Going DIY vs. Hiring a Mechanic

There�s this age-old debate (well, is there really?) that pits the DIY route against simply getting your trusted mechanic to do a job for you when you need your car fixed. Well, both really do have advantages and they all mostly have to do with your situation.

The main advantage of DIY is the cheaper cost. Naturally, if you do whatever task has to be done by yourself, you won�t have to pay anyone any labor fees. Anyone who has had his car repaired can attest to the experience�nay, the shock�of finding a huge amount billed under labor after getting the receipt from the shop. That is eliminated when you do things the DIY way. Of course, that means you�ll still be spending on tools, equipment and replacement or upgrade components. Maybe you�ll also be shelling out a few bucks for subscriptions to reliable online auto repair manuals. Depending on how much you tune or modify or repair, you could end up either saving money or blowing more on parts.

If you only need to work on your car when something goes wrong, or if you don�t have time to study DIY auto repair, then it might be more practical to just go to the mechanic on the occasion that a component breaks down or something. DIY car care is no laughing matter, and you can�t just expect to wing it (unless you�re one of those geniuses with an inborn aptitude for mechanical work or affinity for vehicle systems).

The best thing to do is to weigh your options. Check out some general car care books or online repair manuals and see if the stuff discussed in their pages is the sort of stuff you�d be able to understand and eventually do by yourself. The choice is yours, and the power is in your hands.

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