Do you work on your own car(s)

[JOHNNIE36]

I change my old air freshener,does that count??

Are you supposed to change those things?

 

[NW-Bound]

I have done nearly everything, except transmissions and bodywork. Rebuilt 3 engines in my early 20s for myself and my parents. Wouldn't tear apart an engine now, but just replaced an embedded waterpump last month (took 8 hours, done in 2 days). As long as I am still limber and my portfolio is not setting new glorious highs, I will continue to try to do as much as I can. What else for me to do?

 

[RustyShackleford]

Yes. I am a strong believer in the maxim "if you want it done right,
do it yourself", and there are few places this advice applies better than
in car maintenance and repair.

 

[kyounge1956]

I can change a flat tire, and that's about it.

 

[73ss454]

When DD was away at school she'd take her car to the local mechanic. She took her car in one day for a oil change and afterwards she called me saying the car was bucking. I told her to stop driving it and I had it towed to a local Mitsubishi dealership. Turns out that the mechanic drained the transmission of all it's fluid and filled the engine up with 5 quarts of oil. Now the engine had 10 quarts of oil and I was not a happy camper.

This is why I like doing things myself.

 

[Caoineag]

Just bought an old vehicle with very bad headlights. Paid $20 for a kit and wet sanded the headlights till they were as good as new. If its simple, I will do it. If not, I prove myself a disappointment to my mechanic father and pay someone to fix it. I never was interested in learning how to fix a car.

 

[NW-Bound]

I wanted to teach my 23-yr old daughter about car maintenance and how to deal with mechanics. So, I let her go to a garage, but kept an eye on her car.

My daughter bought a lifetime tire balancing service at the garage she also used for oil change. She did not know that her tires were from Costco, who provides free tire balancing and rotation.

They kept trying to talk her into unnecessary services, such as brake jobs that she didn't need. So, recently I pulled the wheels to show her that the brake pads were still OK.

Taking off the wheel cover, I immediately started to curse. The bastards used the impact wrench on the wheel nuts, and distorted the corners so bad that I had to hammer the socket onto them. Then, I had to use my air impact wrench to take them off. I told my daughter that if she had to change a flat tire on the road, it would be tough luck getting them off.

So, now she is not going back there anymore, and my son has to help her with the oil change!

 

[winger]

Timely poll. Today I changed the oil(15 quarts), put in a new air filter, and replaced the fuel filters in my diesel truck.

Last I checked, dealer wanted $400 +parts for this.

Took about 4 hours, with a break for lunch and several other breaks because I can.

But, a man has got to know his limitations...........

 

[73ss454]

Just bought an old vehicle with very bad headlights. Paid $20 for a kit and wet sanded the headlights till they were as good as new. If its simple, I will do it. If not, I prove myself a disappointment to my mechanic father and pay someone to fix it. I never was interested in learning how to fix a car.

I did mine a few months back and it worked well, so far. Just follow the instructions and it'll come out great.

Really what's in the package is some sand paper and polycarb. polish which is what the lens is made of.

 

[brewer12345]

I used to do a certain amount, including change the oil, light bulbs, minor repairs. Now I simply cannot be bothered, plus I can't imagine being able to get enough room to work on the minivan in that cramped engine compartment. So I have a mechanic I trust and I am happy to get the oil changes done there because if there are any other issues he generally catches them at that time.

 

[Gumby]

Even though I can afford to pay someone else, I enjoy doing my own work, especially now that I have a garage and (most of) the proper tools. When I was young, I did my own maintenance and repairs because I had no money. It was a real pain to be a curbside mechanic with make-do tools. I swore a lot.

 

[Meadbh]

I took a course on car maintenance when I bought my first car, not so I could do it myself, but to understand what was going on and not get hoodwinked by greedy automechanics. I wash it, touch up paint chips, change bulbs, but that's about it. Never had a flat tire. Problem is, my car is too low maintenance for me to gain any expertise.

 

[OAG]

I took a course on car maintenance when I bought my first car, not so I could do it myself, but to understand what was going on and not get hoodwinked by greedy automechanics. I wash it, touch up paint chips, change bulbs, but that's about it. Never had a flat tire. Problem is, my car is too low maintenance for me to gain any expertise.

Smart Lady!

 

[FUEGO]

Maybe it is a generational thing. Anyone under 30 fix their own car? Who isn't a complete car nut?

 

[ziggy29]

Maybe it is a generational thing. Anyone under 30 fix their own car? Who isn't a complete car nut?

I don't know that it's specifically generational. As I mentioned before, today's cars are a LOT harder for DIYers to maintain because of the complexity of what's under the hood, the amount of "stuff" in there and the amount of special tools/equipment needed to do very much.

 

[calmloki]

Radiator for my '93 BMW 525it should be in today from these guys, giving me something to do: Auto Parts at AutohausAZ - OEM Auto Parts - Discount Replacement Parts, Resources and Car Care Tips They are my favorite online parts place - free shipping for orders over $50. Just a pleased customer, no other stake in them. Dang plastic upper radiator neck broke off last Thursday. Not good having the duty work truck down - have to use the honey's car and actually plan trips a bit.

 

[trirod]

I'll be replacing the timing belt on my 97 Volvo 850 T5 this weekend. I do most of my own work because:

a) I'm cheap
b) There are only a few mechanics I would trust to do it properly
c) I really enjoy it

Also I'm not sure I believe all this stuff about modern cars being too complicated to work on. The internal combustion engine hasn't changed that much in the last 100 years - although there's admittedly a lot more electronics involved now. And now there are wonderful internet forums full of very smart people who are willing to help out.

 

[calmloki]

I'll be replacing the timing belt on my 97 Volvo 850 T5 this weekend. I do most of my own work because:

a) I'm cheap
b) There are only a few mechanics I would trust to do it properly
c) I really enjoy it

Also I'm not sure I believe all this stuff about modern cars being too complicated to work on. The internal combustion engine hasn't changed that much in the last 100 years - although there's admittedly a lot more electronics involved now. And now there are wonderful internet forums full of very smart people who are willing to help out.

Tri-five?
'56 210 wagon in process here.

 

[FUEGO]

I don't know that it's specifically generational. As I mentioned before, today's cars are a LOT harder for DIYers to maintain because of the complexity of what's under the hood, the amount of "stuff" in there and the amount of special tools/equipment needed to do very much.

I mean that people growing up today don't have the exposure to a culture of fixing your own car, since it is so complicated to do so. So our kids are less likely to see us fixing cars, and hence less likely to fix their cars in the future. But that is caused by at least in part what you are saying - it is harder to fix cars now w/ all the electronics and special tools/equipment to buy.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Fuego has a point here. I grew up watching Dad fix our cars, so I expected guys to do that kind of stuff. I remember finding out that a guy I dated in high school took his car in for oil changes--I was stunned and embarrassed for him!

DH grew up fixing cars, so he fixes ours now. And we never run out of repairs for him to do--this weekend is the rear shocks on his Saturn. A big pending project is the 1984 Mercedes we bought for him to run on grease. That will be an ongoing one, as he has lots of little things to fix on it.

Some of my best father/daughter conversations happened while my dad was working on our family cars: he had the time to listen and I loved watching him work. Good memories.

 

[trirod]

Tri-five?
'56 210 wagon in process here.

Cool - any pics?

Ah, those were the days - Chevy could make some good looking cars and didn't have to worry about foreign competition.