Does anyone work on their own vehicle these days?

[tcrackly]

Wish I could work on our own vehicles. My DH Ranger died over the weekend and he had to be Downeast this week for work. So he took my Jeep and it died in Columbia Falls on his way up. Turns out the truck needed a timing belt and starter and the Jeep needed an alternator and newer battery.

Oiy Veh!!!

[Morphous01]

Originally Posted by melinuxfool

I don't do anything major, because I don't have that much know-how or the tools to do certain things. But I can do the majority of routine maintenance type stuff. I'm gradually learning more and more, as time passes.

It seems like the cost to go to the garage is so prohibitive these days, that on my budget, it's either learn to DIY or it doesn't get done.

Ha I do!! Just this month the engine light came on and we took the car to the dealer to run a scan. (I only take the car to the dealer if i cant find the problem because they have a tool to plug into the car to see whats wrong with it as i don't have one)

Anyhow i was told the coil is going out and it will be 400 bucks and while I'm at it i should just change all 8! Well I said NO THANKS and took that knowledge and ordered the same factory part online for 75 bucks!! Its should
take about 15 min to switch the part...

As far as oil change I ALWAYS do that myself as the money i pay for somebody else to change my oil I use that to buy better oil. I use Royal purple motor oil.. Over the long haul your car will last longer and you can go with less oil changes in between!!

[Casper1212]

Does anybody watch a British television program called Top Gear? They don't talk about repairs, and most of the vehicles on the show, we've never heard of. But they are soooooooo much fun to watch! They tried to go camping once, and ended up burning down the camper. They've raced cars that were stacked on top of each other. They raced across Africa once, on mud tracks, in motor homes, they've tried racing cars on water. They're basically three little boys who don't know that they've grown up. If you get BBC America, you can probably catch the show sometime.