Updated at: 24-07-2023 - By: Lucas

Cars and motorcycles have become an important part of our lives. Some people love them, but for others, it’s just a way to save time. No matter who you are, if you own a car, it’s going to break down on you at some point. No one likes to deal with a situation where their favourite horse starts acting up and causes a lot of frustration and trips to the mechanic.

Is there any better way to deal with it? Yes, get your hands dirty and learn more about your car that way. No matter if you like it or not, everyone should know how to do basic maintenance on their vehicles. Now, before you can start learning anything, you need to have some basic garage tools. This is a good list to start with-

1) Socket Set

Socket Set

No matter what project you’re working on, if it involves nuts and bolts, a socket set can be very helpful. A typical socket set has a ratchet and detachable sockets with a few extensions. Some kits even come with a screwdriver with interchangeable screw bits. Choosing the right kit depends on what you want to use it for and what tools you already have. I have the Force 1/4 Inch Socket Combination 46Pcs Set because it has sockets for Torx, Allen, and screwdriver bits, which is a great addition to any tool kit. I also have a dedicated socket set, the Taparia S14MXL 1/2-Inch Square Drive Socket Set, which has bigger sockets and a 1/2-inch drive instead of a 1/4-inch drive for heavy duty work. You can even buy a ratchet and sockets separately if you want to. Still, it’s better to have a complete kit ready to go when the need arises.

2) Torque wrench

Torque wrench

Most people don’t know much about a torque wrench. In fact, most auto mechanics in our country don’t use it. In every service manual, the manufacturer gives the recommended torque for every nut and bolt on the vehicle. A torque wrench is basically a tool that lets us apply a precise amount of tightening torque. Amateur mechanics often tighten the nut as much as they can, thinking that it shouldn’t come loose. When you overtorque, sometimes you can pull the thread out of the fasteners. That’s a nightmare! Now, the bolt and nut have to be replaced. And if the thread is part of something like a frame, you will need to redrill and rethread the hole. How scary, right? I agree that using a torque wrench on every nut is not a good idea. But there are some bolts and nuts that you need to be careful with, like wheel lug nuts, engine mounts, suspension mounts, engine oil drain bolt, motorcycle wheel nut, brake calliper bolt, etc. The torque wrenches are put into groups based on the torque range they can handle. This one is a good torque wrench to start with- Torque Master 1/2″ Square Drive 25-135 Nm Non-Ratcheting Torque Wrench

3) OBD Diagnostics Tool

OBD Diagnostics Tool

As vehicle technology moves quickly forward, cars are getting more and more computers. In the past, opening the hood and looking at the engine bay was often enough to figure out what was wrong with a broken-down car. Good luck with that now. When something is wrong with a modern car, the engine check light will often come on to tell the driver. But to find out who did it, you need a diagnostics tool like Launch Easy Diag 2.0. You need to plug this device into the OBD Port of the car, and it will show you the error codes on your laptop or phone.

4) Air pump

Air pump

The most important thing on a car is probably the tyres. And a tyre without air is useless. Here’s when an air pump can be a big help. In addition to keeping your tyres at the right pressure, it can also help if you get a flat on the road. Just quickly add air to the tyre and drive the car to the nearest puncture shop. We recommend- Windtek Digital Tyre Inflator

5) Puncture Repair Kit

Puncture Repair Kit

Punctures in tyres are very common on Indian roads. As a developing country, there is a lot of construction going on around cities, which means there are a lot of nails on the road. Now, nails aren’t always the cause of punctures. It could be any other foreign object. Whatever the case, you should always keep a puncture kit in the trunk of your car. They don’t cost much, but they could help you out of a tough situation someday. You can buy from here

6) Maintainance fluids

Maintainance fluids

A modern car needs fluids like engine oil, brake fluid, and coolant to work. The owner’s manual says to check the fluid levels on a regular basis. So, it’s good to have these fluids with you when you need to add more.