You can find them at any automotive repair and car accessory store, on the Internet, and just about anywhere else involving vehicles: the car repair guide. They come in versions for young drivers and everywhere in-between, but they're all basically the same in that a car repair guide teaches the car owner, step by step, how to repair a car.
A car repair guide covers every kind of vehicle, from its year to its make and model, starting as far back as 1950. Say you own a 1989 Chevrolet Camaro or a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire – all you have to do is have the year, make, and model of your vehicle, and you'll find a car repair guide that covers the body and trim, brakes, chassis, drive train, engine, fuel system, suspension and steering, and general information and maintenance. For example, let's say you want to change the brakes on your 1995 Honda Accord. An auto repair guide is going to start by showing you three pictures and giving you five steps in which to complete the repair. First, it will tell you to loosen the locknut on the brake light switch and back off the switch until it doesn't touch the pedal shaft. Following that will be more instructions, illustrated by pictures of the brakes which show you the precise location of the pushrod locknut, brake light switch, and brake light switch locknut. A second diagram will illustrate how to adjust the height and loosen the locknut on the pushrod.
Whether you're online or flipping through a car repair guide you picked up somewhere, car repair guides are an essential part of a do-it-yourself lifestyle. Each guide is specific to a vehicle and includes detailed information and diagrams on how to get your truck, car, or SUV on the road again. Normally, car repair guides will have step-by-step instructions along with wiring diagrams, detailed drawings and photographs, repair tips, and specification charts.
A car repair guide will show you how to change your spark plugs every 30,000 miles to keep your car from stalling, misfiring, and using too much fuel; how to change your spark plug wires to keep your car from hesitating or starting too hard; and how to replace your air filter every 12,000 miles to keep your car's best horsepower up and fuel usage down. A car repair guide will also walk you through changing other filters that are often neglected, like the fuel filter, PCV valve, and breather element. These forgotten filters should be changed every 12,000 miles and are often left out during routine tune-ups, which can cause a variety of problems while driving.
The ten most common car repairs that people do themselves are changing the oil; replacing the air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, battery, disc brake pads, drum brakes, ignition coils, electric fuel pump; and jump-starting the battery. All of these repairs can be found in a car repair guide, and doing it yourself will help you save money in the long run. A car repair guide will also include maintenance and troubleshooting tips, so you'll be able to take care of your car and keep it running like new as well as figure out the problem – or close to it – when something goes wrong.