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You know, those of us who know how to do mechanical work were not born with the knowledge. We learned it. I believe that any reasonably attentive person over 15 years of age could learn to do basic auto work. The idea that changing brake pads or a valve cover gasket requires some kind of special rare exotic inherited ability is just nonsense.
And the idea of "need lots of tools" is similarly bogus. Yes, I have a pretty comprehensive tool set. But 95+% of the mechanical work I do is covered by the roughly $100 worth of tools I carry in a small bag in my car.
If you want to be helpless, OK, but don't claim that it's impossible to be otherwise. This is distinct from being capable to do certain operations and choosing not to do so.
No one ever said anything about being born with knowledge. No one is born with knowledge as you have learn most everything you do in life but I believe you to need aptitude and want to learn it. Some of us don't have either. Maybe 95% of your mechanical work you do is covered by $100 worth of tools but a problem needs to diagnosed before you can fix it and lots of times that takes more than $100.
I wish I could do all my own car maintenance. A few years ago it cost me $240.00 (part + labor) to install a fuel pump. I do change the oil & very minor work.
Wow, no way. A friend just posted his xmssion in pieces on the floor of the garage and I commented "RIP little Jeep" and the next day he posted that it was back together.
No one ever said anything about being born with knowledge. No one is born with knowledge as you have learn most everything you do in life but I believe you to need aptitude and want to learn it. Some of us don't have either. Maybe 95% of your mechanical work you do is covered by $100 worth of tools but a problem needs to diagnosed before you can fix it and lots of times that takes more than $100.
Indeed you do! I know of many people that don't know how to change a lightbulb. Yet they can figure out how to write a computer program or understand quantum physics? I guess it all depends on what an individuals interests are. No one is going to be good at anything that bores the hell out of them.
Working on vehicles can be very labor intensive, not only that it's dirty and grimy. Sometimes it can be down right dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. There are hazardous chemicals and materials involved along with heavy components some of which are under a great deal of tension especially the suspension. Brake and clutch dust contains asbestos. You'll need safety glasses, gloves and a suitable mask. Whenever you take something apart it's got to be squeaky clean before putting it back together.
Depending on the kind of work you plan on doing, $100 worth of tools is not going to cut it. Not even close. In addition to both 3/8" and 1/2" drive sockets both metric and standard, ratchets, breaker bars, and torque wrenches. You'll need a complete set of screwdrivers both flat and phillips head along with different size pliers and vice grips. A complete set of brake tools is a must. You'll also need a set of ball peen hammers, floor jack and suitable safety stands. Then there are books on auto repair that outline specific procedures and tools. Those are just the basics. If you plan on going further you'll need a good set of gear/wheel pullers, bearing drivers/installers, and electrical tools along with an air compressor and air tools. There are also a lot of special tools that are designed for specific purposes and for specific vehicles.
Lot's of times I will just buy the proper tool even if I don't think that I will ever need it again. More than likely the cost of the tool would be cheaper than the cost of labor. Depending on the tool of course.
Even simple oil changes and grease jobs require filter wrenches, grease guns and containers to catch the oil so it doesn't splash or spill onto the ground or garage floor. A good set of funnels are a must. Along with safety stands. You can not rely on a floor jack to keep the vehicle up. Definitely not cement blocks! A separate container will be needed for anti freeze if you plan on doing your own coolant system work. Recycling centers or service stations will not accept contaminated oil or anti freeze.
Auto body work is a whole different animal, requiring a whole different set of tools, knowledge and issues to contend with. In addition to the proper safety equipment you'll need body hammers, dollies, sanders, and spray guns for both primer and top coat, spreaders for body filler and sandpaper, lot's of it. When you think you've bought enough sandpaper, buy more. You'll also need paint stripping discs or chemical strippers along with grinding discs to remove old paint and rust. Or have them professionally sand blasted. You'll also need a place to work, along with plastic drop clothes to cover the walls and ceiling of your garage when ready for paint along with a good shop vac and ventilation. Welding requires another skill and equipment altogether but can always be farmed out.
Cheap tools are an accident waiting to happen, just as using the wrong tool for the job.
I've got most of this equipment and then some, acquired over years of doing my own automotive work. You'd have to be pretty wealthy to buy them all at once. Besides most wealthy people with the exception of a few do not want to get their hands dirty. Why should they when they can afford to pay somebody else? Sometimes I can't blame them. However they will never have the pride in being able to tell people that they did it all themselves.
I've heard of this, would never live in such a place. Even worse, there are places that don't even want you working on your car in your garage. If they tried to enact such a law in my town, I'd counter them with; OK, from now on it is illegal to:
No one ever said anything about being born with knowledge. No one is born with knowledge as you have learn most everything you do in life but I believe you to need aptitude and want to learn it. Some of us don't have either. Maybe 95% of your mechanical work you do is covered by $100 worth of tools but a problem needs to diagnosed before you can fix it and lots of times that takes more than $100.
You can make a lot of diagnosis mistakes & still save money when labor is billed at twice actual time & $130 /hr. There's a 230 piece craftsman tool set in a blow-molded case for $100 & that along with about $100 in miscellaneous junk tools from Harbor Freight is easily enough to pull an engine & replace it, rebuild brakes, swap a water pump or a hundred other common jobs. Cars are assembled & go from a bare shell to a driver in about an hour on the assembly-line. Servicing one takes longer than that, but you need to keep it in perspective - they aren't the space shuttle. Regular folks stick them together & you don't need a master's degree to to take them apart.
Further- today you have the benefit of the web, forums & YouTube.. It's quite likely that someone else had the same problem with their car already & posted fairly complete instructions on how to correct it.
I recently had a problem with the bearings on my washing machine- never touched one before, but a half hour of Google-fu netted me all the necessary parts/tools & knowledge to repair it myself for 1/3 what it would have cost to get a pro out. And now I have the tools for the next time the bearings fail, so repair #2 will be $40 instead of $500.
Here in NJ, very common to find people who don't know how to pump their own gas. It's illegal but nothing stopping me to do it when given the chance.
That is odd that some people don't know how to pump their own gas. I guess they have never driven a car out of state (new jersey).
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