There is nothing I love to hear about more than someone who is enthusiastic about taking care of their car. I am a big proponent of drivers investing time in learning about their vehicles so they can do their own service and repair work. Having said that, I will add the following caveat, some automotive services should always be left to the professionals. No matter how much of a car enthusiast you are or how much you need to save money, some auto services simply should not be done at home for the sake of vehicle safety.
What does the auto professional offer that you cannot? Unless you are a trained and certified mechanic, you more than likely do not have the education and experience needed to do the job right. Also, people do not have in their home garages the costly and complex equipment that is required to properly diagnose and repair today’s vehicles. Your local auto service professional is equipped to perform all automotive services in an affordable and timely manner.
For this post, I will be focusing on three examples of automotive services you should leave to the professionals: Engine Diagnostics, Tire Rotation, and Suspension Repairs.
Engine Diagnostics – Today’s advanced on-board automotive technology has greatly simplified the diagnosis of engine problems to a large degree, however the technology is not perfect, and it does not eliminate the need for human interpretation. Engine codes can be very general and require more sophisticated equipment to reveal the true source of the problem.
Tire Rotation – While it may seem simple to jack up your vehicle and change the tires around, not doing the job correctly could mean costly damage to your tires, or worse yet, it could result in losing a wheel at highway speeds and a life threatening auto accident. It is better to have a tire professional do the job. They have the training to not only do the job properly, but also to spot signs of uneven tread wear and tire damage.
Suspension Repairs – The suspension system of your vehicle provides stability to your vehicle’s steering system therefore it is critical to the safety of your vehicle. Any work you do or new components you install during a suspension repair could have a serious impact on suspension system performance and reliability.
While some auto services should be left to the professionals, there are many simple car maintenance services you can perform yourself. Just keep in mind this rule of thumb – when in doubt, see an automotive services professional.
