DIY Car repairs and modifications are fun and can save high repair costs. But not everything always goes smoothly when repairing the car, and some mishaps can cost real money. Find out now what the most common mistakes are when repairing the car and how to avoid them.

Read also: 7 car repairs you should not do yourself

Errors when repairing the car – this can be expensive

Whether changing the engine oil, repairing accident damage or a complete restoration of the vehicle – many car repairs are gladly carried out by expert car mechanics themselves. However, newcomers and hobby mechanics in particular sometimes make mistakes.

Error 1: The wrong torque

Many screws and screwed connections on car parts must be tightened to a certain torque. For this purpose, a torque spanner is used on which the desired torque can be set. When this point is reached, the torque spanner is released and the connection cannot be tightened any further.

Many hobby screwdrivers tighten screw connections as tightly as they can without even considering the specified torque. Torn screws or ruined threads are the consequences, which are difficult to undo. The risk of accidents also increases, as overstretched screws may break under load at a later stage.

Error 2: Wrong engine oil filled in

Changing the engine oil regularly is important to ensure a long service life of combustion engines. Many motorists would like to save the cost of changing the oil and carry out the procedure themselves. This is quite feasible, but there are a few things to consider. Among other things, it is important to choose the right engine oil, as many engine oils differ in terms of their properties.

Car mechanics should therefore not simply buy the engine oil that is currently on sale nearby. Viscosity and other properties of the oil may not be suitable and, in the worst case, may lead to engine damage. Instead, it is advisable to buy an engine oil that is intended and approved by the manufacturer of the car. Information on this can usually be found in the owner’s manual of the vehicle.

Error 3: Thread of the oil drain plug ruined

To be able to drain the old engine oil when changing the oil, a screw must be loosened under the engine. The so-called oil drain plug is usually located at the lowest point of the oil pan. Once the old oil has flowed out of the engine, the drain plug must be replaced. Hobby mechanics without a lifting platform in particular sometimes insert the oil drain plug incorrectly.

As a result, they ruin the thread in the oil pan when tightening. Often the thread is so badly damaged that the entire oil pan has to be replaced. Although car parts such as the oil pan can be bought cheaply second-hand from car recycling centres, the cost of replacement is not insignificant. Therefore, the oil drain plug should always be inserted carefully and tightened carefully by hand at first.

Error 4: Replica parts installed without ABE

When it comes to repairing their vehicle, many car owners would like to save some money. Cheap offers on the internet are often tempting, but not all parts offered are always really good. Especially tuning parts and replicas are often offered without the general operating permit ABE. This problem does not occur with original parts with an OEM number, which you can also buy cheaply second-hand.

Error 5: Wheels mounted against the direction of travel

Modern tyres have numerous positive characteristics. These are not seldom the result of a fixed running direction of the tyre. Tyres for winter use in particular, but also sports tyres, have a running direction specified by the manufacturer. Many hobby mechanics do not take this into account and mount the wheels in the opposite direction to the actual running direction.

However, if tyres with a prescribed running direction are mounted and driven the wrong direction, the positive characteristics of the tyres can quickly change into the negative. Therefore, do not change wheels crosswise when changing wheels. The running direction of the tyres is marked with an arrow and the inscription „Rotation“ and must be strictly observed.

Mistake 6: Total overconfidence

Many car mechanics overestimate themselves in their projects. On the one hand, this concerns their own car repair skills, and on the other hand, the estimated effort. For example, the restoration of a classic car often involves a lot of unplanned work, even if suitable spare parts can be obtained cheaply from car recycling.

Error 7: Wrong spare parts ordered

Incorrect and mismatched spare parts are often a big nuisance, but they are usually the result of a wrong order. At Autoparts24, however, the selection of suitable car parts from certified car recyclers is very easy. After entering the vehicle data, all suitable offers are clearly listed. A comparison of the OEM number guarantees the selection of the right spare part in case of doubt.

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