I’m a Car Expert: 5 Car Repairs Retirees Can Do Themselves To Save Money

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Hitting retirement age is an opportune time to learn new skills and take up fresh hobbies. You could become a master container gardener. A bird watcher. Expert hiker. Coin collector. Or, if you like, you could become an amateur auto enthusiast.

Getting familiar with the ins and outs of your car (within reason) isn’t just a great way to keep your mind active — it’s also a way to help save money.

While you’re probably not about to take apart your engine and reassemble it like a pro, there are some small things you can do to improve the life of your car while also balancing life on a fixed income. 

Oil Changes 

If your engine is the heart of a car, then oil is its lifeblood. Changing your oil is one of the most basic things you can do to keep your engine going for a long time. While you may be accustomed to taking your car to a dealership or repair shop and paying anywhere between $35 and $125 to have your oil changed, turns out, it’s not so hard to do it at home. 

Stressed about learning how to do it? Blake Shaw, automotive expert and author of the All About Wheels blog assures you that there are several good tutorials online. 

“Changing the oil is easy and can save a lot of money,” she said. “Platforms like YouTube or blogs dedicated to automobile maintenance typically have good guides.”

Specifically, Shaw recommends the YouTube channels for ChrisFix and Scotty Kilmer. However, if you’re not exactly the most tech-savvy learner, you can also investigate adult education programs for vehicle repairs at your local community college.

Changing Air Filters 

Fortunately, changing out your air filters is even easier than changing your oil. According to Shaw, it’s a simple yet necessary maintenance task. “The vast majority of air filters are easily replaceable and do not require any special equipment,” she added. 

Doing this saves you between $20 and $50 on parts and labor. If you ride in style in a luxury vehicle, changing your air filters could save you up to $100.

Replacing Windshield Wipers 

Fewer things could be more annoyingly inconvenient or downright scary than being caught on the highway in a downpour and suddenly realizing that your windshield wipers won’t work.

To avoid this nightmare scenario without making it rain on your finances, Shaw said that you can replace your windshield wipers. Doing so can save you between $50 and $61 in parts and labor.

Topping Off Fluids 

If performing some of these tasks still feels too intense for you, some maintenance essentials are as easy as turning a cap. Checking and topping off your fluids, like coolants, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid and transmission fluid, help you save hundreds in service costs.

“Doing these little things keeps the car running well and prevents bigger, more expensive problems,” Shaw said. 

Checking the Pressure on Your Tires

Keeping your tires in tip-top shape is one of the most important, yet easiest, ways to stay on the road — and not stranded on the side of it.

Most gas stations have an air pump that should only cost a few dollars.

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