If You Have The Ability- Do Most Car Mechanical Work Yourself

Amen.

Nobody is driving older vehicles to have to work on them, although I agree with your sentiment

Everybody has that 1k month note.....

What your previous username?

I do maintenance and minor repairs myself. Major stuff I don't ,because I don't have the garage setup and the tools so it then becomes a bigger hassle than it is worth. The one thing I miss about the military is they had auto repair garages with lifts and all the tools you could rent out and do pretty much anything you needed too. If you have access to a shop like that than it is worth it to do major repairs if you have the know how of course. The biggest thing I did recently was change an alternator with the belt ,but that about the biggest I will do.

A few things I’ve done DIY, most of them on multiple makes and models from domestic to Japanese. Trucks and cars. I don’t think there were any European cars:

Changed oil hundreds of times. Recycled oil at various shops and a city recycling center. Difficulty 3/10

Many bulb/fuse replacements, fluid refill. 2/10

Replace brake pads multiple times. Sometimes required rotor resurfacing done by local shop. 6/10

Replace drive shaft (Ford Ranger). 7/10

Replace drive belt. Tensioner pulley sometimes also needed replacing. 6/10

Replace headlight housing due to crack. 5/10

Replace alternator, starter motor, water pump, power steering pump on several cars. 7/10

Replace spark plugs and coils. 5/10

Replace valve cover gaskets. 7/10

Flush heater core. 6/10

Replace power window and power lock actuator. 8/10

Replaced fuel pump in 2 vehicles, Ford Ranger and Ford Windstar minivan. Yes, I eventually moved up to better cars, lol. Jacked up vehicle and placed on jack stands. Detached and lowered fuel tank with a floor jack. Pump is accessed from top of tank. Learned later I could have lifted the truck bed with help instead of removing the fuel tank. All done solo. 9/10

Replace entire AC system from compressor to O rings to condenser, evaporator, to expansion valve. (Acura TSX). Refrigerant done at local shop. Labor intensive throughout but primarily due to accessing the expansion valve in the firewall. Had to take out the glove box and parts of the dash and blower fan housing. Helps to be in good shape and a contortionist. An absolute bitch. 9.5/10

Probably a few things I’m forgetting.

Many times I was a younger husband and father and wanted/needed to save money. I have a bad rotator cuff and am fighting cancer and probably wouldn’t tackle all of the more difficult ones now.

I learned a lot from my older brother growing up but 90% of this was done solo and OTJ training, trial and error. Also, quite a bit was done with a Haynes manual purchased at Auto Zone long before there were YouTube videos.

There’s something satisfying and frankly manly about being able to work on your own shite. More men need to do it.

ETA: Remembered a few more crazy things I took on.

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Haynes manual

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I have gotten a couple cars running that had been sitting with this method. Also used it to determine when to let a shop do the work. When the first steps to change a leaky gasket is removed intake system, remove fuel system, remove intake manifold, it's going to a shop if it's my daily driver. Dumb project car? It's getting torn down at home.

I find it really easy. The hard part is troubleshooting. But now with the internet, that’s easy too. Get parts, etc.

All I have are basic hand tools. No lift. No air tools.

Start with the basics like oil changes, belt changes and work from there. All cars are basically the same so the skills transfer from car to car (not EV though)

I don’t mess with internals of transmissions. That’s really a skill best left to someone with experience.

Or get something really really reliable.

I do think the industry has gone way overboard with the electronics and computer chips. It’s ridiculous. Make basic cars and they would sell like crazy IMO.

Having a master mechanic buddy with ALL the tools and know how who doesn't mind at all helps a lot. Not at all why we are good friends, but admittedly a great fringe benefit.

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If you drive a 2025 BMW good luck with major repairs.

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Those engine parts are so tightly packed, there’s no telling how many need to be removed just to get to that one part that needs to be replaced.

I put a new engine in my son's car using a tractor as an engine hoist. Had I not his car would have been scrapped, instead it's been going strong for 4 years with a 900 dollar ebay engine lol