How I Changed My Own Car Battery, and What You Can Learn From It

In action, changing the battery!

Maybe you’re already a car pro and are going ‘duh’ - that’s ok! Maybe you’re totally intimidated and would never want to do it - that’s ok too! Read on to learn more about my personal journey and what you can take from it 🙂

I recently took my 2013 Toyota Corolla to the dealer for its regularly scheduled maintenance.  My (beloved) Corolla passed its exam with flying colors, except… for the car battery. It failed a load test. The dealer called to tell me this, and that they would be happy to replace it for an additional $270. Hmm.

What to do? Text my dad and husband of course! 😉 (Luckily I missed the dealer’s call, so I was finding out about my poor car battery via voicemail.)

Through my dad and husband, I discovered that: 

1) Yes, 7 years is a long time for a battery to last so my battery did likely need to be replaced. 

2) $270 is a pretty expensive price to replace a car battery.

3) Replacing my car battery is possible to do myself.

Learning something new? Saving a bit of money while doing it? Count me in, I am all here for it.

First, we confirmed the numbers and tested the car battery with a multimeter. This step definitely took time and energy - this was literally the first time I was getting under the hood of my car, so it was a bit scary! Then after confirming that yes it really did need to be replaced, we watched a few YouTube videos (including this one from O’Reilly themselves and one personally made from my awesome dad), then made a trip to O’Reilly last Friday and made it happen!

We walked into the store, found their battery recommendation software (very easy and way less intimidating than it could’ve been). I carried the battery to the counter (way heavier than it looks!), waited in line, and picked up a few other tools while I was at it (some battery acid indicator spray and a battery brush).

Me carrying out the battery - I promise, it’s very heavy!

Following the YouTube (and dad) videos to the letter, I did it! The scariest part was turning the car back on (not really sure if it would, but it did!) It drove us all the way home and since has even continued to turn on at least four more separate times, and hopefully many many more for the next few years!

The experience was so empowering!

I’m sharing this story not just because I learned something new and saved some money while doing it (although that was fun too - if you’re curious, I saved about $100). But I’m sharing because the experience was so empowering. For me, this would not have been possible without my husband or my dad as guides - they were both there and immediately came to mind when I got the call from Toyota. They were both there for me, texted me right back, and guided me through the whole process. Would I otherwise have had the confidence to get under the hood and attempt to fix something so intimidating on something so valuable to me like my car?! Probably not!

But I literally was able to get under the hood of my Corolla and fix something for the very first time! 😎 🥳

I am this person for getting under the hood of your finances. Getting under the hood of your finances for the first time can be scary - looking at something like your bank balance for the first time, figuring out what to do with an old employer 401(k), tracking your spending, or just understanding and deciphering the many different numbers, accounts, terms, and opinions out there. 

I am this person for getting under the hood of your finances - because getting under the hood of your finances for the first time can be scary!

Understanding your personal finances early in your career can just pay dividends (yes, both literally and figuratively) for you and give you so much more flexibility down the road. Taking these steps now to take a look at your financial battery can set you up for a lifetime of savings and knowledge - exactly the kind that I help my clients build.

And there it is - the car battery replacement complete (and after knowing the engine started again).

Need help getting under your financial hood? Reach out to me at sarah@momentumfinancialcoaching.com or schedule a free intro chat.

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