Who does their own work?

[Zormecteon]

The only reason for me to learn to work on cars was because I couldn't afford to have it fixed. That changed. I barely even open the hood now, and then only to add wiper fluid.

I make $$$ so I can pay people to do the things I can't do, or don't want to. ..

I got the red thing (see avatar at left) so I could learn to work on cars. I've (helped)pulled the engine, swap the differential, changed out dizzy's, speedos, master cylinder, wiper motor, etc, etc, etc, but the most important thing I learned is that I HATE working on cars. ..

My 2¢

 

[FiSTbump]

I do my own work, but only if there's an instruction guide and it starts with "Installation is easy..."

 

[brbauer2]

I do all the ones I know I have/can easily get the tools for.

 

[codestp202]

The only time I have gone to the shop is for alignments and tire mounting. If I had a tire machine and alignment rack I'd do it myself as well lol.

 

[nickstewartroc]

The only time I have gone to the shop is for alignments and tire mounting. If I had a tire machine and alignment rack I'd do it myself as well lol.

Same deal here, I'll do everything but tires/alignment. Everything else I'll do myself, clutch? Got it, rebuild engine? No prob, etc, etc

 

[M-Sport fan]

I don't trust anyone else to touch my cars but I have my limits.
I plan on getting a QuickJack this summer to make wrenching fun again. Lately I've been dreading it. When it takes longer to get the car in the air than to do the actual work there's a problem

+1! To the first point above.

I WISH that I could get a QuickJack as well, since it would help working in a VERY small, tight garage where there is barely room to work the floor jack handle (yes, even for our 'tiny' car!)!

But that is currently a moot point anyway since my brother's (HE owns the townhouse) P.O.S. '99 Boxster, which barely runs, has a worse than ghetto fully taped up rear window, has totally faded paint, 'eyesore', and LEAKING everything everywhere is now occupying the garage because the A**HOLE Home Owners Association will fine him $75.00 every day it is found in the street parking spots leaving stains on the ground.

They will also charge him/me exponential, and compounding fines IF they catch me working on my car IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY (which is on an angle anyway so dangerous for a floor jack/stands).
So, I am now at a STANDSTILL as far as installing my IC, and charge hoses like I wanted to do in the next week.

 

[nickstewartroc]

+1! To the first point above.

I WISH that I could get a QuickJack as well, since it would help working in a VERY small, tight garage where there is barely room to work the floor jack handle (yes, even for our 'tiny' car!)!

But that is currently a moot point anyway since my brother's (HE owns the townhouse) P.O.S. '99 Boxster, which barely runs, has a worse than ghetto fully taped up rear window, has totally faded paint, 'eyesore', and LEAKING everything everywhere is now occupying the garage because the A**HOLE Home Owners Association will fine him $75.00 every day it is found in the street parking spots leaving stains on the ground.

They will also charge him/me exponential, and compounding fines IF they catch me working on my car IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY (which is on an angle anyway so dangerous for a floor jack/stands).
So, I am now at a STANDSTILL as far as installing my IC, and charge hoses like I wanted to do in the next week.

Too bad your in PA, I'd tell you swing by my place

 

[M-Sport fan]

Too bad your in PA, I'd tell you swing by my place

Yeah, THANKS for the offer!

IF I can ever get outta here, I will NEVER AGAIN deal with an uppity, snooty, hypocritical, 'faux elitist', HOA.

 

[Intuit]

+1! To the first point above.

I WISH that I could get a QuickJack as well, since it would help working in a VERY small, tight garage where there is barely room to work the floor jack handle (yes, even for our 'tiny' car!)!

But that is currently a moot point anyway since my brother's (HE owns the townhouse) P.O.S. '99 Boxster, which barely runs, has a worse than ghetto fully taped up rear window, has totally faded paint, 'eyesore', and LEAKING everything everywhere is now occupying the garage because the A**HOLE Home Owners Association will fine him $75.00 every day it is found in the street parking spots leaving stains on the ground.

They will also charge him/me exponential, and compounding fines IF they catch me working on my car IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY (which is on an angle anyway so dangerous for a floor jack/stands).
So, I am now at a STANDSTILL as far as installing my IC, and charge hoses like I wanted to do in the next week.

Car cover... or do they fine for those too? There are mats for leaky vehicles. There are beebee guns for peering eyes and busy bodies. (joking of course -- said because on a forum you never know)

 

[M-Sport fan]

Car cover... or do they fine for those too? There are mats for leaky vehicles. There are beebee guns for peering eyes and busy bodies. (joking of course -- said because on a forum you never know)

Yes, believe it or not, they do not allow them, I guess because they judge them to be 'trashy' looking (even if they are covering an exotic), and they want the car to MOVE from the common parking spots at least every two to three days, which my brother is unwilling to do, (IF he ever would spend the coin on even a cheap a cover for that car!).

I told him to sell the 2.5 years from the last time passing state inspection (and even then it was just barely) Teutonic garbage pile for parts, but he keeps saying "How else would I ever have a convertible Porsche?".
I told him that it would take fully $10K+ to get that thing back into inspection passing, and respectable shape (he says $4K, but he knows NOTHING about cars), and he could BUY a decent medium mileage one which runs very well, and already had all of the engine problems (and new dampers, new top, new brakes, tires, wheel bearings/cv joints, bushings, new head and cam cover gaskets, new radiators/overflow tank/hoses, emissions equipment, sensors, air/oil separator, exhaust, etc., etc., etc. which he would have to do on this one) of those year 986es done, for that same $10K or less, IF he must have the false status of owning a used P-car, over a less costly to initially buy, and then maintain, ragtop.

Moral of the too long story, DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, move to a place with a draconian (or ANY for that matter) HOA, if you either like to, love to, or MUST due to finances, work on your own car!!!!

 

[XuperXero]

Everything in my signature except the Revo reflash.

 

[LilPartyBox]

+1! To the first point above.

I WISH that I could get a QuickJack as well, since it would help working in a VERY small, tight garage where there is barely room to work the floor jack handle (yes, even for our 'tiny' car!)!
...
They will also charge him/me exponential, and compounding fines IF they catch me working on my car IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY (which is on an angle anyway so dangerous for a floor jack/stands).
So, I am now at a STANDSTILL as far as installing my IC, and charge hoses like I wanted to do in the next week.

I also have a narrow garage and I'll never understand why hydraulic jacks always have 2 or 3 inches of dead travel before they lift. It's the sole reason it takes me FOREVER to get a car in the air. I get about 2 inches of actual lift travel from the jack. I swear if you saw me raising a car you'd think i was masturbating the jack as i pump away as fast as i can lol. I've been through a few brands and they all do it. It's infuriating! I actually fucked one up trying to modify it. I can't wait to have a QuickJack.

Yeah, THANKS for the offer!

IF I can ever get outta here, I will NEVER AGAIN deal with an uppity, snooty, hypocritical, 'faux elitist', HOA.

Lol well when I get my quickjack you can can swing by but be warned, i live in one of those 'faux elitist' HOA cul de sacs so be on your best behavior In their defense, my neighbor had a nasty habit of leaving broken down beaters in public parking spaces ALL the time and it drove me nuts. I'd have family or friends over and on a few occasions my guests have gotten parking tickets while his beaters sat in the parking spot. You can't deny it's a selfish thing to take up a spot with a dead car. And it just makes the place look like a ghetto and that's not what i went into home debt for. It's not snooty, it's property value

 

[M-Sport fan]

In their defense, my neighbor had a nasty habit of leaving broken down beaters in public parking spaces ALL the time and it drove me nuts. I'd have family or friends over and on a few occasions my guests have gotten parking tickets while his beaters sat in the parking spot. You can't deny it's a selfish thing to take up a spot with a dead car. And it just makes the place look like a ghetto and that's not what i went into home debt for. It's not snooty, it's property value

EXCELLENT points, and even my brother defends them, and their ANTI-"riff raff" type policies, but there ARE PLENTY of empty parking spaces here, even when someone has a BIG get together with MANY non-resident guests' cars taking up spots.

But the working on your NOT ragged, newer, let alone high priced/even 'semi-exotic' car in your OWN driveway penalty/fine thing because it is judged by them to be ghetto, or 'trashy', or even "property devaluing", just burns my azz!!

Is Jay Leno, (who can buy and sell that whole HOA BOD 10,000 times over) when he does work on his own rides, to be considered 'trashy'?!?!?!

 

[LaserWhisperer]

I guess I got lucky with my HOA. They don't really give a shit about anything. There's supposed to be dog breed restrictions; my neighbor is on the board and has a pit bull [emoji23]. I have a shepherd. There's a doberman. They only care about your car being in a visitor spot overnight without a permit, or if you park in front of your garage door overnight. I work on my cars all the time with the ass end hanging out of the garage haha. We're kinda close to the hood, but the garage is 2.5 cars [emoji106]

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[Typical Tom]

Nope. Had spinal fusion surgery so unless it's a very simple thing like a front lip, I'm having someone else do it. Can't really/not supposed to bend much so hanging over an engine bay isn't really an option and laying on my back is very uncomfortable unless it's a very cushioned surface like a couch or a bed.

 

[MoxBoost]

I do everything minus machining which I have a special shop I go to for that.


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[me32]

Yup, +1!

I will not even THINK about attempting a limited slip diff install (or final drive r&p, transaxle gear cluster change), and MUCH KUDOS to those who have done this themselves, and were successful at it.

The same goes for any head/cam or internal engine work.
(I am 'lost in the wilderness' when it comes to; degree wheels, torque angle dealings, and torque to yield fasteners, especially with no factory shop manuals for guidence! )

I agree with this. But on rear wheel drive cars I've done gears and rebuilt the 8.8.

 

[Sprayed150]

8 years as a mechanic, 4 of that in racing, 2 of that in Pro racing, partly as over the wall pit crew

i feel weird if i dont do it myself

 

[boyracer]

in 1973 my dad dragged me out from a 68 beetle by my ankles while I was whining under it. his favorite thought was if some sob can build it, you can fix it. my motto in life. boyracer

 

[pirite]

going on almost 8 years as a mechanic...
i do all my own stunts. i also cheat and have a LOT of tools and lifts i can use from two posts, to drive over lifts, all the way to an alignment rack with scan tools and the lot.