Pay the labor, or do it yourself.

[tWiStEdBird]

Well just like it says. I for one, only let other people touch my car for tires, everything else I shed my own blood over. Just curious to see what you guys do.

[95fbirdkid]

I usually just pay, except for sparkplugs, oil, other fluid filling related things...

[916Topherv6]

im not the best mechanic, i can do easy things and thats it lol

[97chevycamaro]

I dont do really do anything anymore. I swapped the motor out and changed the front end about 4 months ago when i had my 87 bmw but i mostly hate working on cars, Ill just drop it somewhere and have **** done. I can do almost everything{ I went to automotive school and did a 3 year duty as a mechanic}. It took 3 years and around $25k of my money to realize i hate working on cars.

[ February 16, 2005, 06:45 AM: Message edited by: 97chevycamaro ]

[jc Kyle]

Doh!

[Johnny Ray]

I do it all myself or with help from a few friends.

:cool:

[majeskyb]

I haven't had the chance to do much on my car, but so far, the only thing I've let other people do is change my tires. Everything else is a learning experience for me, and I enjoy every moment of it

[shenanigans]

I do most stuff myself... been very tempted to take it in though on alot of things... Should change once I get a garage and driveway... Just blows doing **** in apartment complex driveways but in a garage or driveway it isn't so bad.

I mean it takes me like 30 min to swap my wheels...

1st, move my car to a spot where I have enough room to swap wheels(don't have someone next to me)
2nd go upstairs, Move some **** to get to the corner where I keep my wheels, grab 2 wheels carry two wheels down a flight of stairs walk across the parking lot put them down next to my car.
3rd, go back upstairs grab 2 more wheels out of the hard to reach corner, carry the two wheels down a flight of stairs
4th grab my jack, tire iron, wheel blocks etc...
5th take off all wheel locks, start all lugs
6th block front wheels
7th jack car up by diff, take rear wheels off put new ones on, lower jack
8th jack front of car up, swap wheels put it down
9th tighten all wheels and wheel locks down
10th take 2 wheels up a flight of stairs put them in hard to reach corner of room, go back downstairs
11th take 2 more wheels up a flight of stairs and put them in the hard to reach corner of the room go back downstairs
12th pick up the rest of the tools, and bring them up a flight of stairs.


The actual swapping of wheels takes like 5 min. If I did it in a garage, coudl likely have it doen in less then 10 min.

[arthansen]

I do all the work myself. The only thing I did not do was P&P the intake. I sent it off to have that done. The main reason I am doing this is to have fun doing the work myself. There is a certain amount of satisfaction in doing the work yourself and seeing the results. If all I wanted was a fast car, I would go buy one (my wife drives a 2003 C5 Vette).

[RancidCamaro]

I like to do some stuff myself, some other stuff I don't like...

I installed my new springs & shocks...
But I had a shop install my headers/cat...
I change my engine oil/gear oil/coolant/oil filter/air filter/fuel filter...
But I had a shop change my auto tranny fluid...

So certain things I do myself, certain things I'll have the shop do.

[97chevycamaro]

Originally posted by arthansen:
If all I wanted was a fast car, I would go buy one (my wife drives a 2003 C5 Vette).

I was gonna say "dont you feel odd with your wife driving a better car then you" but i relaized that up until we started to conserve i was driving a v6 camaro and my wife was driving a lexus

[MTMike]

Depends on what the problem is, how busy I am and what time of year it is.

I was a complete idiot and bought a house without a garage, so whether or not I do the work is weather dependant :(

Example - The rear brakes on the Dodge needed replaced, but I couldn't do it because it was -15degrees and we needed it done right now since it was our only drivable vehicle.

Example 2 - when it warms up this spring, I will be doing a ton of work to my '81 (suspension, crossover steering, etc), myself in my stupid gravel driveway. (What was I thinking!?!??!)

Example 3 - I won't touch an auto trans

Example 4 - When the dodge needed a new engine, I paid a buddy to help pull it and replace it instead of taking it to a shop

-Mike

[99v6cam]

I do it unless there is absolutly no possible way for me to do it.