Car Maintenance: 6 Car Repairs You Can't Afford to Skip

1. Brake Pads

It seems like common sense: Don't neglect your car's brakes. Still, when it's time to replace your car's brake pads, it's easy to look the other way. For one thing, brake pads tend to wear gradually, so you might not notice changes in your braking performance right away. Secondly, a car with worn brake pads will still stop -- just not as well. So what's the harm in saving some money and holding off?

It turns out the harm in not replacing your brake pads is about $400. When your brake pads are worn, they can cause damage to brake rotors. As the rotors rub against the worn pads, they become warped, which makes it tougher to stop the car (if you feel your car shudder as you brake, you probably have warped rotors). Fixing the rotors requires that they be turned or smoothed out -- something that requires a mechanic and can run over $100 per rotor. If the rotors need to be replaced, you'll end up spending four times what it would have cost to replace the brake pads.

2. Oil Change

An oil change should cost you around $40 at most quick oil change stations. And that same station will probably tell you to come back in three months or 3,000 miles. But do you have to? It depends. That old rule of thumb still applies to some cars, but others can go much longer between oil changes. To find out how long your car can go between changes, read your owner's manual.

After you've found out the oil change interval for your car, follow it. Oil is like your engine's blood. But unlike your blood, all sorts of impurities build up in unless your oil is changed regularly -- not to mention that all engines lose some oil. Too much buildup and not enough oil lead to your engine seizing up. Sure, you can save $40 by putting off an oil change, but you could end up spending $4,000 on a new engine.

3. Air Filter

Changing an air filter is cheap. It's even easy enough for most people to do themselves. Not changing your car's air filter, on the other hand, is expensive. According to the EPA, a dirty air filter can reduce fuel economy by up to 10 percent simply because your engine won't breathe as efficiently. By not changing a dirty air filter, you'll save about $15. But, if your car is supposed to get 25 miles per gallon, and gas is $2.50 a gallon, those savings have evaporated by the time you've driven about 150 miles.

Even worse, if the air filter isn't clean and that means enough air isn't getting to the engine, you could foul your spark plugs and might have to replace them. Depending on your engine, that can cost anywhere from $100 to $300. Now, spending $15 for a new air filter doesn't sound so bad, does it?

4. Transmission Fluid Leak

One of the most common problems associated with your transmission is a fluid leak. You'll likely first notice it when you see drops of red fluid on the pavement where you usually park your car. Ignore it for long enough, and you'll definitely notice it when the leak leads to your transmission shifting roughly, or the gears slipping.

Transmission fluid is what cools and lubricates your transmission. If it's leaking, you need to fix it, and fast. Resealing a transmission is a relatively easy job and should usually only cost a few hundred dollars. Ignoring the leak can lead to the transmission seizing up and a subsequent transmission replacement --which costs several thousand dollars.

5. Burned Out Lights

Here's one car repair on our list that is really easy to ignore. After all, a burned-out tail light won't eventually lead to engine failure or to your transmission falling out. While that's all true, you should still fork over your hard-earned $5 for new tail light bulb if yours is burned out.

Believe it or not, failure to keep your rear lights working can be an expensive proposition. First, if a police officer sees you with broken tail or brake lights, you're going to get a ticket. In some states, the fine for a broken tail light is $150, which makes paying for a new bulb seem like chump change. Second, broken lights increase your risk of being on the receiving end of a rear-end collision. And while the other driver's insurance should cover any damage (assuming they have insurance), you still have to deal with the headache of getting your car fixed.

6. Clogged Fuel Filter

An important part of maintaining your car is keeping impurities out of the engine. While the air filter does part of the job by keeping airborne impurities out, the fuel filter keeps impurities from the fuel out of the engine. Like the air filter, if it gets clogged and you don't fix it, you're looking at some major problems.

On older cars, a fuel filter is relatively easy to replace because it's easy for mechanics or car owners themselves to get to. On newer cars, it's a more complex job. More complexity means more money, which makes this repair tempting to skip -- despite the fact that it can lead to the car stalling or refusing to start altogether.

Don't skip it. At its most expensive, replacing a fuel filter will be a few hundred bucks. Let it go too long, and not only are you looking at dealing with a car that will barely run, you could also have dirt in your fuel injectors -- causing them to need replacing. Replacing just one fuel injector can cost over $500. But if they all need replacing, you're looking at least $1,000 in repair bills.

How to replace a fuel filter

Changing fuel filter must be easy for you now, but you need to keep a check to avoid any mishappening or any mistake. Since every process has few ‘Do’s & Don’ts, so does the procedure of replacing fuel filter has. A glance at these instructions would definitely ensure safer fuel replacement process. Read on to find the “Do’s & Dont’s While Replacing Fuel Filter.”
Do’s While Working on Fuel Filter
Make sure to drain the fuel tank before removing it for cleaning.
Always keep in mind that the fuel to be used should be in a sealed container.
Its important that automobile battery should be disconnected before starting the process. The failure in which will lead to accidental sparks that could be dangerous.
Check the filter to ensure that it does not leak and is snug. Usage of gasket sealer to filter threads helps in a leak-free connection.
Cross check the hose clamps for their position. Make sure they are properly positioned as well as tight.
Don’ts While Working on Fuel Filter
No Smoking - Never smoke while you are repairing or replacing the fuel filter. It is advised that you should also keep away all kinds of electrical systems to avoid any damage to them as well as any harm to yourself.
At the time of replacing fuel filter, one needs to tighten the screws into inlet fitting on carburetor. While doing so, never overtighten it. You might damage the threads in carburetor.
Never use RTV silicone sealer that dissolves in gasoline to prevent leakage. Even teflon tape should also be avoided.

Time To Change a Oil Filter - Free Indication To Change on Your own

The First step in oil change must get the old material from there. The Oil is dranned from oil pan in most bottom of your engine. The Oil is organized by connector of the drain that looks look like big bolt adown pans.

Previously, than You delete the oil connector of the drain, be certain that your recycling container positioned under oil drain. Oil change can be not no fun if most your time spent establishing order oil.
When You delete the connector of the drain, allowed this falls on top of the container recycling. There is screen on top, which will keep this from drop in dirt.
Allow whole oil drain then change the connector of the drain, tightening this in your specification rotating moment of the cars or "comfortable but not too it is difficult" if You - a key rotating moment sans.

Place the cap in oil recycling container so You may throw this in positions that takes the used oil the most full gas stations facilities take this.
Now that most oil is dranned you will need change the oil filter. First find what type of the oil filter, which You it is necessary. You may orderly find this info in your local autotomotive shop. You may also confirm our as to choose the page of the oil filter. Then we dispose the oil filter, which looks look like cup. This orderly white, orange or swabs the colour. After so attempts of the occupation to untighten this manually if this - it is difficult, You should use the key of the oil filter. To use this right before placed belt around filter and tumbling is left while this will not break free. After this will liberally this can drizzle more oil. If this happens placed, You swab the pan of the drain under this and waiting this to be slowed. Slowly weaken the oil filter after broken free and pull this. Beside it will probably be an oil in this and that - an o.k., simply mouldboard that in You to dran the pan. Pochistite area with your rag and prepare the new oil filter to continue. To prepare the oil filter, take little new oils and placed this on your finger, then place the oil around seal the oil filter.

This is made to make sure the oil filter is not sealled on and does this impossible to descend next time You change your car oil. Carefully screw the oil filter on and hand is delayed only. Do Not Do on be delayed.
Carefully screw the new oil filter on place. They Are Remembered, he has an oil in this so does not forget to keep this direct. This is screwed on clockwise.
You not it is necessary key to install the new oil filter. Screw this on such thick as You may get this with one hand. Overtightening Oil filter can delete its thread and cause the flow. Certainly, not delaying this it is enough can cause the flow. So screw this on such thick as this will go with one hand, but more.

Now You ready to fill the engine by oil. Unscrew the oil filler to close and include;switch on;list your pipe. I love to buy the containers 5- quarts to oils (cheap) but if You use the single quarts, which - a fine, too.
Check your managament an owner to find how much oils your machine vault. Leyte trace than 3/4, which are formed in engine. For instance if your car keeps 4 quarts to oils, adds 3 1/2.
If You use the container 5- quarts to oils, there is managament on side, which shows how much oils You have put.

After correct amount to oils will be in placed cap on and allows that each thing settle 5 minutes, then You should check the oil once again and make sure that it is correct.