A WOMAN has left other drivers inspired after she saved hundreds of dollars on a change to her car that typically costs $500.
Julia Huynh installed a backup camera on her 10-year-old Mazda with the help of a $300 part, a couple of YouTube tutorials, and a few hours of grunt work.
The driver shared her maintenance journey on her TikTok account @julia.huynh, where she has over 1.1 million followers.
Huynh revealed it was her first time modifying her 2013 Mazda3 in a video that now has over 2.3 million videos, 298,000 likes and 400 comments.
“I’m not magic, I just learned that cars are literally legos,” she explained in a follow-up TikTok, insisting the repairs are easier than they might seem.
TikTok users raved over her DIY repairs in the comments of her posts.
“Love that they have these now it’s such a good idea and no need for a new car just for CarPlay features,” one wrote.
“This is actually so girl boss of y’all for this. Need to do this!!” another added.
“Why does this make me so happy!?” a third commented.
“Does this mean I can get a car without a rear camera and put one in?!”
Other users were shocked by the cheap cost of the upgrade.
“Omg how much did it cost you?? my mechanic charges 500 for it,” one TikTok user replied.
Professional installation typically costs anywhere from $100 to $200 on top of the car part’s cost, according to Boss Audio.
Huynh bought a CarPlay unit from Eonon, a company that makes and sells car stereos, radios, and head units.
The unit cost $300, but the TikTok user said the sellers threw in a free camera with her purchase.
She advised drivers to make sure the part they buy is compatible with their car model.
How to avoid being scammed at the repair shop
Motorautocar and the AARP have east-to-follow tips to avoid being scammed by a repair shop.
Motorautocar suggests asking to see parts that have been replaced or to see old fluids after they were swapped. If the shop says that’s impossible or refuses, it could be a sign it wasn’t done. Ask for a walkaround of the repairs that were done. Most mechanics are happy to show you what was done in the shop. While being walked around, look for evidence of repairs like the area being cleaned off, shiny new parts, tool marks on the bolts, tools being out or nearby, etc. Before taking your car in, look at other customer reviews on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Many customers only review a company if they have negative reviews, so keep an eye out. For costly repairs, consider getting multiple opinions. If two to three shops suggest identical repairs, it’s likely to be true. Test a new shop with minor issues you’re aware of to see if they add anything to the repair bill. If applicable, bring someone to the shop who knows about cars to have them double-check or read a repair bill. Get everything on paper. Not only is it important for your repair records, but it can help protect you if legal measures are necessary.Source: Motorautocar, AARP
After she watched YouTube tutorials on how to replace her unit, Huynh worked with her dad to pry the vent off her car, which she says was “pretty easy.”
However, she said removing her radio was much harder – but surprising because she got to see the wires and electrical parts behind the front of the car.
“I was not expecting all that behind the radio. It’s so cool to see what’s inside the car,” Huynh said.
After plugging in the “self-explanatory” cables, Huynh was excited when the CarPlay unit started working.
HARDEST PART
Then came the most difficult part, according to Huynh – installing the rearview camera.
Huynh said she and her dad had to snake the camera through a hole under the car seats to go through the vehicle’s trunk.
When everything snapped into place, the TikTok user shared her satisfaction with the cost-effective fix.
“It’s kind of scary but kind of relieving to know that I can just fix anything in my car if I need to,” she said.
“It’s not that hard.”
She advised her followers to learn more about their cars and make their own repairs because there are “so many resources out there.”
“We don’t need to be overcharged at the car shop ever again,” she said.
TikTok/julia.huynhHuynh had to snake the rear camera under the seats of her car[/caption] Read More Details
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