Taking care of your vehicle is an essential part of vehicle ownership. Which sounds like something your dad used to say to you. But it’s true! And important to remember! You’ve got to stay on top of all your car’s needs throughout the years, but it can get pretty pricey to take it into the shop. And some folks actually like to do it for themselves. This list is chock full of the best DIY auto maintenance items you need to do the best home auto care possible. Get everything you need to care for your vehicle, no shops needed!
Know What’s Going On
It’s hard to know what’s going on in your car, especially if you’re not an expert, but you can make it a little easier on yourself with this Bluetooth scanner. It gives you the chance to find out what’s going on with your car so you can avoid unnecessary trips to the shop.
Handle Your Fuel Line Like a Pro
You learn all sorts of new things when you’re trying to teach yourself about fixing your vehicle. One of the things I’ve learned is that you need some specialty tools for certain things, and one of those is the fuel line. These clamps are ergonomically designed to fit well in your hand and grasp the fuel line easily and properly.
Socket to ‘Em
Everyone needs a good set of sockets, and that’s especially true if you’re working on your car at home. This set has all the sizes you could need and it even includes three sizes of extension bars, one spinner handle, and more! This is the kit you need for your at-home car work.
Test Your Batteries
Check the condition of your car’s batteries with this awesome gadget. It’s easy to understand how to operate it and it’s even easier to actually operate it. The best part of all? It can save you from having to purchase an expensive replacement battery that you don’t actually need.
Power Up
It turns out that your battery isn’t always dead, sometimes it just needs a good charge, and this gadget allows you to charge up your batteries at home. No need to take this in, replace your batteries, or get a shop or mechanic involved when you’ve got this awesome tool!
Terminal Removal Keys
This is one of those things that are a little over my head, but it’s important to know all about the terminals. This incredible set of tools comes with all sorts of options so you can get the right key to remove the terminals you’re working with.
A Great Hardware Tray
Hardware is a crucial part of any automotive work and this tray not only comes with some incredible hardware, it’s also a tray that’s going to last you for years and throughout all sorts of fixes you get yourself into. You never know when this is going to come in handy, all you know is that it absolutely will.
Get in There
These wicked looking little hooks aren’t actually that wicked, but they have been created for precision work. I love these hooks for getting debris out of the cracks in my tires, but my husband says they’re even better for doing precision work in the engine when you’re dealing with tiny pieces.
Don’t Miss a Beat
This is an absolutely genius tool! It doesn’t really seem like the sort of tool you’ve got to have, but it’s absolutely an essential. This maintenance record allows you to track everything you’ve had done to your car, and everything that still needs to be done, all in one, easy-to-see place.
Working on the Ground Doesn’t Have to Suck
When you work on your car, there’s a lot of work that has to be done while you’re laying on the ground. Unfortunately, that means your back takes a real beating, and the older I get the more unrealistic that is. So, I purchased my husband and I this awesome mat to take some of that pain and pressure off.
You’ve Got to Have a Great Funnel
Seriously! You never know when you’re going to need to a funnel, but they’re crucial to car work. This funnel is wide-mouthed so you can be sure to get whatever you need funneled wherever you need it. And on top of that, it flattens up perfectly for storage when you’re done using it!
Get a Good, Gentle Clean
This brush is my favorite of all the tools, because the internal work is my favorite kind of work to do on my car. This brush is so gentle and easy on the screen in my car so I can just brush away dust or grimy build up without worrying about scratching my interior.
It’s About to Ramp Up
Get it? Cause these are ramps? Maybe you didn’t know they were ramps, because they look a little different than a regular ramp. But that’s exactly what they are! They allow you to raise your car so you have an easier time getting under there for whatever works needs doing.
Don’t be Caught Unaware
You never want to be caught out somewhere in your vehicle, in need of something for an emergency. Fortunately, this emergency kit keeps you absolutely covered in the event of a vehicle-related emergency. Tool set, jumper cables, a great poncho, and more so you don’t have to sweat the small or big stuff.
A Lug Wrench is Essential
I swear I haven’t seen one of these in years, but my husband assures me we have one and he’s used it several times. This sort of wrench is just what you need to get those lug nuts taken care of when you’re changing tires and this particular wrench is designed to work for all sorts of vehicles.
Get Into the Internals
One of the coolest things about working on your car is that you can really get into the detailing or repairs as much as you want or are able to, and these lifting tools help you to do just that. They gently pry away the interior paneling pieces of your car for internal repairs or cleans.
Tackle Your Oil Filter
Believe it or not, but oil filters actually require particular tools and this tool is the one you need! It’s adjustable and is one of the best tools I’ve found to really get a good grip on the oil filter so you can work on it without cussing every time the pliers slip.
This is NOT a Turkey Tool
I was honestly, very confused the first time I saw it, but I learned how to use it and while it’s not designed for basting your turkeys, it is designed for something super helpful. These allow you to extract oils and fluids so you can probably change them out and clean inside the chambers.
Drain Off Your Oil
Waste not, want not, right? You don’t want to have to worry about getting oil all over your carport or driveway, but you also don’t want to mishandle your waste. This drain pan allows you to capture the draining oil so you can properly dispose of it in the right place.
The Best Oil Out There
This is my favorite oil to use. You can get in all sorts of blends, synthetic or otherwise. We use this in both of our cars because not only is it incredible, it’s also super affordable without sacrificing the quality we’re looking for and it even works to protect your engine, too.
Inflate Your Tires in a Snap
It can be more than a little challenging to get your tires back to where they need to be if they’ve started to lose pressure, but you can save yourself some money, and some time, with this air compressor that makes quick work of the tires you need to get refilled.
My Most Used Product
Truly! I cannot tell you how much windshield fluid I go through every year. I mean. I could, but it would be super embarrassing, so I won’t tell you. Suffice it to say, I use a lot of this and I freaking love this product! It keeps my windshield shiny clean!