What kind of Mechanic/DIY person are you?

[Kestas]

I haven't taken my car or family cars to a shop in decades. I know how hard I have toward work for $200. I work just as hard on my cars to save that same amount of money.

There are two ways to accumulate wealth. One is toward hard at a good paying job. The other is to work at home so you don't have to spend the money.

 

[Merkava_4]

I can replace any part on my car as long as I have the illustrated parts drawings and the service information.

I cringe whenever somebody starts a thread asking for service information directly from forum members.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: artbuc
Originally Posted By: 2dogs
I do the simple stuff. However, with advancing age and with cars getting more complicated, even the simple stuff is getting more difficult.


Funny, I think cars are much less complicated than back in the 60’s when I started driving and wrenching. Fuel injection vs carbs, disc instead of drum brakes, etc.


I don’t miss rebuilding carburetors or changing points, or even plugs every 25k miles or so.

I think things have become more simple in many ways. One still has to know basic troubleshooting, but what is different is merely how the fuel and spark get to the engine. And the computer can tell you what it sees to help you figure out why one or both are not arriving.

There are a lot of parts swappers out there. Perhaps what modern technology has done is dumbed down engines and some , but not all techs.

 

[Srt20]

The only thing my stuff goes to the dealer for is recalls or warranty. I do everything else.

 

[Rolla07]

Simple stuff. Oil changes, trans fluid exchanges. I have a great indy thats cheap and does great work. Its the only thing preventing me from learning more or wanting too.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Basic stuff, oil changes, fluid changes, spark plugs, suspension stuff. Most complicated job I've done is the steering rack on my Liberty. FSM said the front diff and control arms would have to come out, but I got the old one out and a new one in without touching any of that stuff. I also installed a lift on the Liberty myself too.

I don't like doing anything that requires very specialized tools or can be easy to screw up and hard to redo. For example, the LR3 had a leaky seal where the passenger side CV goes into the front diff and I would have needed some seal puller, lots of patience etc. Many people on LR3 forums said they had to do it a couple times before they got it right. I took it in, it took my indy about an hour or two to do it, so it would've been a multi-day affair to me.

 

[RooflessVW]

I'll do it all on my cars except coolant flushes, brake flushes. and AC service.

The Volvo goes to the dealership while it's under warranty. I'll probably continue that once the warranty is up; I like the local Volvo store and their service department.

 

[Eddie]

Up to 60 years old I did complicated stuff. Now looking at 80 YO, I do only simple stuff like oil changes. Ed

 

[barryh]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Up to 60 years old I did complicated stuff. Now looking at 80 YO, I do only simple stuff like oil changes. Ed


I'm getting like that but it's not just my age. Back in 1972 I'd happily tackle an engine removal and full overhaul with reground crank and new bearing shells. I'd still happily do that today on the same 1972 car but not on a modern car.

Being an advanced level mechanic has gotten a lot harder over the years even without getting into all the electronics.

 

[StevieC]

I can do it all and have done it all. Engine jobs, transmission rebuilds, brakes and the list goes on and on.

My dad says I should challenge the mechanics license exams and the get licensed like him.

To be honest I can't do it physically because of a bad back and so I do what I can on my own vehicles and that's it.

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
Originally Posted By: andyd
On my 528es, I did everything but a Trans R+R that my wife insisted I have done "professionally" The guy messed up the Drive shaft and the shift cable.


528es?!?

I never knew such an animal existed

528es: more than one 528e

 

[SilverFusion2010]

I can do the complicated stuff, but often hand that type of thing over to my mechanic. Some jobs I just don't want to deal with. I had my Indy do the CV axle replacement because I didn't want to take the suspension apart and put it back together. Could I have done it? Sure. Dirty nasty greasy job though.

Belts, plugs wires, radiator, thermostat, brakes etc are all doable in the driveway and I usually handle that myself

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
I haven't taken my car or family cars to a shop in decades. I know how hard I have toward work for $200. I work just as hard on my cars to save that same amount of money.

There are two ways to accumulate wealth. One is toward hard at a good paying job. The other is to work at home so you don't have to spend the money.


That's what I don't get about the "I gave it to a mechanic...what's my time worth ?" statement.

I get paid to do work at work.

I don't get paid at home, so my hourly rate doesn't apply there.

Do lots of vehicular and home maintenance, although stepping back at the level of bravado of doing an engine rebuild and driving 40 miles to work on Monday like I did in my 20s.

Never got into bodywork any further than roughing out, bondo and rattle cans...that was one area I let myself down.

Most of my complex stuff is repairing the family phones...

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Up to 60 years old I did complicated stuff. Now looking at 80 YO, I do only simple stuff like oil changes. Ed


As I get older, I'm much the same, as is everyone. When I was younger, cars were far less complicated and easier to work on. Also money was much tighter in my younger days. So I was always looking for a way to save a buck on car repairs, so I would have money for other things. Now that I'm retired I'm under the hood, or under the vehicle much less. I still change my own oil and filter because it's basically easy, cheap, and doesn't take very long. And more importantly, I'll know it's been done right. But I'm no longer required to watch every penny, and try to stretch a dollar so far. I don't throw money away. But I'm not going to tire myself out trying to save a few bucks on something I don't have to deal with.

Since I bought my new Jeep Grand Cherokee when I retired, I bought it with the Chrysler Max Care Unlimited Lifetime Time & Mileage Warranty. So for anything other than oil, in it goes. It just doesn't make any sense to, "do it myself" any longer. I'm much the same with other projects around the house. Landscaping, painting, along with other jobs, I simply hire out.

Also, I was more "into" cars when I was younger. Now I see them as basically a necessary evil. I still like to see them well taken care of. But I'm just not that interested in working on them like I used to. When we bought our new Jeep, my wife and I spent the better part of the day washing, waxing, and polishing it. From now on I'll stick to washes. But the next time it's ready for a coat of wax or polish, I'll hire it out to a good detailer. Breaking my back all day to save a lousy couple hundred bucks, just isn't worth it at my age. I would rather spend my time doing fun things. And maintaining vehicles no longer falls into that category.

 

[Rick in PA]

My time at home is worth nothing. If I can repair something, it makes my time worth something. It's money in the pocket... and satisfaction. I hate it when my wife or I get into "panic mode" take something in for emergency repair and it ends up being something I could have done myself.

We have a good group in the engineering department where I work. The one fellow can do just about anything (and I mean anything) mechanical. Talking about stuff, over coffee before the day starts, often gives me, and others, the confidence to tackle some new project. It gave me the confidence to begin servicing my oil-fired house heater. I got some good tips for changing a timing belt. Stuff like that. I try to pass what I've learned to the younger fellows.

 

[kc8adu]

started doing advanced projects at 15.
over time a lot of engine and transmission rebuilds,drivetrain swaps,and upgrades.
even crazy stuff like a buick gnx drivetrain into an s10 and a vette lt5 into a suburban.even put a chrysler truck drivetrain in a ford f100 as the dodge truck was a rusty wreck with a new engine/trans and the ford was like new with a very tired engine.got a lot of odd looks just starting it up in a parking lot.
now i have wear and tear catching up to me and i do more troubleshooting,diagnostic,and high tech repairs leaving the heavy stuff to other younger members of our circle of enthusiasts.
most of my work nowadays is with a scope,soldering/rework station,and computer/obd2/j2534 passthrough.

 

[exranger06]

I do everything myself. The only time I go to a shop is to have tires mounted/balanced and for alignments. I've never done any real internal engine or transmission work, as I've never had the need, but I'm willing to try it. I'm always looking to expand my skill set. If a job requires me to buy a special tool, I'll buy the tool. It's an investment that will pay for itself in the long run. Repairs that take a long time are not an issue; I have other vehicles I can drive while one is down. I had my Accord down for repairs for over a month this summer and it wasn't an issue. I do things myself to save money, and because it's my favorite hobby.

 

[NYEngineer]

I will do just about any repair. The only thing I farm out is automatic transmission repair.
I used to repair and overhaul industrial diesel engines. I still have an insane set of tools and will be building a 24x30 garage at my new house next spring to restore/hot rod my 68 roadrunner. That car is going to get restored, metal worked, painted and the driveline built all in my garage. Engines are my specialty.
I also build bicycle wheels by hand.

 

[VetteElite]

I'd say on my own knowledge only, I do simple stuff. With my alldata manual, I can do average stuff, and if I can find a Youtube video and a step by step, I can do advanced stuff.

 

[EA82]

I do average stuff I guess, I'm busy during summer time doing HVAC so if anything breaks I don't try to do it myself, I take it to the mechanic unless it can wait until winter.
Everytime I do more complicated repairs I always watch a youtube video and make sure I understand the process.

Changed the AC compressor this summer on my mustang and found it to be very easy for me, compressor was easy to get to and no other part needed to be removed to get to it, having all the HVAC tools handy helped as well.