Depends on what it is, if it something simple or a car I want to work on I’ll do it.
all of the above?
I’m trying to think of the last thing that I paid someone to do and I can’t…
I’m guessing it was actually back in 2000-2001 before I got super into cars and the alternator on my Chevy Celebrity went out. Haven’t even paid for an oil change since then…
So I guess my previous answer stands, but only in theory… not practice.
Have had body work done on the E30 I guess… so that’s my only true example.
:roll:
I try to do work that is just out of my reach/capability. ex. Install turblo kit. then replace engine etc… Next up is welding an exhaust.
Unless I can get it done for free under warranty, I will most likely not pay anyone for work.
It helps me justify buying tools since I hate spending money for something
that is basically just labor intensive. The major drawback to my method is that the lack of experience and knowing what causes what and where to look etc… But, I have the internet.
Same goes for home improvement. I could pay someone to get shit right the 1st time, but then I learn nothing.
It also helps that I’m in a point in my life where my wife still spends more money than
I have time to make. (single income family of 4)
the only things I have ever paid for are alignments, tire mounting, inspections, and I had a windshield replaced on my shitty civic.
I have never had a car with a warranty or one newer than 13 years old.
I have done brakes, suspension, wheel bearings, axles, clutches, tranny swaps, full stich welding of a chassis, replacing every bushing in said chassis, bodywork, paint, gas tanks, control arms, motor swaps, sheet metal fab, welding in frame rail replacements,water pump, exhaust fab, cams, oil pans, headgaskets, belts ect.
I refuse to trust any shops ability to do good work and not fuck me over on price and I definetly save a lot of money, at least at my current income.
once I get more time/a better workspace im exploring the final frontier, aka engine/rearend/tranny rebuilds
There should be another poll slot for do your own work all the time, any chance i get im doing something in my driveway or at my shop i work at. I dont trust anyone tho, that’s my problem. I’ve seen how other shops take customer cars for a spin. I also had a bottle of cologne taken from my car on a water pump job.
FIXED. lol
Everytime i do work myself on part A of the car/bike i typically break part B and usually need assistance in fixing what I break… lol.
Depending on the job, will determine if I pay for it. I’d estimate 1/10 of the jobs I take on ever get done in the amount of time I expect… which is a huge realization I’ve come to in deciding, I’d rather not get dirty/frustrated/tired/worried/ etc etc… (not to mention shops warranty their work, so thats always a plus)
If someone can do it faster, cheaper and better,then they can do it.
I would have done my exhaust but…I have never welded and in the end it would have cost me the same if not more taking into consideration of me messing up.
Muffler man, though $$$, had it done in hours
i do not do most of the work on my car other than swapping catbacks, coilovers, bolt ons, basic body panels etc.
primary issue is time (wife, son etc.) but there are other factors.
i have capable friends that can do the work. I trust them more than i trust a mechanic shop. and they need the money.
i have had friends drive up to my house and do brake jobs, diff swaps etc. in my driveway / garage while i was at work for a fraction of the price i would pay otherwise. And these guys know the cars better.
plus, my time is worth too much these days to spend it modifying my cars.
Time is money. I used to do the easy(simple) stuff myself but not really anything anymore.
I am a wheel freak so I do change those myself quite often, big deal right?
I have only taken my vehicles into the shop once a year for the last four years…for the inspections…but I lived in an area where I had all the Tools I need. My mechanic asked me if I was pissed off at him because when I first started driving he did EVERYTHING on my Cars.
Since I moved into my own place I have not needed to do anything major but I dropped and replaced the rusted out Gas tank on my F-150 just this last November in my drive way…because it could not fit into my garage with all the shit that WAS in their. Now it could fit but I don’t have it no mo :shrug:
Aside from any major drive train work that has not yet been needed I have done all my own jobs or had someone help me, but no shops. Wheel bearings became my specialty for a while. But since, IMO, I need more tools so I have been stocking up in my “downtime.” You never know when I project will come up :snky:
When it comes to “I don’t have the tools” that seems more like an excuse than a legit reason. More often than not the cost of the tools is close to how much more you’d end up paying to have a shop do it, and tools you’ll have forever. Obviously there are exceptions (like that rear diff rebuilt that needed bunch of specialized tools).
With a decent socket set, screwdriver set, some torx bits, a large c-clamp and a breaker bar I can’t think of any regular wear items I couldn’t replace on my vehicles. Specialized stuff like tie rod end removers and ball joint presses can be borrowed for free from Autozone. You could buy all the tools I listed with the money you’d save doing one 4 wheel brake job yourself vs taking it to a shop.
Hell, I’ve got one real lazy guy here at work who is always broke but complaining he has to take his car to a shop for “this job and that job” because he doesn’t have any ramps. Ramps? Really? You can buy a set for $20.
Sounds like someone who’s never owned a VAG product. :mamoru: More “special tools” than you can shake a stick at.
However IMO, if you’re going to use it more than once, it is worth buying, and it is ALWAYS worth it to use the right tools and not rig it. Most of the tools that people wouldn’t have for common auto repairs can be loaned for free from Auto Zone…
i try and do anything myself i can, but lack of a daily driver puts projects that take more than a couple hours out of my hands, because i need to get to work and school…
meh. there was a point when i didn’t have the knowledge. i learned a lot through hands on with my friends, then was able to do a lot of stuff on my own. i don’t have access to garage and tools as easily as i used to now. i also don’t have the time i used to have. at this point, for basic stuff i’d rather just pay someone to do it. if it gets over 500 dollars though, i’d probably just do it myself.
I think part of the reason I prefer doing stuff myself is because I am SUPER cheap.
oh, and, LOL at people who spend all their spare time on NYSpeed, but claim that their time is worth more than what a mechanic charges.
Get over yourselves, pussies.
fuck that. i can pay a shop 30 bucks to change my oil, or spend half an hour on the ground doing it myself and then i gotta take all that oil and return it somewhere. it’s way easier just to have someone else do it.
OMG really? Less than an hour?
I forgot, you must be some kind of hot shot. Too much going on to spend an hour to put a decent filter and brand of oil in your car.
Here’s a tip, pull up your skirt, tuck in the string and stop whining about time.