What does the public think about working on your own car?
08-24-2016, 04:30 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
What does the public think about working on your own car?
I always thought it was smart and impressive to work on your own cars. But maybe that is a reflection of my proletariat upbringing.
Obviously this is a car enthusiast forum so I bet everybody here enjoys working on their cars. But I wonder how the general public feels? Recently I made a move from a working class neighborhood to an middle-upper class neighborhood. I'm wondering now what my new neighbors will think when my car is on jackstands in my driveway with the hood up and wheels off.
Is working on your own car trashy? - Autoblog
Obviously this is a car enthusiast forum so I bet everybody here enjoys working on their cars. But I wonder how the general public feels? Recently I made a move from a working class neighborhood to an middle-upper class neighborhood. I'm wondering now what my new neighbors will think when my car is on jackstands in my driveway with the hood up and wheels off.
Originally Posted by Steven Symes, Auto Blog
Long ago, when I was in college, I had a female friend of mine ask if once I got a professional job, was married and had kids, I'd stop playing with cars. The question took me by surprise, because I'd never thought such a thing would ever happen (not the professional job, marriage or kids).
After graduating and getting an office job, I heard plenty of my coworkers say things like "I know how to change my oil, but I just don't have the time for it nowadays." They sure had the time to watch a few football games each weekend, funny enough.
Finally, one day a colleague of mine said what I think everyone else meant: working on your own car is something only blue collar, poor people do.
I was floored, but everything started to make sense.
I haven't abandoned working on my own car, even though I'm super busy and definitely white collar. I won't stop working on my car for a number of great reasons. And I think everyone should learn to do at least some things on their own vehicle. Some people I know literally have their mechanic put on new wiper blades and top off the washer fluid, because they think doing it themselves is below them.
Plenty of Discrimination
Long ago I lived in apartments where working on your car on the property, even having your hood popped in the parking lot, was forbidden. When I asked the manager why, she explained that fixing anything, even a tiny thing on your car would attract "the wrong element." I can understand a rule that a car can't be obviously taken apart overnight, but not even being able to pop the hood and check the oil is pretty extreme.
The city where I live now has an ordinance where if you have a disabled vehicle that's not registered, it has to be garaged or out of sight from the road. If not, the city can cite you for it and possibly impound the car. So if you find a sweet disabled hobby vehicle, you better have somewhere inside to store it while you get it running again.
A Question of Time
The biggest argument I've heard for not doing any work on your car is time. Because I work for myself, I'm keenly aware time is money. There's an opportunity cost of doing an oil change versus landing another business deal, getting a client's project finished sooner, etc. I know business owners who don't even tighten a screw in their house themselves, because their time is supposedly too valuable to be wasted with such trivial issues.
Personally, I think the argument's bunk. There are scores of studies that show the damaging effects of sitting at a desk all day, sitting in a car to go home, then sitting on the couch while eating Cheetos in the evening. It's no coincidence that Americans and people elsewhere are getting fatter, while also being super stressed and suffering from chronic back pain/insomnia. I'm of the opinion if everyone who works at a desk took some time every day to do something with their hands, whether it's fixing a car, mowing the lawn or painting the shed, they'd feel at least a little better. I know I get cranky on the days I can't wrench or do something with my hands.
Other Benefits
I can't tell you how many times I've had car repairs priced out, and dying of sticker shock, decided to take them on myself. Even if I had to stumble my way through part of the work, I usually end up saving a significant amount of money, even with the time I spend on the repair. Labor costs can be pretty steep, so doing it yourself might save you big. Not everyone's comfortable with taking on complicated repairs, but doing what you can is just a good idea.
Working on your own car makes you more familiar with the machine you spend so much time inside. It's amazing how many people don't even know where the spark plugs are located in their vehicle. Even if you only do simple jobs, you'll be more knowledgeable about how it works, and it'll be harder for mechanics to take advantage of your ignorance.
Luxury Vehicles
One big question I've asked people who think working on your own car is trashy is if t a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus or Land Rover is being worked on, their perception would change. Some actually think that changes nothing, but others think the brand of the car being worked on changes everything.
Another weird objection to working on your own car is that some people think getting dirty is trashy. Personally, I don't mind getting dirty. I mostly wear mechanics gloves to work on my car, which is an easy and cheap solution that also helps protect against sliced knuckles. The interesting thing is people are paying good money to get dirty, doing races like the Tough Mudder, so I really think this argument holds no water.
For enthusiasts, working on your own car is a foregone conclusion. It's not a matter of class, profession or time. You enjoy popping the hood and tinkering with different things – it's your hobby. To have others try to insult that hobby is perplexing and maddening. Insinuating that liking cars means you're automatically "trashy" is an unfair insult, one I wish people would drop.
A Bright Spot
There is a ray of hope for the proud tradition of working on your own car, and the source is one I wouldn't have considered myself: makers. The maker movement is all about people being ingenious again, getting their hands dirty and creating things like we used to. Instead of just going to Walmart and buying something crappy, more people are viewing fabricating their own stuff as a big plus.
The maker movement is huge. I read about a year ago that over half of the adult population in the United States now thinks of themselves as some sort of maker. Hopefully it won't be too long before non-enthusiasts realize working on their vehicle, doing maintenance, repairs or customizations, is fun and worth their time.
After graduating and getting an office job, I heard plenty of my coworkers say things like "I know how to change my oil, but I just don't have the time for it nowadays." They sure had the time to watch a few football games each weekend, funny enough.
Finally, one day a colleague of mine said what I think everyone else meant: working on your own car is something only blue collar, poor people do.
I was floored, but everything started to make sense.
I haven't abandoned working on my own car, even though I'm super busy and definitely white collar. I won't stop working on my car for a number of great reasons. And I think everyone should learn to do at least some things on their own vehicle. Some people I know literally have their mechanic put on new wiper blades and top off the washer fluid, because they think doing it themselves is below them.
Plenty of Discrimination
Long ago I lived in apartments where working on your car on the property, even having your hood popped in the parking lot, was forbidden. When I asked the manager why, she explained that fixing anything, even a tiny thing on your car would attract "the wrong element." I can understand a rule that a car can't be obviously taken apart overnight, but not even being able to pop the hood and check the oil is pretty extreme.
The city where I live now has an ordinance where if you have a disabled vehicle that's not registered, it has to be garaged or out of sight from the road. If not, the city can cite you for it and possibly impound the car. So if you find a sweet disabled hobby vehicle, you better have somewhere inside to store it while you get it running again.
A Question of Time
The biggest argument I've heard for not doing any work on your car is time. Because I work for myself, I'm keenly aware time is money. There's an opportunity cost of doing an oil change versus landing another business deal, getting a client's project finished sooner, etc. I know business owners who don't even tighten a screw in their house themselves, because their time is supposedly too valuable to be wasted with such trivial issues.
Personally, I think the argument's bunk. There are scores of studies that show the damaging effects of sitting at a desk all day, sitting in a car to go home, then sitting on the couch while eating Cheetos in the evening. It's no coincidence that Americans and people elsewhere are getting fatter, while also being super stressed and suffering from chronic back pain/insomnia. I'm of the opinion if everyone who works at a desk took some time every day to do something with their hands, whether it's fixing a car, mowing the lawn or painting the shed, they'd feel at least a little better. I know I get cranky on the days I can't wrench or do something with my hands.
Other Benefits
I can't tell you how many times I've had car repairs priced out, and dying of sticker shock, decided to take them on myself. Even if I had to stumble my way through part of the work, I usually end up saving a significant amount of money, even with the time I spend on the repair. Labor costs can be pretty steep, so doing it yourself might save you big. Not everyone's comfortable with taking on complicated repairs, but doing what you can is just a good idea.
Working on your own car makes you more familiar with the machine you spend so much time inside. It's amazing how many people don't even know where the spark plugs are located in their vehicle. Even if you only do simple jobs, you'll be more knowledgeable about how it works, and it'll be harder for mechanics to take advantage of your ignorance.
Luxury Vehicles
One big question I've asked people who think working on your own car is trashy is if t a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus or Land Rover is being worked on, their perception would change. Some actually think that changes nothing, but others think the brand of the car being worked on changes everything.
Another weird objection to working on your own car is that some people think getting dirty is trashy. Personally, I don't mind getting dirty. I mostly wear mechanics gloves to work on my car, which is an easy and cheap solution that also helps protect against sliced knuckles. The interesting thing is people are paying good money to get dirty, doing races like the Tough Mudder, so I really think this argument holds no water.
For enthusiasts, working on your own car is a foregone conclusion. It's not a matter of class, profession or time. You enjoy popping the hood and tinkering with different things – it's your hobby. To have others try to insult that hobby is perplexing and maddening. Insinuating that liking cars means you're automatically "trashy" is an unfair insult, one I wish people would drop.
A Bright Spot
There is a ray of hope for the proud tradition of working on your own car, and the source is one I wouldn't have considered myself: makers. The maker movement is all about people being ingenious again, getting their hands dirty and creating things like we used to. Instead of just going to Walmart and buying something crappy, more people are viewing fabricating their own stuff as a big plus.
The maker movement is huge. I read about a year ago that over half of the adult population in the United States now thinks of themselves as some sort of maker. Hopefully it won't be too long before non-enthusiasts realize working on their vehicle, doing maintenance, repairs or customizations, is fun and worth their time.
08-24-2016, 05:09 PM
#2
Moderator
Interesting read. Won't change me doing as much as I can. But that's me not being willing to pay someone for what I'm able to do myself.
08-24-2016, 06:15 PM
#3
I just changed the coolant, water pump, serpentine belt, and front and rear brake rotors and pads. Cost at the dealer for those things approached $1,300. I did it myself because:
1. I wanted to do it myself
2. I wanted to save a shitload of money (even though I had money saved in my car maintenance account for such a job)
3. I wanted to see what I could accomplish myself, and
4. I wanted to save a shitload of money.
If that makes me poor, well, consider me poor with $1,100 more in my pocket!
1. I wanted to do it myself
2. I wanted to save a shitload of money (even though I had money saved in my car maintenance account for such a job)
3. I wanted to see what I could accomplish myself, and
4. I wanted to save a shitload of money.
If that makes me poor, well, consider me poor with $1,100 more in my pocket!
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08-24-2016, 07:29 PM
#4
3.5 psi
iTrader: (1)
Well said humpy. I also feel like a lot of people I know haven't the slightest clue how an engine works. I'm very inquisitive by nature and love to know how things work so I love to try and do my own maintenance.
08-24-2016, 07:30 PM
#5
Senior Moderator
08-24-2016, 07:30 PM
#6
Senior Moderator
it probably won't be a surprise how this survey sways considering the people on here, all DIY, go-getters 
08-24-2016, 07:43 PM
#7
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Really interesting article. Glad I read.
The blue collar argument came as a complete surprise to me. Never thought of it like that. I wonder if hobbies like carpentry or metalworking are thought of the same way.
Always thought it was more of a confidence thing. Working on something that weighs 1.5-2 tons and cost you a half year's salary can be intimidating. And if you think about it, the consequences of goofing up the basic stuff is pretty severe. If you do an oil change and don't tighten an oil filter, or do a poor job of bleeding brakes - bad stuff happens.
I think the tinkering public knows how simple a lot of the work can be. The non-tinkering public assumes it's complicated and high-risk.
The "no time" argument also holds little water. Changing brake pads in my driveway is much quicker than driving to a shop, having brake pads changed, then driving back. And I can do them whenever I want, with whatever parts I want, knowing exactly how they were done. This isn't the case when the work is done by a shop. The same goes with 99% of part replacement jobs that I'm confident in doing.
IMO the car being worked on plays a much bigger factor than the article might suggest. When I work on something like my Accord or the Passat, cars typically not associated with "fun", the assumption I'm under the hood because I have to be, not because I want to be. This assumption is usually correct, but we'll ignore that.
When I work on my friend's loud and very red Mustang, it's different. That car is something the public considers a hobby. Tinkering with that is done for fun.
When was the last time you saw a rom-com where the male love interest changes the oil in his Civic?
The blue collar argument came as a complete surprise to me. Never thought of it like that. I wonder if hobbies like carpentry or metalworking are thought of the same way.
Always thought it was more of a confidence thing. Working on something that weighs 1.5-2 tons and cost you a half year's salary can be intimidating. And if you think about it, the consequences of goofing up the basic stuff is pretty severe. If you do an oil change and don't tighten an oil filter, or do a poor job of bleeding brakes - bad stuff happens.
I think the tinkering public knows how simple a lot of the work can be. The non-tinkering public assumes it's complicated and high-risk.
The "no time" argument also holds little water. Changing brake pads in my driveway is much quicker than driving to a shop, having brake pads changed, then driving back. And I can do them whenever I want, with whatever parts I want, knowing exactly how they were done. This isn't the case when the work is done by a shop. The same goes with 99% of part replacement jobs that I'm confident in doing.
IMO the car being worked on plays a much bigger factor than the article might suggest. When I work on something like my Accord or the Passat, cars typically not associated with "fun", the assumption I'm under the hood because I have to be, not because I want to be. This assumption is usually correct, but we'll ignore that.
When I work on my friend's loud and very red Mustang, it's different. That car is something the public considers a hobby. Tinkering with that is done for fun.
When was the last time you saw a rom-com where the male love interest changes the oil in his Civic?
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08-24-2016, 08:05 PM
#9
Trolling Canuckistan
I think "blue collar" is a mentality when it comes to cars and is unlike what it means in terms of employment. Take Jay Leno for example, the guy has more money than he knows what to do with yet he spends his free time playing with cars. Yes he does have mechanics who work for him as well but the guy gets his hands dirty on a regular basis. And fwiw, he's when talking about cars, he's usually wearing a... blue denim shirt.
Personally, I just like doing things myself when possible and since my daily driver is 16 months from being an antique, working on it is relatively straightforward. Parts availability is very good for me and the prices on the parts is humorously low. About 2 years ago I had my Serp belt tear a rib which wrapped around the fan and killed the water pump. The parts that ended up being replaced were the water pump, thermostat, fan clutch, Serp belt, and heat proportioning valve plus a gallon of antifreeze and a gallon of distilled water. The total cost of the parts was under $120.
Personally, I just like doing things myself when possible and since my daily driver is 16 months from being an antique, working on it is relatively straightforward. Parts availability is very good for me and the prices on the parts is humorously low. About 2 years ago I had my Serp belt tear a rib which wrapped around the fan and killed the water pump. The parts that ended up being replaced were the water pump, thermostat, fan clutch, Serp belt, and heat proportioning valve plus a gallon of antifreeze and a gallon of distilled water. The total cost of the parts was under $120.
08-24-2016, 08:10 PM
#10
Moderator
I've had neighbors ask me to do minor stuff on their cars, or call me to ask about odd car behavior.Had one ask me how I know how to do "this stuff" as I was replacing 2 wheel studs on my TL. With a
I told him I just look at it, take it apart & put it back together the way it was. Sums up a good bit of it, with a bit of forum/google/youtube knowledge as a guide.
08-24-2016, 08:10 PM
#11
I'm fortunate enough because I have mechanics at work that can do the job for me. So it's not worth it for me to spend $10 to change my oil, recycle it, and get dirty. I get the oil and filter I want, then pay the guy what he gets paid for his time. Or just pay him directly.
When it comes to bolt-ons and what not, I enjoy doing that, so I'll do it myself. But I don't enjoy fixing problems, especially complex ones. Nor do I have the means to do certain tasks (no hydraulic press, no advanced diagnostic scantool). Too nervous about doing a timing belt. Not going to tear apart a car to try and find the source of an electrical short, IF I can't resolve it with my google-fu. I leave the heavy lifting to the pros. And I'm lucky to know some of them on a personal level.
When it comes to bolt-ons and what not, I enjoy doing that, so I'll do it myself. But I don't enjoy fixing problems, especially complex ones. Nor do I have the means to do certain tasks (no hydraulic press, no advanced diagnostic scantool). Too nervous about doing a timing belt. Not going to tear apart a car to try and find the source of an electrical short, IF I can't resolve it with my google-fu. I leave the heavy lifting to the pros. And I'm lucky to know some of them on a personal level.
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08-24-2016, 08:45 PM
#12
Trolling Canuckistan
I've had neighbors ask me to do minor stuff on their cars, or call me to ask about odd car behavior.Had one ask me how I know how to do "this stuff" as I was replacing 2 wheel studs on my TL. With a
I told him I just look at it, take it apart & put it back together the way it was. Sums up a good bit of it, with a bit of forum/google/youtube knowledge as a guide.
08-25-2016, 01:42 AM
#13
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One other reason to work on one's own car is that an owner will likely be more careful than a tech, which is important when dealing with interior electronics and trim or dealing with things that affect cosmetics. I care if there is a squeek; a tech may not.
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08-25-2016, 07:14 AM
#14
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I definitely do the work on my car maintenance wise to save money. I am not going to say I enjoy the messs involved with changing my oil. That being said I love to tinker and would much rather work on a car than do many other things in my life. Not to mention if you install your own modifications and save that labor it either means more money to spend on better or other modifications for you car doesn't hurt either. I don't care what type of neighborhood I live in I will always work on my own cars.
08-25-2016, 07:32 AM
#15
GEEZER
I used to do all the work on my cars. Now it's just easier to pay someone to do it for me. Also, I own an Audi. I do have my own Vag.com so I can read codes and clear codes. I did however change my plugs and coil packs myself a couple of months ago..I mean it was like a 20 minute job...Timing belt and water pump coming up in 20 k more miles, If I end up not getting a new Audi this year (this one is payed for and I hate payments) that will be done at my mechanic.
08-25-2016, 07:51 AM
#16
Stage 1 Audi S5
Great article and something I used to wonder about all the time. I used to think it was trashy as well and have always lived in building that forbid you to pop your hood (seriously, security comes through twice an hour and would fine you $150 and up) but I love working on my car. I save a TON and it's relaxing and an escape from work for me. As I've gotten older, no one believes I can do simple things such as change pads and rotors, and when they find out I can, they're impressed. My gf/now wife was in shock when I told her I would do her brakes and was scared for her safety but she was happy to save hundreds so I did it. Now she tells her friends and I think every one of her friends has come up to me to say they wish their husband could fix things and that they are jealous of my wife.
I think the major thing is that I wore a nice tailored suit everyday for years and living in South Florida, people are shallow and respect that. When friends find I can wear a suit and fix pretty much anything on my car/house or theirs, they're confused but strangely impressed. I just moved into a community (non condo, scary) and put some new rotors and pads on my wife's SUV in our driveway. I was a bit worried about what the neighbors thought but a few people told me they were impressed I could work on a car and said they wish they could because it is so expensive to do so. I even got an offer to help our one neighbor work on his first get Viper, a car I see leave on the weekends and always want to get a closer look at.
That being said, if I had a "Project" car in the driveway, Boca would cite me every day, with the assistance of my neighbors and HOA.
Edit - While I can and have changed oil on a ton of cars, the mess isn't worth it to me. It is so cheap to get it changed ($20 Jiffy Lube with Coupon), not to mention having a company car with all maintenance done, that I leave it to them. I don't want to dispose of the oil either and while I watch them like a hawk, to make sure they actually change the oil, I haven't had any problems.
I think the major thing is that I wore a nice tailored suit everyday for years and living in South Florida, people are shallow and respect that. When friends find I can wear a suit and fix pretty much anything on my car/house or theirs, they're confused but strangely impressed. I just moved into a community (non condo, scary) and put some new rotors and pads on my wife's SUV in our driveway. I was a bit worried about what the neighbors thought but a few people told me they were impressed I could work on a car and said they wish they could because it is so expensive to do so. I even got an offer to help our one neighbor work on his first get Viper, a car I see leave on the weekends and always want to get a closer look at.
That being said, if I had a "Project" car in the driveway, Boca would cite me every day, with the assistance of my neighbors and HOA.
Edit - While I can and have changed oil on a ton of cars, the mess isn't worth it to me. It is so cheap to get it changed ($20 Jiffy Lube with Coupon), not to mention having a company car with all maintenance done, that I leave it to them. I don't want to dispose of the oil either and while I watch them like a hawk, to make sure they actually change the oil, I haven't had any problems.
Last edited by 1StGenCL; 08-25-2016 at 07:57 AM.
08-25-2016, 08:40 AM
#17
Senior Moderator
I could pay to have someone else do all my repair work. But the question i ask myself is why? Why pay someone to do something i can do, especially when im willing to do it. I DONT care what others may think of me doing things myself. Im fine with it. If you want to waste thousands of dollars on something to be repaired thats your money not mine, but when i can do it for the cost of parts, It just means i get to spend that much more on my family for things they want/need, surprise vacations etc.. (or myself to make my car more fun for me)
I get asked all the time where did you learn to do this or that or aren't you afraid you are going to break something?? My response is always the same. I learned to do it by sitting down, looking at it and doing it. Aren't i afraid of breaking something? well if im replacing it it usually means its already broken. so no im not. If there is something i start to struggle with that is the time i walk away from it, grab a soda/beer take some time to drink it while looking at what it is im having issues with (not working on it) and just take the time to clear the head and think of other ways of going about the issue.
The other reason i do things my self is if i do it myself i dont have to worry about is the job done right, did the actual work get done, and i also get to know what else is coming up in terms of maintenance and not have to wonder/worry about the mech that worked on my car.
I get asked all the time where did you learn to do this or that or aren't you afraid you are going to break something?? My response is always the same. I learned to do it by sitting down, looking at it and doing it. Aren't i afraid of breaking something? well if im replacing it it usually means its already broken. so no im not. If there is something i start to struggle with that is the time i walk away from it, grab a soda/beer take some time to drink it while looking at what it is im having issues with (not working on it) and just take the time to clear the head and think of other ways of going about the issue.
The other reason i do things my self is if i do it myself i dont have to worry about is the job done right, did the actual work get done, and i also get to know what else is coming up in terms of maintenance and not have to wonder/worry about the mech that worked on my car.
08-25-2016, 01:42 PM
#18
Trolling Canuckistan
Edit - While I can and have changed oil on a ton of cars, the mess isn't worth it to me. It is so cheap to get it changed ($20 Jiffy Lube with Coupon), not to mention having a company car with all maintenance done, that I leave it to them. I don't want to dispose of the oil either and while I watch them like a hawk, to make sure they actually change the oil, I haven't had any problems.
Plus at 281K and climbing I prefer to know I'm using quality oil and a quality filter, not whatever the shop gets a good deal on. But in reality, the money you save doing your own oil changes is minimal and when you factor in the time for the parts store trip it's barely worth it over paying a $10-20 premium for someone to do it for you
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08-25-2016, 01:46 PM
#19
Senior Moderator
Edit - While I can and have changed oil on a ton of cars, the mess isn't worth it to me. It is so cheap to get it changed ($20 Jiffy Lube with Coupon), not to mention having a company car with all maintenance done, that I leave it to them. I don't want to dispose of the oil either and while I watch them like a hawk, to make sure they actually change the oil, I haven't had any problems.
I wouldn't take my car to Jiffy Lube if it was a free oil change...
08-25-2016, 02:16 PM
#20
the amount of $$ I save by doing my own work is well worth it....
08-25-2016, 02:40 PM
#21
Drifting
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I'm married, with two young daughters. Hell I even have three female dogs. I do all of the meal planning/grocery shopping and cooking, a lot of the cleaning, some of the laundry. I change diapers and everything else that comes with being a daddy. I also sit behind a desk all day to ensure my family and I live comfortably.
I need something to make me feel like a man! Nothing accomplishes that more than getting greasy and sweaty while working on my car. It replenishes my manliness like nothing else can! That along with they money I'm saving, the less frequent that someone else's hands are on my baby, and the overall feeling of accomplishment when I'm done means I'll never stop doing it.
I couldn't care less about what someone else thinks when they see me or hear about me doing it. If anything it catches them off guard because I'm not your typical "weekend mechanic". I'm a clean cut CPA and I can count on one hand the number of guys I've come across in my 13 year career that work on their own cars. If anything I've always respected them more once I found that out.
It takes a certain kind of person to have the initiative to work on his/her own car. I'm glad I'm that kind of person and give zero fucks if someone looks down on me because of it.
I need something to make me feel like a man! Nothing accomplishes that more than getting greasy and sweaty while working on my car. It replenishes my manliness like nothing else can! That along with they money I'm saving, the less frequent that someone else's hands are on my baby, and the overall feeling of accomplishment when I'm done means I'll never stop doing it.
I couldn't care less about what someone else thinks when they see me or hear about me doing it. If anything it catches them off guard because I'm not your typical "weekend mechanic". I'm a clean cut CPA and I can count on one hand the number of guys I've come across in my 13 year career that work on their own cars. If anything I've always respected them more once I found that out.
It takes a certain kind of person to have the initiative to work on his/her own car. I'm glad I'm that kind of person and give zero fucks if someone looks down on me because of it.
08-25-2016, 03:43 PM
#22
Finally, one day a colleague of mine said what I think everyone else meant: working on your own car is something only blue collar, poor people do.
I was floored, but everything started to make sense.
I haven't abandoned working on my own car, even though I'm super busy and definitely white collar. I won't stop working on my car for a number of great reasons. And I think everyone should learn to do at least some things on their own vehicle. Some people I know literally have their mechanic put on new wiper blades and top off the washer fluid, because they think doing it themselves is below them.
I was floored, but everything started to make sense.
I haven't abandoned working on my own car, even though I'm super busy and definitely white collar. I won't stop working on my car for a number of great reasons. And I think everyone should learn to do at least some things on their own vehicle. Some people I know literally have their mechanic put on new wiper blades and top off the washer fluid, because they think doing it themselves is below them.
As with working on my car, if I have the ability, tools, and time to properly do things myself, I will. It saves me money and I get the satisfaction of making sure the job was done right. I also get to see if there's anything else that might need taking care of.
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KaMLuNg (08-26-2016)
08-26-2016, 09:04 AM
#23
This can extend to doing yard work or washing/detailing the car too. I can't ever recall seeing a homeowner in the surrounding nice white collar neighborhoods work on their own yards. Most have gardeners. And if their car's dirty, they take their car to the car wash or, if they know better, they hire a detailer.
As with working on my car, if I have the ability, tools, and time to properly do things myself, I will. It saves me money and I get the satisfaction of making sure the job was done right. I also get to see if there's anything else that might need taking care of.
As with working on my car, if I have the ability, tools, and time to properly do things myself, I will. It saves me money and I get the satisfaction of making sure the job was done right. I also get to see if there's anything else that might need taking care of.
i have noticed though that since i have started a family, i start to evaluate the value of my time more... i'm not a self employed person where i need to think about my opportunity cost to make income, but if i were to spend an hour changing the oil on my car and washing it afterwards... i could pay someone to do it for $40, and i could use the time to spend with my family instead... the $ saved in your pocket is paid as quality time with my family... when i was single and younger making less income, it wasn't an issue, but now that i have a family and more of a established income, my perspective has slightly changed...i still do my own oil changes but have started taking my car to get washed instead...
08-26-2016, 10:11 AM
#24
Drifting
iTrader: (1)
i have noticed though that since i have started a family, i start to evaluate the value of my time more... i'm not a self employed person where i need to think about my opportunity cost to make income, but if i were to spend an hour changing the oil on my car and washing it afterwards... i could pay someone to do it for $40, and i could use the time to spend with my family instead... the $ saved in your pocket is paid as quality time with my family... when i was single and younger making less income, it wasn't an issue, but now that i have a family and more of a established income, my perspective has slightly changed...i still do my own oil changes but have started taking my car to get washed instead...
08-26-2016, 11:23 AM
#25
Team Owner
This can extend to doing yard work or washing/detailing the car too. I can't ever recall seeing a homeowner in the surrounding nice white collar neighborhoods work on their own yards. Most have gardeners. And if their car's dirty, they take their car to the car wash or, if they know better, they hire a detailer.
As with working on my car, if I have the ability, tools, and time to properly do things myself, I will. It saves me money and I get the satisfaction of making sure the job was done right. I also get to see if there's anything else that might need taking care of.
As with working on my car, if I have the ability, tools, and time to properly do things myself, I will. It saves me money and I get the satisfaction of making sure the job was done right. I also get to see if there's anything else that might need taking care of.
I love working with wood. I love landscaping. I love working on my cars as much as I can. I don't give a fuck if I lived in a gated community full of 10M dollar homes. I will gladly open up my garage doors, tell everyone to go fuck themselves and dissassemble my car as I please.
I keep my sidewalks cleared of snow. I mow my grass. I pull any weeds. My house is kept nice and tidy. What I do in the confines of my garage, whether someone can see it or not, is none of their fucking business.
The other part I love about doing stuff myself is that I get to collect new tools. Wash my car? New pressure washer! Cut my grass? New lawn mower! Etc, etc. I'd honestly go crazy and feel like less of a man if I didn't do this kind of stuff. And having the knowledge to do it is even better. I can't believe how many people I know that are completely useless and rely on anyone and everyone else to get shit done. It's not rocket science, 90% of the time. It just takes reading on the Internet for a bit, having/buying the right tools and not being a pussy/scared to fuck something up.
I'm glad HOAs are limited to condos here. If you own a house, there's a 99.999% chance there is no HOA who's ass you have to kiss. And it might be because people have a general sense of what is acceptable wherever they live. Even in upscale neighbourhoods, as long as your shit is maintained, no one will care what you do. The only concern I can think of is noise. Keep the noise down and people just mind their own business. Maybe people are just easier going here. I dunno.
08-26-2016, 01:46 PM
#26
but i think you are right, as the years start to pass, i'll start evaluating which items on the list i still enjoy and outsource the rest... either that or ill put the kids to work!!!
i do love my toys... when i moved into this house, the lawn mower was too small so i popped for the 30" deck mower!!!
08-26-2016, 01:59 PM
#27
Suzuka Master
If I can physically do the work I will. Most of the time it's for convenience reasons. Having to get a ride back and forth between the mechanic always sucks and leaving work early isn't the easiest
08-26-2016, 04:42 PM
#28
Senior Moderator
Is this actually a thing? Not working on your own car because it looks bad? Just when I'm learning how to do all that stuff on my V and my NSX? Nuh-uh!
I do pay others to do some tasks I can't do at home, but only because I work insane hours and frequently can't get to it myself. I do what I can, when I can, however, since it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
I've taken particular pride in working on my NSX by myself, though.....I installed my own exhaust, changed out the radio myself, installed an OEM keyless system, opened up my own tails to install LEDs, removed my own front position lights for an LED conversion. I don't have a tire mount/balancer, so that had to be outsourced, and I was too intimidated by changing shocks on the NSX to do it myself. I've wrenched on my NSX more than any other car I've ever owned, and I'm proud of how my ten thumbs have done it.
Of course, I have a garage to do this stuff in......
I do pay others to do some tasks I can't do at home, but only because I work insane hours and frequently can't get to it myself. I do what I can, when I can, however, since it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
I've taken particular pride in working on my NSX by myself, though.....I installed my own exhaust, changed out the radio myself, installed an OEM keyless system, opened up my own tails to install LEDs, removed my own front position lights for an LED conversion. I don't have a tire mount/balancer, so that had to be outsourced, and I was too intimidated by changing shocks on the NSX to do it myself. I've wrenched on my NSX more than any other car I've ever owned, and I'm proud of how my ten thumbs have done it.
Of course, I have a garage to do this stuff in......
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08-26-2016, 05:21 PM
#29
Turd Polisher
iTrader: (1)
Is this actually a thing? Not working on your own car because it looks bad? Just when I'm learning how to do all that stuff on my V and my NSX? Nuh-uh!
I do pay others to do some tasks I can't do at home, but only because I work insane hours and frequently can't get to it myself. I do what I can, when I can, however, since it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
I've taken particular pride in working on my NSX by myself, though.....I installed my own exhaust, changed out the radio myself, installed an OEM keyless system, opened up my own tails to install LEDs, removed my own front position lights for an LED conversion. I don't have a tire mount/balancer, so that had to be outsourced, and I was too intimidated by changing shocks on the NSX to do it myself. I've wrenched on my NSX more than any other car I've ever owned, and I'm proud of how my ten thumbs have done it.
Of course, I have a garage to do this stuff in......
I do pay others to do some tasks I can't do at home, but only because I work insane hours and frequently can't get to it myself. I do what I can, when I can, however, since it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
I've taken particular pride in working on my NSX by myself, though.....I installed my own exhaust, changed out the radio myself, installed an OEM keyless system, opened up my own tails to install LEDs, removed my own front position lights for an LED conversion. I don't have a tire mount/balancer, so that had to be outsourced, and I was too intimidated by changing shocks on the NSX to do it myself. I've wrenched on my NSX more than any other car I've ever owned, and I'm proud of how my ten thumbs have done it.
Of course, I have a garage to do this stuff in......
I love the sense of accomplishment too.
I've noticed as the years go on, I have less and less time to work on my cars but I still do what I can when I can. With that being said, there's no shortage of information on the interewebz. It's what has taught me everything I know today.
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neuronbob (09-11-2016)
08-27-2016, 01:19 PM
#30
Team Owner
That's awesome
I love the sense of accomplishment too.
I've noticed as the years go on, I have less and less time to work on my cars but I still do what I can when I can. With that being said, there's no shortage of information on the interewebz. It's what has taught me everything I know today.
I love the sense of accomplishment too.
I've noticed as the years go on, I have less and less time to work on my cars but I still do what I can when I can. With that being said, there's no shortage of information on the interewebz. It's what has taught me everything I know today.
I kid, I kid! I agree... If I'm unsure... To the interwebz!! Check a few places because you never know if you can trust the first one, read, research, pull out the tools and try!!
08-27-2016, 03:48 PM
#31
They probably think you are broke or have too much time on your hands.
08-27-2016, 04:03 PM
#32
Team Owner
Broke, or smart?
Even if I had a few million kicking around in my bank account, I'd still be doing the simple stuff like oil changes, tire swaps, brakes, etc. because I enjoy it, I do not trust dealerships and it helps keep my accounts padded.
It's hard to make money. It's easy to burn through it. As Dr. Bob put it in the past, he works with some high earning doctors, but they're terrible at money management.
Even if I had a few million kicking around in my bank account, I'd still be doing the simple stuff like oil changes, tire swaps, brakes, etc. because I enjoy it, I do not trust dealerships and it helps keep my accounts padded.
It's hard to make money. It's easy to burn through it. As Dr. Bob put it in the past, he works with some high earning doctors, but they're terrible at money management.
08-27-2016, 04:31 PM
#33
In my opinion there is a broad line between working on your own car and making an absolute mess. I currently live in an upper-middle to upper class neighbourhood and I actually have a neigbour who has his garage setup like a commercial mechanic shop and he does tire changes, tranny swaps...etc. Driving by it you would never know that he did.
Whereas in my old neigobourhood which was mostly a middle class neighbourhood we had a neighbour 4-5 houses down who's driveway was a pig sty. All sorts of cars and car parts under tarps and exposed...etc. He was a hoarder and incredibly unhygienic.
So while I have zero problems with the former, I have many many with the latter. I think working on your car is absolutely fine, in fact I tend to gravitate towards people who do. You just need to be clean about it and respect that you don't live in the middle of nowhere. To me it is not the act of working on your car, it is how clean and organized you are doing it.
Whereas in my old neigobourhood which was mostly a middle class neighbourhood we had a neighbour 4-5 houses down who's driveway was a pig sty. All sorts of cars and car parts under tarps and exposed...etc. He was a hoarder and incredibly unhygienic.
So while I have zero problems with the former, I have many many with the latter. I think working on your car is absolutely fine, in fact I tend to gravitate towards people who do. You just need to be clean about it and respect that you don't live in the middle of nowhere. To me it is not the act of working on your car, it is how clean and organized you are doing it.
08-27-2016, 04:57 PM
#34
Even if I owned something fun to work on I doubt I would be turning a wrench on it.
08-28-2016, 06:30 PM
#35
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I love working on cars except nowadays, cars are not so easy to work on. I used to ridicule people who paid to have mechanics do simple things for their vehicles. Nowadays though, time is money and it's cheaper to have someone else do it than for me to so while they're working on my car, I'm working billing clients for calls/research/letters. I hate it but that's the way it is.
08-29-2016, 10:07 AM
#36
Pondering this question can teach you a very important life lesson. It doesn't matter what people think. Whether you work on your car or not, trying to impress the rat race people isn't a worthwhile consideration. I used to love working on my car doing basic stuff. But i am about to have my second kid, have a very demanding worklife, and a wife that has a rare talent to find things for me to do whenever i have a spare second. I learned my lesson replacing my engine air filter... I was rushing as i only had about 15 minutes and figured that should be plenty... But i rushed to torque down a screw on the box and snapped it. which turned a quick thing into a huge pain. You embrace the complications that inevitably come up when you fix stuff, but it is really hard to fit it into defined windows of time when i have to be finished
09-02-2016, 09:40 AM
#37
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Exactly.
I had to replace the radiator in the 4runner. It cost me $120 for the parts and the tow was covered by AAA. If i would have gone to the dealer or indy, it would have cost at least $5-600. I can't do a/c or alignments, but will do most everything else. If i had to pay someone to replace parts on the 911, i couldn't afford it. I have replaced fuel injectors, starter, AOS, plugs, belt, fuel line, and a bunch of other crap that i can't remember. It only cost me for the parts, but it would have been over 2k in labor. Now i did have a vacuum leak that they had to chase down and i was tired of trying to find it and that cost me a lot, but for what i saved on the other stuff, that at least offset the pain.
I had to replace the radiator in the 4runner. It cost me $120 for the parts and the tow was covered by AAA. If i would have gone to the dealer or indy, it would have cost at least $5-600. I can't do a/c or alignments, but will do most everything else. If i had to pay someone to replace parts on the 911, i couldn't afford it. I have replaced fuel injectors, starter, AOS, plugs, belt, fuel line, and a bunch of other crap that i can't remember. It only cost me for the parts, but it would have been over 2k in labor. Now i did have a vacuum leak that they had to chase down and i was tired of trying to find it and that cost me a lot, but for what i saved on the other stuff, that at least offset the pain.
I just changed the coolant, water pump, serpentine belt, and front and rear brake rotors and pads. Cost at the dealer for those things approached $1,300. I did it myself because:
1. I wanted to do it myself
2. I wanted to save a shitload of money (even though I had money saved in my car maintenance account for such a job)
3. I wanted to see what I could accomplish myself, and
4. I wanted to save a shitload of money.
If that makes me poor, well, consider me poor with $1,100 more in my pocket!
1. I wanted to do it myself
2. I wanted to save a shitload of money (even though I had money saved in my car maintenance account for such a job)
3. I wanted to see what I could accomplish myself, and
4. I wanted to save a shitload of money.
If that makes me poor, well, consider me poor with $1,100 more in my pocket!
09-02-2016, 09:41 AM
#38
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I'm getting to the age where i seem to be doing the same thing for certain things. We all seem to get too busy compared to when we were younger and it's much easier to have someone else do it.
I love working on cars except nowadays, cars are not so easy to work on. I used to ridicule people who paid to have mechanics do simple things for their vehicles. Nowadays though, time is money and it's cheaper to have someone else do it than for me to so while they're working on my car, I'm working billing clients for calls/research/letters. I hate it but that's the way it is.
09-03-2016, 07:19 PM
#39
Really interesting read. The older I get, the less I like to do the work on my cars. Oil changes, tire rotations, and basic maintenance just makes sense to do yourself. Live in a middle class neighborhood where most people still mow their own yard, and you can drive around the neighborhood and see "toys" in quite a few garages. Working on the CL, TL and my Oldsmobiles is pretty easy. The Audi we just bought may not be as straight forward. I guess when it comes down to it, I prefer to drive my cars over working on them, but if I can fix them when they break I will try. If it looks to overwhelming I will pay a professional.