View Poll Results: Work on your own car?
Work? On my own car? I have a checkbook for that.
11
6.25%
I will change my tires, oil ect., but not much more.
24
13.64%
I do oil changes, bolt ons, timing belts, ect, but no major engine work.
93
52.84%
Will do everything from oil changes to engine rebuilds, no tuning.
21
11.93%
I do it all, I aint no checkbook racer!
27
15.34%
Voters: 176. You may not vote on this poll
Evolution Owners: Who Does Their Own Work?
That is exactly what made me start doing ALL of my own work, bad experiance with "professional mechanics" ****ing things all to hell.
Short story: Was always somewhat mechanicly inclined, and my father is a mechanic. When I was 14-15, I got my first "project car", and a car I would eventualy learn to drive on, a 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with a tired old 305cid v8 engine. As things would break on it, I learned how to do basic stuff: do a tune up, rebuild a carburetor, change the fuel pump, ect. But the big stuff (transmission work, engine rebuilds, ect) would eventualy be left up to a reputable repair shop.
The transmission eventualy started pouring fluid out the front seal, and required an R&R of the trans to replace. I took it to a local shop, and they supposedly pulled the transmission, replaced the front and rear seal, seal on the speedo cable, and pan gasket and filter. The car sat for a while after, and about a month later, I came out to where it was in the garage to find a lake of trans fluid under the car. I jacked the car up to take a peak, and looked at the trans. It was still just as grimey and oily as before I brought it to them, and they had not replaced any of the seals, just put silicone around everything. I returned to the shop, and the manager basicly told me to **** off. This was when I was around 16-17. From that day on, I vowed never to take my car to a shop again. My belief of shops being a bunch of no-good rip off scumbags would later be further instilled in me after working at numerous dealerships and a performance shop.
Looking at the poll, it looks like more than half of the voters do SOME type of work on their car! Right on, I must admit, was more than I thought there would be! Keep the votes coming in!
Short story: Was always somewhat mechanicly inclined, and my father is a mechanic. When I was 14-15, I got my first "project car", and a car I would eventualy learn to drive on, a 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with a tired old 305cid v8 engine. As things would break on it, I learned how to do basic stuff: do a tune up, rebuild a carburetor, change the fuel pump, ect. But the big stuff (transmission work, engine rebuilds, ect) would eventualy be left up to a reputable repair shop.
The transmission eventualy started pouring fluid out the front seal, and required an R&R of the trans to replace. I took it to a local shop, and they supposedly pulled the transmission, replaced the front and rear seal, seal on the speedo cable, and pan gasket and filter. The car sat for a while after, and about a month later, I came out to where it was in the garage to find a lake of trans fluid under the car. I jacked the car up to take a peak, and looked at the trans. It was still just as grimey and oily as before I brought it to them, and they had not replaced any of the seals, just put silicone around everything. I returned to the shop, and the manager basicly told me to **** off. This was when I was around 16-17. From that day on, I vowed never to take my car to a shop again. My belief of shops being a bunch of no-good rip off scumbags would later be further instilled in me after working at numerous dealerships and a performance shop.
Looking at the poll, it looks like more than half of the voters do SOME type of work on their car! Right on, I must admit, was more than I thought there would be! Keep the votes coming in!
I used to be the same way when I had my hands on a "classic" with a sr20det swap that I had done from a local performance shop and a GVR-4 respectively. Things would used to break on the cars (normal wear and tear type of stuff) and I would take it to a shop because my father wouldn't want me tearing apart a car in his garage. When I did get the cars back they would 9/10 be something wrong and the car would be half assed. This is when I figured out that these shops would just be in it for the almighty buck and I started doing maintenance/mods to my own vehicles and have been doing so for the past 6 or so years. If something is outta my reach mechanically wise I'll go to a buddys house and we'll work it out together so I can learn how to do it for the next time. I'm right up there on the list as far as the people who cannot perform internal motor work. There is that sense of pride (I have to admit) that comes with doing your own work....to those who dont, it doesn't matter...it's for the love of the evo, lancer, and the RA is what it's all about.
^ you guys basically broke down what I was thinking but didn't write.
More reasons:
1- I have more incentive to make sure the work is done carefully and correctly on my car than they do
2- they charge WAY more per hour of labor than I make per hour, so why would I work 3 hours to pay them for one hour of labor that 90% of the time I can do better myself
3- it's fun, relaxing, and rewarding for me.
4- I cannot stand the idea of not knowing or at least being able to realistically imagine what is going on with my car as much as possible. I talk to some hardcore gearheads and when I don't know WTF they are talking about I feel stupid and don't like feeling stupid.
4- read stories below...
I had a friend who bought a used STi from a local dealer that would fall on its face above 4300RPM. I rode in it for 5 minutes and was able to immediately determine that it had a simple boost leak, and told my friend this, who told them, but they didn't listen, saying "these high-performance turbo engines are a lot more complicated than that."
The DEALER then spent FIVE WEEKS swapping plugs, checking cam timing, replacing the fuel pump, etc., ALL UNDER WARRANTY (i.e. not even to make money off him! They were just wildly stabbing in the dark because they didn't know any better!) they eventually GAVE UP and outsourced another dealer to try to fix the problem, who eventually figured out... it was a boost leak.
Another occasion my ex GF had a new Celica that had its oil changed under warranty. The headlight bulb died and I opened the hood to replace it, to find that they had left the oil cap off. She was car-illiterate girl and had never opened the hood, so she had been driving it like that for about 2300miles in the winter. there was oil ALL OVER the engine and under the hood. The only ones who had touched the car were Toyota Certified Techs at the dealership.
Half the time when I meet local mechanics, including some dealer techs, they are either disgruntled grumpy old guys who are stuck in the carb. days and don't like or understand newer cars and don't care about learning about them, or pimple-faced ricers who somehow snuck in the back door and don't know squat. I don't claim to know much at all, but I do know a few things:
More reasons:
1- I have more incentive to make sure the work is done carefully and correctly on my car than they do
2- they charge WAY more per hour of labor than I make per hour, so why would I work 3 hours to pay them for one hour of labor that 90% of the time I can do better myself
3- it's fun, relaxing, and rewarding for me.
4- I cannot stand the idea of not knowing or at least being able to realistically imagine what is going on with my car as much as possible. I talk to some hardcore gearheads and when I don't know WTF they are talking about I feel stupid and don't like feeling stupid.
4- read stories below...
I had a friend who bought a used STi from a local dealer that would fall on its face above 4300RPM. I rode in it for 5 minutes and was able to immediately determine that it had a simple boost leak, and told my friend this, who told them, but they didn't listen, saying "these high-performance turbo engines are a lot more complicated than that."
The DEALER then spent FIVE WEEKS swapping plugs, checking cam timing, replacing the fuel pump, etc., ALL UNDER WARRANTY (i.e. not even to make money off him! They were just wildly stabbing in the dark because they didn't know any better!) they eventually GAVE UP and outsourced another dealer to try to fix the problem, who eventually figured out... it was a boost leak.
Another occasion my ex GF had a new Celica that had its oil changed under warranty. The headlight bulb died and I opened the hood to replace it, to find that they had left the oil cap off. She was car-illiterate girl and had never opened the hood, so she had been driving it like that for about 2300miles in the winter. there was oil ALL OVER the engine and under the hood. The only ones who had touched the car were Toyota Certified Techs at the dealership.
Half the time when I meet local mechanics, including some dealer techs, they are either disgruntled grumpy old guys who are stuck in the carb. days and don't like or understand newer cars and don't care about learning about them, or pimple-faced ricers who somehow snuck in the back door and don't know squat. I don't claim to know much at all, but I do know a few things:
i've done everything on my car except for replace the timing belt. im 19 1/2 years old and this is my first car that i've ever worked on. i've installed everything from my cams to a viper 719xv two way alarm system w/ remote start. i just finished replacing my clutch last week on jack stands. i pretty much did everything myself, but my buddy came over to help me put the tranny back in the car because that this was heavy!
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 356
Likes: 2
From: Actionville, FL
Sorry, wording is off. Changing tires meaning, "rotating tires/and or swapping wheels or tires/changing flat tire". Not the act of removing a tire from a wheel and or replacing it.
^^Tire irons, but that's old school.
I hate changing my own tires as I don't do it often enough to be proficient at it. Especially when setting the Hunter, my nose is always in the manual.
I prefer to do all the work myself or with my buddies. Will even fabricate custom parts for one off things. My buddy and I did a pretty trick license plate bracket that involves no drilling into the bumper.
This is my first mitsubishi to work on, but have done the small stuff: Cams, O2 housing, exhaust, TB, Intake manifold port match, springs, etc.
Most of my experience is with Subarus. Done everything short of building a longblock.
I hate changing my own tires as I don't do it often enough to be proficient at it. Especially when setting the Hunter, my nose is always in the manual.
I prefer to do all the work myself or with my buddies. Will even fabricate custom parts for one off things. My buddy and I did a pretty trick license plate bracket that involves no drilling into the bumper.
This is my first mitsubishi to work on, but have done the small stuff: Cams, O2 housing, exhaust, TB, Intake manifold port match, springs, etc.
Most of my experience is with Subarus. Done everything short of building a longblock.
Evolving Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Bronx / coram
i did everything on my civic except for a tune & machine work other then that i try to find time on the evo i think i'm going to do everythin except the tune i got some for that even though i have to drive 2 hours to get it tune lol
I do oil changes, bolt ons, timing belts, ect, but no major engine work.
BUT....I didn't do my timing belt....I did most of my bolt ons (not my stage 1+ kit), underhood shifter bushings, engine dampener, brake pads & rotors & stainless steel brake lines, converted interior lights to amber-climate control, cigarette lighter, ashtray light. I used to do everything on my '66 mustang but I've since enjoyed paying others to do clutches, tuning, suspension installs, etc.....
I am still proud of my efforts and install what I feel I am capable of tackling. If I need to, I can always count on a buddy of mine who used to be a mechanic at Quality Tune-Up to bust out his air tools and expertise to help me with whatever I need....that's what friends are for!
BUT....I didn't do my timing belt....I did most of my bolt ons (not my stage 1+ kit), underhood shifter bushings, engine dampener, brake pads & rotors & stainless steel brake lines, converted interior lights to amber-climate control, cigarette lighter, ashtray light. I used to do everything on my '66 mustang but I've since enjoyed paying others to do clutches, tuning, suspension installs, etc.....
I am still proud of my efforts and install what I feel I am capable of tackling. If I need to, I can always count on a buddy of mine who used to be a mechanic at Quality Tune-Up to bust out his air tools and expertise to help me with whatever I need....that's what friends are for!
Did oil change this past weekend, and the weekend before I put on the TBE, MBC, and IX BOV. Next week it will be the front mount lower pipe upper pipe and mini battery. Working on your own car gives you the satisfaction of knowing it was done right and if for some reason anything does go wrong its not like you cant jump on evom and get the problem resolved.
-Ryan
-Ryan
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