Any of you ever lose the "love" for your hobby?

[wtd]

Car maintenance has changed. In the old days, you had to keep tuning up the ignition and carburetors to keep things running optimally. Today, components last longer, need much less attention, and when something does need attention, a check engine light comes on. You plug in your scanner, it tells you what is wrong, and usually you change a failing component. No real diagnostic skill is needed to identify what is failing or needs attention.

You are totally wrong. Just because you get a code on a computer doesn't mean that is what is wrong. My fiancé's dad thinks like you and has spent thousands of dollars replacing parts on his truck based on codes that didn't fix anything. He did it again today on his nephews 2012 Ford Expedition which was throwing cam sensor codes on bank 2 and misfire codes for every cylinder on that same bank. They put in a new Cam sensor and fixed exactly nothing. Cam sensor code still comes back even after clearing it.

My friends 2017 Ford F350 had several codes in it for a steering wheel module code, an ABS module code, and a wheel speed sensor code. I diagnosed the wheel speed sensor code first since it was the easiest to get to and determined it needed a new sensor. Replacing the sensor fixed all three codes. If I would have replaced those two other modules first based on a code, I would have cost him a crap ton of money for nothing.

 

[Trav]

You are totally wrong. Just because you get a code on a computer doesn't mean that is what is wrong. My fiancé's dad thinks like you and has spent thousands of dollars replacing parts on his truck based on codes that didn't fix anything. He did it again today on his nephews 2012 Ford Expedition which was throwing cam sensor codes on bank 2 and misfire codes for every cylinder on that same bank. They put in a new Cam sensor and fixed exactly nothing. Cam sensor code still comes back even after clearing it.

My friends 2017 Ford F350 had several codes in it for a steering wheel module code, an ABS module code, and a wheel speed sensor code. I diagnosed the wheel speed sensor code first since it was the easiest to get to and determined it needed a new sensor. Replacing the sensor fixed all three codes. If I would have replaced those two other modules first based on a code, I would have cost him a crap ton of money for nothing.

That is exactly the point, codes should be used like a reference point on a map, it does not necessarily give you exact address but may get you in the right neighborhood. When used together with possibly a scope, live data and individual component testing you can pinpoint it down further.
I recently did a Subaru that had intermittent hard shifting but no trans codes. It was a bad drive by wire accelerator pedal, a good example of how integrated the modern systems are to each other.

 

[Geeorge]

As long as I can I will wrench on my and some of the families stuff. Had my 69 dodge since 1981 and nobody else touches it period

 

[k1xv]

That is exactly the point, codes should be used like a reference point on a map, it does not necessarily give you exact address but may get you in the right neighborhood. When used together with possibly a scope, live data and individual component testing you can pinpoint it down further.
I recently did a Subaru that had intermittent hard shifting but no trans codes. It was a bad drive by wire accelerator pedal, a good example of how integrated the modern systems are to each other.

So you think its better to have no reference points at all in trying to diagnose a problem? Cars used to be simpler, but required much more attention to keep running optimally.

 

[Kurtatron]

So you think it’s better to have no reference points at all in trying to diagnose a problem? Cars used to be simpler, but required much more attention to keep running optimally.

With today’s oils, and tight manufacturing capabilities, they could absolutely build a simple car that could last 200,000 miles without much headache.

The record holder for the most miles at 3 million was a 1966 Volvo. Examples like that are why I am convinced older cars and simpler mechanics are more robust and easier to live with.

 

[Trav]

So you think its better to have no reference points at all in trying to diagnose a problem? Cars used to be simpler, but required much more attention to keep running optimally.

Man you are way out there, back up off that pipe just a tad and pay attention. You need all the reference points you can to diagnose problems with modern cars. For sure old cars were simpler but that doesnt make them better, they were easy to repair but a PITA because of their short maintenance intervals.

 

[supton]

Lost a love for hobbies, or a love for wrenching on one’s car?

Definitely have had issues with work-life balance and losing any interest in doing things fun. Used to love spending hours on ___ but now… the instant gratification of watching something on youtube is more rewarding.

Working on cars, no interest now. When I was younger I dreamed of having like a 5 bay garage, and having a project car, in addition to commuter car and the venerable pickup. Now that middle age is hit, I’ve realized I will never have that garage (short of winning the lottery that I don’t play). And can’t afford to own that many vehicles. My daily drivers rot away in our salt climate, so now it’s doing the routine maintenance while watching something degrade before your eyes. What fun is that? [Plus I wrecked a car while doing a brake job, so I know I’m not qualified to do squat.]

My son talks about finding something from the 80’s to wrench on, I try to entertain him while making sure to squash it. Waste of time, money, effort (mostly the money aspect bothers me, the rest doesn’t, everyone needs a hobby—but free ones are hard to come by).

 

[meep]

It’s all in the WHY. WHY do we wrench, and have the reasons for it diminished.

i like to be outdoors and I enjoy the occasional engagement. I still do all of the minor stuff and the occasional medium level fix on ours. No more timing belts - pay for that. But the “fever” I had in my younger years is gone. The fever, going deep, was where i thought the car would bring me happiness. If the car was special, then I must be special. It never paid off, I cycled through a few vehicles. I feel the pull every now and then but recognize it and it passes.

i also used to play a lot of music out around town. Miss it very much, but for some reason activities and things of more value have replaced it.

and yet, there are weekends where I simply enjoy rotating the tires, changing the brakes, etc. in my own and vehicles of friends and family. I finally bought a torque wrench this side of 1985 last month and taught my son how to use it when we put new rear shocks on his 4R.

the time and convenience is probably one reason I still wrench some. I perceive it as quicker/simpler for me to change my own oil with no unexpected complications of stripped bolts, stuck filters, loose filters or uncertainty of what they put in it. Knock it out first thing on a Saturday morning and keep going!

BUT, we also have newer cars (2015 and 2018) which don’t need much help. I did start tiring of it rapidly when ours were all over 100k and we had 4 kids with cars here. And, if it involves any specialized tools that I might have to rent, it’s just going to a shop.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Yep, loved doing upgrades on my 2019 Wrangler and built one heck of an off-road vehicle from axle trusses to regearing to chrome moly axle shafts to lift kit to skid plates and the list goes on.

The allure faded rapidly when the oil cooler developed a leak followed by either a head gasket leak or cracked block/head.

Given the meticulous maintenance I perform, it was more than disappointing, it was the proverbial straw so I kicked it to the curb. My next 4x4 will not have any extreme upgrades.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Hobby ? In my case it's most always necessity.

 

[macarose]

Here's a surprise for all of you. Writing has become a bit of a letdown.

There was a time when I could write about my life, make an extra $15k to $20k a year, and be happy with it. Then I made $50k... then more... then I was writing over 150 articles a year... and then...

My clients became an absolute **** show of SEO and automaker propaganda. I would write a great article. It would be properly edited and sent for publication, and then it would be kicked right back down.

The editor's editor would have their own ideas and ask me to completely rewrite it. Or they had some senseless SEO initiative that required mentioning a word or phrase a dozen different times. Once I saw my work consistently turned into a pile of mush, I decided to head for the hills.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Once I had kids later in life (50) I no longer have those long weekends of garage-time. I miss it but it’s been a trade-off, for the better. College is only a few years away for them and then I’ll have my garage time back!!

 

[paulo57509]

Was never a lost love. It just got way out of hand. I was at Hobby Lobby this afternoon. I had to go down the model aisle. I remember when a 1/24 scale car kit was $4.25. Thirty dollars for a kit that still uses the old 1960's molds is crazy.

I will die before any of these get built. This is not even all of them.

 

[Pablo]

How much you want for the Corvair model?

 

[Oldwolf]

I get more enjoyment reading about the work you guys do on your cars than I do actually doing it myself. PM has become tedious for me.

 

[Kira]

How much you want for the Corvair model?

...or the '62 Pontiac Catalina! Dad said he was buying an Amphicar...he returned with a maroon Catalina.
I learned to love it.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I’ve mostly enjoyed working on cars throughout my life. I’m older, fatter and richer today. I’ve still never paid for a brake job, but I’ll hire out work I never used to. I probably won’t ever again do a job where I have to lay on my back for hours or get off the ground 20-30 times. No more clutches, oil pans, or engine swaps. That being said finding competent conscientious mechanics isn’t easy, and all my contacts have aged out. It still troubles me to pay for work I could do for myself. It’s definitely an adjustment.

 

[Zee09]

Make your hobby your business and the love will go fast.

 

[jeepman3071]

Maybe some of the tasks used to be simpler, but you had to do them at least 10 times more often.

I think you are comparing maintenance vs. repair. Old cars needed more maintenance, but were much easier to repair. New cars have longer maintenance intervals, but if something goes wrong, it usually requires lots of troubleshooting, usually with an expensive scanner that can read all the modules in order to trace down the problem. And that's just for problems the car can tell you about. If a mouse chews a wire in the miles of wiring harness under the hood, good luck.

I enjoy wrenching, but I have quite a few hobbies. My small engine side business takes up a lot of my wrenching time, as well as working on family members' cars. There are many repairs I won't do anymore, not because I can't do them, but with the tools and time I have it just becomes way too frustrating and takes the enjoyment out of it.

 

[jeepman3071]

Yep, loved doing upgrades on my 2019 Wrangler and built one heck of an off-road vehicle from axle trusses to regearing to chrome moly axle shafts to lift kit to skid plates and the list goes on.

The allure faded rapidly when the oil cooler developed a leak followed by either a head gasket leak or cracked block/head.

Given the meticulous maintenance I perform, it was more than disappointing, it was the proverbial straw so I kicked it to the curb. My next 4x4 will not have any extreme upgrades.

You touched on an important point which is build quality. One thing I hate more than anything else, is doing a repair twice due to a replacement part pre-maturely failing.

Replace an alternator with a new one on your car? Feels great and you accomplished a good repair.
Replace it a second time? Ok, things happen, I can definitely do this job quicker now, hopefully this part will be better.
Replace it a third time? #$@%$$%$% parts store, cheap $%$#^#%^% parts. Takes the fun out of it.