jump right into big jobs like swapping a transmission hoping that YouTube can walk you through it. Similarly, don’t underestimate what you can do! Our Charlotte Toyota service techs are always here to answer questions and give advice.

#2: Not having or using the right tools.

Certain car care tasks require certain tools and if you don’t have them, it’s not advisable to wing it with the tools you do have. This can cause expensive and even irreparable damage to your car parts. Your best bet is to figure out if financially, it makes sense for you to buy these tools or if you should just schedule the maintenance or repairs at our Charlotte auto service center.

#3: Putting the wrong fluids in your car.

You should find out the specific types of fluids (like oil, coolant, transmission fluid, etc.) that your car requires before attempting to DIY your car care. Using the wrong type of fluid can cause performance issues and even permanent damage to your vehicle. Consult your owner’s manual or ask one of our auto care techs!

#4: Jacking your car up incorrectly.

When you jack your car up to work underneath it or perform tire care, it’s essential that you put the jack in the right place. Putting it in the wrong place can to structural damage to your car’s frame. This is one for the owner’s manual!

#5: Not labeling your parts.

When you perform maintenance or repairs DIY-style, it may help to label parts with sticky notes when you first start. It might all make sense when it’s in the engine, but the parts can look a lot different when they’re laying on the garage floor. This will help you piece things back together with as little stress as possible.

#6: Postponing routine car care until “you get to it”.

Your car needs to be on a routine car care schedule - period. This schedule ensures that your performance is where it needs to be and that parts don’t break due to excessive wear, heat, etc. Don’t postpone things - if you’re going to DIY it, your car care needs to be a priority.

Call Toyota of N Charlotte with questions today

Have questions? Call Toyota of N Charlotte’s service center today at (704) 659-2025.