Car Tips #79: How to Save Cash on Car Maintenance By Frank-Ling / Apr 15, 2015 share Facebook Twitter Google + LinkedIn Pinterest Email Share... If you have a burnt out light bulb on one of your turn signals, you can go to your local car maintenance shop and have it done there. But you may be shocked that although the replacement bulb only costs a few dollars, the labor can be three or four times the cost of the part, and in some cases, more.One way to get around these expensive labor costs, and some would say they are outrageous, is to refer to the car manual for your car.Of course, you won’t be able to do your own engine repairs, but you may be able to save yourself some significant cash by doing simple maintenance chores yourself. Your car manual lists many ways to do simple tasks so check with this first.Get a Repair ManualYou’ve probably seen car repair manuals at the bookstore or online, and these books can pay for themselves with just one do-it-yourself maintenance job.These manuals can get quite involved and for those with good mechanical aptitude, they’ll be able to do advanced car repairs such as replacing water pumps, exchanging alternators, and even doing engine related tasks.But these car manuals also go over the nuts and bolts, so to speak, of common everyday maintenance tasks such as replacing fuses, light bulbs, air filters, oil filters, and more. Some of the more popular car manuals are published by Bentley, Chilton, or Haynes.Use the book that is easiest for you to understand. Some car repair manuals are overly complicated for the novice repair person, while others supply a generous amount of photographs and illustrations and speak in common everyday language.Watch YouTubeIf you want to do simple car maintenance tasks but repair manuals seem to be too intimidating, a very good alternative to the written word is to watch online videos on YouTube and other video sites.You’d be surprised at the wealth of information regarding car repair chores that are available through online videos. They are usually easy to understand, and are made by individuals who know the process of car maintenance. Just beware that you’ll need to do a search for the specific model and year of your car and not a generic one.Simple StuffYou can save significant amounts of cash by doing these simple tasks yourself:• Replace windshield wipers• Replace cabin air filter and engine air filter• Replace burnt out fuses• Replace burned out light bulbs• Replace Battery• Add new coolant• Wash and wax the car• Apply touch-up paint to minor scratches• Minor dent removal• Diagnose car codes with OBD-II readerIf you can do these car maintenance chores yourself, you’ll have the satisfaction of saving money and knowing that you were able to avoid the car repair shop.Source: Consumer Reports