Live online car-repair advice is just a click away

What’s the one thing that may hold you back from doing a car repair yourself? For many people, it’s the confidence on whether they can successfully do it. No doubt about it. Not quite knowing how to complete a project holds a lot of people back. That’s too bad because you can save a lot of money by buying automotive replacement parts and doing the repair yourself. Thanks to technology, you now have options for tackling projects that you might have not attempted otherwise.

Save Big on Labor Costs
The benefits of doing mechanical repairs on vehicles yourself is significant. Automotive repair work adds up to a lot of money, and the cost of labor is a huge part of that expense. Cut out the labor cost and you’ll save some real money. As an example, the labor cost for replacing an alternator can range from $150 to $200. Labor costs for installing a starter can go anywhere from $120 to $180.

Where do you get how-to advice if you need it? If you have a knowledgeable neighbor or a friend who’s a mechanic, that’s the best option. But that’s not always available. Many people turn to YouTube, which is great but also has its limitations. If a video doesn’t exist for your specific project, or the step you need to know is skipped in the video, you’re simply out of luck.

There’s a New Way to Get the Mechanical Know-How You Need
Fortunately, there are now more options to help you tackle do-it-yourself auto repair projects. Web services that will connect you with a mechanic for live, one-on-one help are now available. These mechanics will walk you through your project or be available for troubleshooting. Here are a couple of the services:

JustAnswer is a service that connects people to experts in several fields, including auto mechanics. When you visit the website, you’ll find a box to type in a question to start the process. You’ll also see how many mechanics are online at that time. The website promises that they’ll help you fix your car, truck, RV or heavy equipment with a certified mechanic every step of the way. They offer a one-week trial membership for $1. The trial membership will convert to an ongoing membership after that, but you have the option to cancel anytime.

6ya is a service that connects you to mechanics via voice or video. They offer help in several subject matters, including automotive mechanics. You can share video from your smartphone to show the mechanic the issue, so there is no struggling to describe something that is hard to put into words. This service promises to help you with every type of vehicle including cars, trucks, RVs and motorcycles. The mechanics on duty are all U.S. based. You can pay per call or sign up for a membership at the regular price of $9.99 per month.

Personalized Help Tailored Just to You
These services are the next best thing to having a mechanic come over to your garage and look over your shoulder as you work. They will guide you through each step, help you resolve problems and address your specific concerns. Online assistance with live, certified mechanics might be just the thing you need to tackle a car repair you’ve never attempted before.

Car repair advice