The Cost of Shop Labor
Shops charge $100-200 an hour. Many routine tasks take 15-30 minutes and need only basic tools.
1. Engine Air Filter
Pop the clips on the airbox, swap the filter, re-clip. Five minutes, no tools.
2. Cabin Air Filter
Usually behind the glovebox. Ten minutes, and a $12 filter replaces a $60 installed job.
3. Wiper Blades
Five minutes, clip-and-slide. Quality blades make a huge difference in the rain.
4. Battery Terminal Cleaning
A $5 wire brush and some baking soda paste. Disconnect the negative first.
5. Bulb Replacement
Reach behind the housing and twist the socket. Your owner's manual lists the bulb type.
6. Oil Change
Needs ramps, a wrench, a filter wrench, and a drain pan. Thirty minutes once you've done it once.
7. Tire Rotation
Jack stands and a torque wrench. Forty-five minutes and it extends tire life noticeably.