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4.0 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER - DO-IT-YOURSELF SAVINGS - DIY

Here is an example from my own life. My automobile do-it-yourself skills saved me $1000s of dollars and helped me go to graduate school without taking out a loan. I lived out in the country then and was very dependent on my car. Although I had mechanical skills, I knew almost nothing about car repair.

I wanted to find a common used car that was both economical and easy to find parts for; when a car died, I would just buy another one. I decided to buy either a Plymouth Valiant or a Dodge Dart. Both cars had a good reputation and parts were interchangeable. Both had been made for over a decade.

Next I found a student who earned money as a mechanic on the side. He was willing to work on my car and teach me at the same time. After about a year of watching him, I could fix most simple things and diagnose other more complicated problems.

After four or five years, when my Plymouth died, I bought a Dodge Dart and took parts off the old car as needed. Since I had done most of the repair work, I knew which parts were new. I also saved the tires and battery from my old car.

Today, I no longer work on my car because I have problems with my back. The skills I learned, however, still save me money. I now drive a Dodge van and can diagnose most problems. When I take it to be repaired, I can talk with the mechanics because I understand the terms involved.

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