DIY auto and home repairs can save you money, but there’s a risk

The cost of car and home repairs may have you wanting to do the work yourself. It can save you money, but it does have its risks.

A DIY job gone wrong can cost much more than if you had hired a professional. Here’s how to decide between online tutorials and hiring the pros.

DIY for your vehicle

“Cars are expensive. I’m cheap,” joked Bryan Perrin, an automotive repair instructor at San Diego College of Continuing Education.

Perrin cautioned that if you have zero automotive experience, you should leave most repairs to the pros and stick to maintenance.

“YouTube is great for those things. It's not great for helping me figure out what's wrong with the car or do major repairs because a lot of people making YouTube videos are enthusiasts. They're not people that do it for a living,” Perrin