I know most people here do a lot, if not all, of their own automotive work. But for those of you who don’t, what is the reason you don’t DIY?
Warranty coverage
I haven’t had anything done in years, but I probably will pay someone the next time something big comes up. I’m at the point in life where I have more money than time.
For me DD…Not having a lift…air tools…and my time is valuable…
Once I pick up a house…I will probably pick up another project car and do that work my self…
Warranty work is a big one, but I would assume lack of knowledge, lazy, lack of spare time and lack of effort to find help.
It depends what it is. Sometimes my time is more valuable than getting it fixed. I can change my oil and it costs me 25 dollars and takes an hour. I can pay someone to change my oil and work one hour of overtime and it costs me 40 bucks, but I make 40 bucks, so it’s a wash.
As the job gets more expensive, this ratio decreases, and I usually do it myself.
Example: Water pump on range rover. Dealer quoted 600 w/ parts, did it myself with an ebay pump for 65 bucks and about 6 hours, so a big dollar savings there… And, to top it off, I like working on stuff (as long as i’m not working on a dirty, corroded POS)
Wait for the poll!
Yesterday I slid under the Xterra to take a look at what the hell is rattling under the car. Noticed that the exhaust was rusting apart. Figured, yeah, this is going to need a new exhaust soon.
Looked at the bolts on the flanges and thought, “Yeah, this is definitely a job for the muffler shop. Not worth the effort”.
Its a combination of:
Lack of know-how
Lack of work space
Lack of tools
Lack of time
i can’t do wiring, or such things as doing motor work, and that related to. and i generally have no time/space to do it; at my house
if i have time, i end up not having space
when i have time, it’s already dark out
Space and tools for me.
heavy corrosion is a turn off
Combination of things.
-I make more per hour than the difference between doing things myself and paying someone reasonably to, especially when you factor in that I take longer to do them. I’d rather sit on NYSpeed for an hour at work than fuck around getting all dirty and cold working on the car for three.
-Tools. Expensive.
-Lack of time. I’d rather spend my free time on things I like to do.
-Quality of work. I’ve seen firsthand on here the hackiness that occurs when career automotive people get into economics and finance. One would assume that it’s the same going the other way. I do numbers, they do wrenches.
And finally, bumper to bumper warranty.
it’s hard to narrow it down… so many reasons…
frustration, tools, experience in that order for me.
I do not enjoy working on cars, just the results.
x2
hmm.
depends on the job. but i would rather do my own
Either I don’t have the room/my time is worth more/no time to do it.
I really dislike having most people work on my car though, I can’t seem to trust anyone’s work.
lack of experience, brakes, plus, wires, etc… I can do, other shit I need help with. Plus I dont want to screw up the daily. I would HMT a old honda tho, if I fuck it up oh well, then I will get help.
If I could pick every option on that pole I would vote.
It always depends on the job/time/knowledge/willpower/bacon/costs/etc…
Yeah it always depends on what needs to be done to the car, springs, brakes and other stuff no prob. I’d rather go to mufflerman than try to do an exhaust myself. Also around here the weather is a huge influence.