Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
I would say to remember that the community at large do not work on their cars and see car work as dirty, oily, greasy, stinky, low-brow, redneck, and undesireable. It's a good thing not to conform to that stereotype when you work on your car in a place where it may be dodgy. Keep your car clean, your tools lined up, rags/papers/towels at the ready, and some semblance of order evident.
Each complex would have their own ideas about what would be acceptable and what would not. A body can get away with things when they appear to know what they're doing and are concious of the concerns of others. I think the rule against apartment parking work is most often to allow an out for management when a real rube comes along and starts their own car repair business in the lot or thinks they can change an engine, tranny, and repaint there.
Small maintenance items I wouldn't see as a concern, and leaving no trace when completed is the way to keep it that way. It's your home, too, and as mentioned above, there are many more ways to abuse your neighbors that are worse.
But, there are always people around that are absolute sticklers for adherance to all rules, regulations, signs, and stickers. It's good to have one's life in order, but I think it quite rude to insist on keeping everybody else's lives in order as well. Try not to poke then with sticks if you can, and maybe they'll leave you alone.
If the apartment/condo lease agreement states that NO maintenance work, including oil changes, is to be performed on the property....they all other discussion is really pointless. Excuses, dissecting the terms of the lease, and/or trying to figure out some sort of hidden intent....it's really not worthy of anything more than discussion. The lease is the terms that both parties agreed upon. The renter doesn't own the property. They are fortunate enough to be able to have a place to rent. It would not matter if the lease agreement said "no red cars on property between 6:00pm and 4:00am". If you AGREED to it by signing a lease, then that's the end of it. A property owner has the right to decide the rules.....you have the right to not agree to them. Pretty simple to me. It always astounds me how we've become so self-righteous and smug these days....even when we've agree to the terms of a CONTRACT. It's as though our word means nothing anymore....because we are somehow 'special'.
As I've stated before....if by chance, the apartment manager (preferably the owner of the property) says you can change your oil, then fine.
In your last paragraph of your post you say this...."But, there are always people around that are absolute sticklers for adherance to all rules, regulations, signs, and stickers. It's good to have one's life in order, but I think it quite rude to insist on keeping everybody else's lives in order as well." Really? Really?? It's rude for a property owner to insist that THEIR property is well cared for? Perhaps if a renter ever becomes fortunate enough, through hard work and many years of toil, they can own some rental properties....and then have an open rule policy when it comes to oil changes and such. I'm sure they will quickly regret not being a 'stickler'. When you speak of these 'sticklers' for rules....what is your criteria for a 'stickler'? I suggest telling a cop when you get pulled over for breaking a traffic law that he's being a 'stickler' and that he's 'rude' for pulling you over.