Who takes their car to a mechanic?

[Barry Donovan]

I lost total use of my right arm from 01-03. When I got out of the hospital the only running vehicle I had was a 5spd Beretta. I taped a plastic cup to my hand & learned to shift with my shoulder, the only part or my right arm that even remotely worked.

From 01-03 I rebuilt & installed a motor & trans in my Blazer, rebuilt the front suspension on my Beretta & performed various other mechanical jobs. My friends & family thought I was crazy for doing such things with one arm. I couldn't afford to have my cars fixed on work comp wages so I never took anything to a shop, even in the terrible condition I was in. I got by, nothing held me back, except myself...sometimes..

that is a good motivation. I know many healthy that do nothing. ..and then there is the brain comprehension, if health was good. I have that in my family. Work horse, don't think. The reward is never known, and no one can give it, if to take on the car oneself. Mechanics do not know exacts. they got a book, an hourly rate, or whatever.

I am giddy over buying one more new tire, and just scratching my head...no more chores on mission impossible.. play with a camber setting, normal stuff. Two weeks in a normal place with a small group, versus my slow 6 years. There is drawbacks to no checkbook.. I like waiting for steel anyway. it needs years.

[Gary 351C]

If I have the know-how, the tools and the time I'll do it myself, otherwise I'll take it in.

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

I tend to at least try to fix them even if I don't have the tool as that means tool time

I have a 200r4 here and a rebuildkit/shift kit, I don't have the special tools need to rebuild this, but with research and other peoples post/u tube vid's and imagination, all the special tools needed can be made from normal things around a shop or from scrap. in this case there is no rush, it's not needed now, if it was it get farmed out..
most times it comes down to , if the vehicle can't be down any lenth of time. If I didn't have the fiero, the c-10 would get nothing done as I'd be driving it daily. and chancing my skill of an automatic rebuild and the truck being out of service for days wouldn't be an option.. so it get farmed out or never changed until the th350 died..
a daily's need to be drivable and the toy's need can be the difference on bigger jobs for most.. the need to use it dicktates if you do it or it gets farmed out to get it back in use..
tho. sometimes even big jobs you can finish before a shop can even get it in.. they are booked solid..

[Beagle]

Where's the option for "Shove busted shit into field and buy new POS" ?

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

Where's the option for "Shove busted shit into field and buy new POS" ?

that's only available for ford owners

[Beagle]

that's only available for ford owners

That's right. The Chevy owners get notified by the landlord that it's been towed.

[blevinsracing]

My girlfriend takes hers to a mechanic..... ME!!! Being a 2 ton and larger mechanic all day makes me really not want to work on my own stuff. Theres two reasons I do though, one I can't afford to take it somewhere, and two is the lack of trust for shops in my area. My home town and the town I work neither have a dodge dealership. I'm lucky though cause I have a scan tool plus my shop has lots of dio stuff I can use whenever I need.
Just awhile back I had a ac compressor lock up on my cummins. A local shop wanted 6 hours labor at $75 an hour to change it, drier, hard lines containing the orfice tube, flush the system, and recharge. I did it all in a little less than three. Plus instead of paying a 25% mark up on parts, I got them at cost. These days gotta save where I can

[SpiderGearsMan]

we have DOUBLE list on parts for service dept customers

[mrocketscience]

Sometimes there are jobs that I just don't want to do. If it involves a transmission, it definitley goes out to somebody else.

[STINEY]

we have DOUBLE list on parts for service dept customers

And dealerships wonder why they have bad reputations. Highway robbery.

[SpiderGearsMan]

after 125 an hour ....we can't sell shit for pay work
somebody has to subsidize the floor plan

[SpiderGearsMan]

Back in the day ..when we had the mom and pop stores vs the highway stores ..the good techs stuck to mom and pops and moved around at will ...Now General Moosemotors has closed ALL of the mom and pops ...so life is a giant shit sandwich now

[Jimbo17]

I am over 65 and have big problems with arthritis so for me the day's of fixing my own truck and car are over except for the small repairs.

I have a friend who does most of the big jobs for me.

I miss doing the work buy just thinking about makes my hands hurt now.

Jimbo