Home maintenance isn't what it used to be.

Us Brits are no longer renowned for b reaking out the screwdriver when the wiring packs up, or taking a wrench to a le aking pipe - longer warranties, insurance policies and a general lack of knowled ge mean that we give in all too easily and call in 'someone who knows what they' re doing' rather than have a go at fixing it ourselves. We're no different with our cars. No longer will we get out the spanners and hav e a go at repairing the thing ourselves - we simply head for the nearest garage and foot the resultant bill. But it doesn't have to be that way. Basic car maintenance is easier than it looks, so the next time your motor needs a service or a simple repair, why not have a go yourself? Some quick fixes are so simple that it seems practically criminal for motorists to pay for them. Here are 10 easy home repairs/maintenance tasks will save you a bundle of cash - and you might even enjoy doing them. 1. Screen wash top-up Ever paid for screen wash during a service? Don't! Most garages charge a small f ee to top-up the stuff that cleans your screen - but if you've already got a bot tle at home then simply fill up the reservoir beforehand. If the garage still tr ies to charge you then take them to task. It's usually only a few pounds (though some cheeky establishments will charge more than others), but that adds up over the time you own the car. 2. Changing a headlamp bulb The number of drivers who have never changed a headlamp bulb is astonishing. All you need to do is open the bonnet and whip out the wire that runs into the back of the headlamp, along with the plastic dust cover. Most bulbs are held in plac e with a clip, which can usually be lifted backwards to release the bulb itself. Simply pop the new one in place, retrace your steps and you're done. Watch out for modern cars fitted with Xenon headlamps or more complicated bulb housings, w hich make things trickier. 3. Plugs and leads The bread and butter service items on a petrol-engined car. Spark plugs and HT l eads (the wires that transfer power from the distributor to the spark plug) are cheap and easy to replace. The leads are pop-on, pop-off items, but it's always best to replace one lead at a time, otherwise you can risk messing up the engine 's firing order. Spark plugs can simply be removed and replaced with a plug wren ch. Easy. 4. Oil and filter change This one's a little more involved, as you'll need to get underneath the car, but as long you have access to a jack and a set of axle stands, there's no need to worry. Simply place a large pan or bowl underneath the sump - the oil pan found underneath your vehicle - open the sump plug and let the oil drain into the cont ainer until it has slowed to a drip. Reseal the plug. Then remove the existing o il filter and allow any remaining oil to drain out. Refit the new filter (they'r e usually screw-on canisters, but newer cars often have paper filters) and top-u p the engine with oil from above. Make sure you buy the right grade of oil and u se the correct amount as specified by the manufacturer. 5. New battery Swapping batteries is surprisingly easy. Simply remove the cables from the termi nals along with any bolts holding the battery in its tray and lift it out. Drop

the new one in, reattach the cables and you're done. Just be careful not to put anything metal between the two terminals. 6. Replacement air filter Conventional air filters are housed in a plastic box in the engine bay, so all y ou need to do is open it, take the old filter element out and drop the new one i n. Again, modern cars can be more involved, but for the most part it's painfully easy. 7. Minor scratch repair Small, light scratches can be buffed out of a car's bodywork with nothing more t han some polish and elbow grease - removing the need for a costly bodywork repai r. Why not do the rest of the bodywork while you're at it? Chances are you'll be chuffed with the results. 8. Tyre maintenance Changing a set of tyres is best left to the professionals, but you can keep an e ye on the condition of the rubber yourself. Use a tread depth indicator gauge (v ery cheap and widely available) to keep an eye on the amount of life the tyres h ave left and check the pressures regularly. It's amazing how many people don't. 9. New wiper blades It sounds silly but wiper blades are another area that often goes unattended and left to the mechanics. Unclipping the old blades and refitting the new (and ver y cheap) ones can be fiddly, but it's hardly rocket science. 10. Engine's vitals They're not repairs as such, but keeping an eye on your engine's fluids can mean the difference between motoring harmony and a nasty repair bill. Don't wait for the garage to do it for you - keep a regular eye on the oil, coolant, brake flu id and power steering fluid levels. Check them once every week or so and your wa llet and stress levels will remain healthy.