Wrenching On Your Ride

[jasonstang]

One more point to add, not everyone has the tools or the space.
After all, we're not all Clint Eastwood, in Gran Torino, and have accumulated equipment over 20 years ;)

Depending on what you trying to do a set of SAE and metric sockets, some jack stands and a jack, some ramp, and some torque wrenches will take you pretty far.
Steeda jack rails are nice to have too.

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[2morrow]

I still try to do as much of the work as humanly possible cuz I love cars/working on cars. The only bummer thing working against me is that I got a back issue stemming from a car accident years ago. Sometimes after an install I'm pretty messed up but usually love the end result and the process so I keep doing it.

Typically I've done all the mods on all my previous cars Nissans, Acura's, VW's among others. The only thing that I didn't do on this one was the springs and the window tint.

 

[Sig556]

AGREED!

For all those older guys saying cars are harder to work on now - bullshit. I'm 45. I cut my teeth on setting mechanical points, setting timing curves with different weights (remember trial and error?), rebuilding Q-Jets while everyone dumped them for Holleys because they didn't realize you needed to tune a QJet to the engine / chassis.

I could not agree with you more. Do it yourself, and you know it was done right and a sense of accomplishment.

 

[Rock&Roll]

4 Free Oil Changes from the Dealer. It's easy to let them do it. My cars a DD so I might not ever do any mods.
I use to be a mechanic and I know how but I can't be bothered.

I guess if I'm bored. I do have a garage,ramps and tons of tools so who knows ?

 

[bootlegger]

I have torn apart half of my Pathfinder, but I am not afraid of hurting it. I just had the top half of the engine apart 2 weeks ago. The Mustang is a bit different for me, given the cost. I will do all basic mods and oil changes, but if I decide to do anything advanced, it will end up at a shop. I wrench on things a lot at work, so it makes it less fun when you have to do it at home as well. I always do my own work on my boat, mainly because it wouldn't be affordable to own if I had to keep taking it to a shop.

 

[Norm Peterson]

And there's the dilemma. There is a saying that goes "just because I can doesn't mean I should." I'm mechanically inclined and am capable of doing most repairs myself, but at the expense of my body. Yes, I enjoy wrenching, just like how I enjoy working with computers for a living. But as you get older and your pockets aren't as shallow, you let somebody else's body take the abuse instead. I'm in IT, which means carpel tunnel is pretty much inevitable. I'd rather not have back, knee, etc. issues to add onto that. I wrench for the time being, but we will see.

Couple things to think about.

Once you retire, two or three hours at the going shop rate will eat up a whole day's pay, maybe more. Maybe it'll be done right, maybe it'll be done to your preferred specs, maybe it won't need later adjustment . . .

You do learn to work smarter, maybe a little slower, think a little more about what you're doing, and generally work with more consideration for your body. I already do have occasional back and knee issues (stemming from ancient injuries completely unrelated to doing automotive work), so I keep that in mind even before getting involved with lots of jobs. But DIY jobs (of all sorts) are still very much a matter of having a "can-do" attitude.


Norm

 

[jdoug]

I'm an older guy with a garage, jack/jack stands and tools. If the job is not to complex I'll take a crack at it myself, I enjoy wrenching on my car plus saving some $$. The GT is my DD and I have no back-up transportation so that factors highly into the decision.

This is exactly me. The only exception is when it comes to electrical work, since I know very little about electrical. Most mechanical stuff I can handle-- so far I've done all the S550 mods listed in my sig myself, except for having Steeda do the IRS alignment/spacers.

 

[randotheking]

My dad did all his own work because we were broke. I try my hand at fixing anything and everything, and it has saved me tons of money.

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