To most people, costly auto repairs are something we simply expect to come with owning a car. A car isn’t this perfect, unbreakable piece of machinery we tell ourselves. At some point it needs some parts replaced or a service. Though, what if we told you that you could do a few of those costly repairs or maintenance tricks all on your own?

Below you’ll find six of our great car maintenance tricks that you can do on your own in the garage or your rented garage space that can save you some serious cash.

Widescreen Wiper Replacements

Up first, the windscreen wipers. If you’ve ever had your car serviced you’ll know that most auto shops replace the wipers as part of the service – for quite a high a fee. However, you can do this yourself in five to ten minutes.

Head down to your local auto parts shop, like SuperCheap Auto and buy a pair of windscreen wipers, they’re usually around $20. Once you get home, pull the wipers up from the windscreen, slide the old wipers out and slide the new ones in the same way. That’s it. You’re done!

Swap Out the Spark Plugs

For drivers who may have noticed that they’re filling up more frequently or occasionally have an issue starting their car, it might be time to swap out the spark plug. Although this seems like an expert task, it only takes two tools and a tiny bit of fiddling.

You’ll need a 12inch socket extension along with a wrench/spanner and, of course, a new spark plug. Take a look on Google for your car’s make and model and where to find a spark plug for it. The plug will screw off without much effort and you’ll be able to screw a new one on just as easily.

Replacing Seatbelts

If you’ve ever owned a car long enough to see fraying seatbelts, then you’ll know the feeling of worry that comes with the thought of them not working correctly in an accident. There is some good news here though and that is the fact you can actually replace seatbelts yourself.

All you’ll need to do is grab a screwdriver and order a new seatbelt for your make and model of car. The seatbelt is only connected to the retractor and the car by a few screws. Just unscrew them all and the belt will come right off – you might have to remove the side trims. Once you’ve taken the old belt off, get your new one and screw it back into the same screw holes and you’re all done.

Take a look here for a video guide.

Battery Replacements

This trick is for those of us with cars that have a hard time turning on – or for when we accidentally leave the lights on all night. To replace a car battery, all you’ll need to do is order a new battery or have a friend drop one off from a local auto battery store.

Unscrew the connectors on the battery itself and then remove the existing dead battery. Place the new battery in the console, reattach the connectors and screw them back up – being sure they’re on the correct minus and plus symbols. You’ll be able to once again start your car and be on your way!

Swap Out the Air Filter

Quite possibly the easiest car maintenance trick on our list is swapping out the air filter. You should do your best to change out the air filter every two to three years, however, if you drive on a lot of dusty back roads, change it more often.

To change your car’s air filter, just open the bonnet and it will be under a large plastic housing that is connected to the engine by a plastic pipe or funnel-like tube. Unscrew the housing and you’ll find the air filter. Just pull it up and replace it with your new one and screw the housing back down and you’re good to go.

For some extra help take a look at SuperCheap Auto’s guide here.

Fix Squeaky Windows and Doors

Last up on our list is a cure for that annoying squeaky door or window. A squeaky door or window is often believed to be a byproduct of an ageing car that can’t really be fixed. However, spending less than $10 on some WD40 or another lubricant can have the squeaks silenced.

Walk around the car and spray all of the window tracks with WD40 as well as the door hinges. You’ll quickly notice that the squeaks and creaks will have completely gone away with almost no hard work at all.