Our car maintenance tips and tricks
Jun 08

5 Essential Car Repairs That You Definitely Shouldn’t Make DIY

In the past, when you had a little car trouble. Were you tempted to lift up the bonnet yourself and take a look under there? Did part of you think that you could figure out what the problem was without the hassle or expense of getting it to the mechanic? It’s understandable, but for most it’s also a bad idea.

A car is incredibly complex, which is why mechanics train for years before becoming well versed enough to confidently and safely tackle any problem. While we admit there are probably a few small things you can do yourself — pumping air into your tyres, topping up fluids, and even things like flushing your radiator if you feel up to the task.

There are other jobs, however, that are always best left to the professionals. Here are 5 jobs on which the professional team here at Smart Mechanics in Bishops Stortford recommend you never attempt DIY.

1. Brakes

We know brakes and brake fluid very well here at Smart Mechanics. They are an intricate and critical system in which there is no room for error. The construction of the brake pad and rotors may fool you into thinking the procedures to maintain brakes aren’t so hard, but they require more skill and knowhow than you think.

2. Your Cambelt

Do you feel confident to fiddle with or replace the very part of your engine that keeps the crankshaft and camshaft rotation in sync? Sending your car’s engine out of harmony does not sound like a good idea to us here at Smart Mechanics. If your car is producing a lot of extra exhaust fume, or you see the cambelt has a shiny underside, then it could be time for a replacement. That’s when you give your mechanic a call.

3. Anything with Welding

Some people who succeed at soldering when they’re at school believe that they can instantly transfer that skill to the world of welding. This could be the costliest mistake you ever make, so leave it to the professionals. When your car needs welding on the exhaust, body work, seals or any other areas, you need a trained and experienced welder who has the skill pegged down to an artform.

4. Fuel System or Exhaust

The fuel system is a dangerous one to be tinkering with. It contains hazardous and flammable materials, and the parts get extremely hot to the touch. Even when you know your way around a car’s engine, fuel systems are best left to the properly trained mechanics. We’re sure that all the have-a-go amateur technicians out there with burn marks and painful memories will agree with us.

5. Transmission

The engine of any car, modern or classic is a complex beast, but within that beast sits the transmission, which is like the most complex organ within that unfathomable mechanical body. The plethora of pipes, tubes and other moving parts make this tricky to manage, and the consequences of getting it wrong could be both damaging to your car, and could also severely impair your on-road safety.

Don’t be a hero — give us a call

Just as car mechanics don’t teach university physics or operate freight trains, neither should non-mechanics attempt these and other tricky car maintenance jobs. Give us a call today, and our mobile mechanics service can come to you when you need help.

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(We cannot provide any warranty on parts supplied by the customer.)