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I am doing most of the work on my van on public-streets, that makes it
kinda stressful.
dont do that bro. I know WHY you do, but I'm telling you not to. Too much vibration from a passing 18 wheeler, and your $49 jackstands aren't enough to keep you alive.
I’m 60 and do all my own wrenching. I even had auto shop class in high school where you actually had to bring in your own car or your parents car, to do maintenance. It was a requirement of the class. Only one of my autos I won’t work on, because I can’t. It’s my 2013 Chevy Impala. I have no way to reset or “read” the computers on the car. Everything else I have is Ford or Chevy, 1983 or older. Simple machines to work on, plus, I have a couple of junk yards nearby for parts. Only bad thing I run into a lot is I live alone and wish I would have an extra hand or set of eyes. So I have to get creative quite a bit when I work solo.
I've gotten to a point where I've got several things working against me, I have too many vehicles to maintain (4 cars, a motorcycle, a UTV, riding lawnmower, and 3 go karts) and two properties to maintain as well. Combined with a full time job, I just don't have the time to take care of upkeep on everything. I still tackle jobs that I know a dealer would rip me off big time but won't take too much of my time, but other times I just have to take something into a shop otherwise I'd never get around to fixing it.
Last two repairs I had to pay for were like this... my Jeep needed a new fuel pump, and I didn't have time, desire, or space to be able to drop the gas tank to do it. Relatively straightforward and easy job if you've got a good work area and time to do it, but I didn't. Second one was the same Jeep... a transmission sensor broke and spewed transmission fluid all over the underbody of the car. Didn't want to get under there with all that mess with no lift to work with, and didn't want to stain my garage or driveway either.
I do all maintenance on my Ducati and Porsche, and the riding lawnmower and go karts. But everything else has gone to a shop the last few years.
I do all maintenance, all suspension mechanical, brakes, door stuff, anything mechanical. I did engines overhauls but rather give it to buddy now. Can't hang over the engine bay anymore. I do not do extensive transmission repairs and can do only basic electrical. Saved thousands and thousands since 1991.
I enjoyed it in high school and college, when it was all new to me - very interesting. I still did it in my 20s to save money. In my 30s though, I pretty much had had it with working on the car.
dont do that bro. I know WHY you do, but I'm telling you not to. Too much vibration from a passing 18 wheeler, and your $49 jackstands aren't enough to keep you alive.
yeah I have a picture, that I cannot post with C-D Terms of Service.
July 5th, 2019 friday night at 8:19pm pacific time, there was a M 7.1 earthquake. I remember the day well, because I was actually pulled off on the side of the road with my bluetooth headset on, talking to a girl living in Las Vegas. And the earthquake hit. We both felt it, from Vegas to LA, no problem with a M 7.1
Went home and I googled for any fatalities a few days later, and there it was.
dude out there in the desert - purple Jeep up on cinderblocks. WHAT ARE THE ODDS an earthquake would hit, at 8pm, you thought you'd work on the Jeep after dinner (it could have been me).
But yeah, shifted on the jackstands, his own Jeep crushed him like a rotten banana underneath.
As much as I can afford to have other people do it. I enjoy doing my own car work. When I change my own fluids, oils, brake pads, and even flush the coolant and bleeding the brakes. When I've done them often it's like cleaning the house. I get a sense of joy out of driving the car knowing that it drives perfect with the right oil and fluids inside.
I just completed a difficult oil filter housing change on my BMW, it was tight but got it done and the car's engine code went away. Probably a $1500+ job at the dealer and the parts cost only $100.
Another job I've done with changing the alternator which is like an $1200 job since mechanics charge you $600 for a no name brand part and another $600 to change it. Some cars it's an easy job but other cars it can be a difficult tight job to get the water pump and belt changed at the same time. They can easily charge you $2000 for the entire job just doing one area.
I commend you and say that you have a talent that many of us don't have. You also must have a good assortment of tools. I used to change oil in our cars with my dad's help but then disposing of it and the more complicated engines just made it easier to have someone else do it. I still do cabin filters and easy stuff light tail lights but the others stuff, I let the pro do it.
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