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I live in apartment that doesnt allow automotive work. I have the parts and know how to change my own brakes and rotors but no available place to work? Any suggestions?
If that don't work, find an even crappier apartment building that doesn't care if people work on their cars in the parking lot, and do it there.
Last sentence of the quoted is ghetto but would work. Used to do that in Reno in the ghetto where I lived first year out of college, decades ago. The cops busted the place out most every weekend. I didn't care, I was 22 and knew no better.
I believe OP is asking if any do it yourself shops still exist. That came up in a thread past couple years; I was personally skeptical due to liability laws for environment hazard in various states these days. In CA, discharge of solvents, controlled or otherwise, is hazardous to the wallet to say the least.
That said, who knows: I'd let my fingers to the walking, as Yellow Pages used to say (in the old days) for a shop or business like that, wherever OP lives. I did all my motorcycle work in a friend's garage because he had a lift and let me borrow tools. I supplied money and other valuables in trade over the years. This was a long time ago; I've not turned a wrench beyond the easy stuff in a decade.
If that don't work, find an even crappier apartment building that doesn't care if people work on their cars in the parking lot, and do it there.
bfrabel gets it.
When I was young and broke, I lived in an apartment complex that didn't allow people to work on cars. I did it anyway once in a while (mostly on weekends), and they never said anything.
But I didn't want to attract too much attention, so a lot of times I'd go over to my friends' apartment. Their place didn't allow cars to be worked on in the lot either... but it was super ghetto and everybody ignored that rule. Bushes in front of the apartment looked pretty sad from all the used motor oil dumped around them.
These days I have a house and a garage... and the veneer of respectability that a middle class income can provide. But I engaged in my share of shady practices when I was younger and had no money. In a city, low-budget apartment complexes are generally where you do that.
Although things have changed since the 90's, and there are cameras EVERYWHERE these days. So be careful.
The place where you buy the parts is exactly as good of a place as any. Ever seen anyone bounced from an Autozone for having their junk torn apart in the parking lot? I haven't.
This week I also saw a dude in the midst of a serious repair in a gas station parking lot. It appeared that his meth addled cohort had a ball joint failure that also took out the half shaft (and the fender for that matter). When I pulled in for gas he had all the brakes off, the tie rod end off, the axle nut off, and was working on beating the hub off of the axle to get the spindle off to replace the shaft. If a meth head can do it and not be hassled, you'd be fine.
Personally... I'd just get up before the roosters on Saturday morning, bust it out in an hour or two in the parking lot where you live, and be back in your apartment drinking coffee and scratching your bag before anyone else even gets up. Nothing to complain about if it's done before anyone sees it.
Personally... I'd just get up before the roosters on Saturday morning, bust it out in an hour or two in the parking lot where you live, and be back in your apartment drinking coffee and scratching your bag before anyone else even gets up. Nothing to complain about if it's done before anyone sees it.
This is exactly what I do... I live in a gated community in a nice area in Los Angeles and I’ll do a lot of my work between midnight and 8am.... a few times though I’ve just said f’ it and worked on my car in the middle of the day.... oil changes, brake jobs, spark plug changes, fuel injector replacement, fuel pump replacement etc and no one has ever said anything!
The place where you buy the parts is exactly as good of a place as any. Ever seen anyone bounced from an Autozone for having their junk torn apart in the parking lot? I haven't.
This week I also saw a dude in the midst of a serious repair in a gas station parking lot.
I actually like both of these ideas, though the parts store manager may object if you bought all your parts elsewhere.
I personally would avoid working in a random parking lot away from home. Why? Because if you encounter a problem during the repair, the car may be rendered immobile. Stripped bolts, worn broke hose that finally gives out when you manipulate the caliper, leaky calipers, etc are all possible. Now you got to tow the car home and the money you planned to save by DIY'ing goes out the window.
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