Who on here is mechanically inclined and to what extent do you work on your own vehicles?

Not me at all. I can change oil and tires and that is about it.

I can do quite a bit but usually have someone else do it cause not enough time in my day. I used to change the oil and rotate the tires on my own cars. Once I figured out that I can take it to jiffy lube and they are cheaper then I can buy the oil and oil filter for it was a no brainer.

Manual labor is for peasants

Agree with mcburg, from a time perspective it is cheaper to have grease monkey, jiffy lube or whatever business deal with the cars. Heck, for $45 that is cheaper than parking at some places. Many (way too many) years ago I'd change the oil, but haven't recently.

There isn't a part on a car I haven't at some point replaced. I even repainted one that turned out pretty damn good for a first shot.

Some stuff I will farm out like having a local shop press in ball joints or control arm bushings (I just take them the control arm), but otherwise I do all suspension/engine work myself and then just take them the car to align it when I'm done.

I was rebuilding a Trans Am a few years ago and rebuilt the rear end and turbo charger, but took all the disassembled painted pieces to a shop so that they could put them back together. For stuff with strict tolerances (pinion gear) even though I know in theory how to do it I would rather someone who does it every day do it so that I don't get a car back together and find I screwed something up and it all has to come apart again.

In the age of youtube, just having all the tools on hand needed to do a job is the worst part. Once your past that part you can find a video on almost anything that will walk you through how to do it.

I have a blown head gasket on my car now I am trying to mentally gear myself up to fix because the thought of dropping $1,000+ on repairs for something that shouldn't take more than about $200 in parts is enough to motivate me to do it myself.

mcburg93;1655037 wrote:I can do quite a bit but usually have someone else do it cause not enough time in my day. I used to change the oil and rotate the tires on my own cars. Once I figured out that I can take it to jiffy lube and they are cheaper then I can buy the oil and oil filter for it was a no brainer.

Totally agree with this. I will fix big stuff, but rotating tires and oil changes are for the birds given how cheap it is to have done anymore.

IggyPride00;1655045 wrote:There isn't a part on a car I haven't at some point replaced. I even repainted one that turned out pretty damn good for a first shot.

Some stuff I will farm out like having a local shop press in ball joints or control arm bushings (I just take them the control arm), but otherwise I do all suspension/engine work myself and then just take them the car to align it when I'm done.

I was rebuilding a Trans Am a few years ago and rebuilt the rear end and turbo charger, but took all the disassembled painted pieces to a shop so that they could put them back together. For stuff with strict tolerances (pinion gear) even though I know in theory how to do it I would rather someone who does it every day do it so that I don't get a car back together and find I screwed something up and it all has to come apart again.

In the age of youtube, just having all the tools on hand needed to do a job is the worst part. Once your past that part you can find a video on almost anything that will walk you through how to do it.

I have a blown head gasket on my car now I am trying to mentally gear myself up to fix because the thought of dropping $1,000+ on repairs for something that shouldn't take more than about $200 in parts is enough to motivate me to do it myself.

I am not mechanically inclined. For example, I don't know what most of the parts you refer to are.

In my day I built engines, hot rods and even few trucks and tractors. Built and restored three houses, took on the challenge with another guy to complete a air dome building. I don't do well with electrical but plumbing, wood working and construction I can handle. If I can take it apart I can put it back together.
I now fix the minor things around the house and with the velicles when possible, but for convenience I have it done to save time.

I've only paid for my vehicle to be worked on once in my life, and I was forced to due to circumstances.

I'm not. I figure there are lots of things I do well, but working on cars just isn't one of them.

Very. My dad is very mechanically inclined and he tought me everything. He used to make me work with him on cars when I was younger. I hated it at the time, but I'm very appreciative now. It's definitely something I'll make my son do too. The problem is how complex cars and engines have gotten. The basics of a combustion engine is still the same, there's just a ton more electronics now.

fan_from_texas;1655074 wrote:I'm not. I figure there are lots of things I do well, but working on cars just isn't one of them.

OMG where have you been? PM me.

ZWICK 4 PREZ;1655076 wrote:Very. My dad is very mechanically inclined and he tought me everything. He used to make me work with him on cars when I was younger. I hated it at the time, but I'm very appreciative now. It's definitely something I'll make my son do too. The problem is how complex cars and engines have gotten. The basics of a combustion engine is still the same, there's just a ton more electronics now.

start with a go-cart

ZWICK 4 PREZ;1655076 wrote: The problem is how complex cars and engines have gotten. The basics of a combustion engine is still the same, there's just a ton more electronics now.

This. I helped (admit mostly watched) replace a Chevy v8 in my pick-up when in high school. Old cars when they only had a dozen or so wires and some vacuum lines under the hood were not nearly as difficult as today's cars where everything is controlled by a computer.

I'm a little mechanically inclined but severely uninclined as for the necessary tools.

Belly35;1655095 wrote:start with a go-cart

imo - Easiest to learn on a 2-stroke.

Manhattan Buckeye;1655077 wrote:OMG where have you been? PM me.

Lol *****

Used to change my own oil, but I don't anymore.

I'm a mechanical engineer so that makes me very mechanically inclined. However I only change and rotate the tires. Hope this helps.

I'm not completely worthless with a wrench. I learned a lot as a kid from my uncle (mechanic) and grandpa (farmer), and continue to learn from my mom's boyfriend (mechanic). I figure one day I'll have my own farm so I should probably know how to at least do some basic maintenance and fix minor things.

bigdaddy2003;1655029 wrote:Who on here is mechanically inclined and to what extent do you work on your own vehicles?

About the 'toughest' thing I will do is brakes. Place across the street does my oil changes for 20 bucks while I am at work so that basically is easier than doing it myself although I have done it before. Rotate tires and the basic stuff I will do.
Have changed an alternator once and it wasnt too difficult but it depends where it is located. My step daughter brought her car to a place and they told her she needed a new one so I was gonna do it. Looked around and fuck it was gonna be tough so I just changed the battery and that is all it needed. It was one of those batteries where you have to get at it behind the wheelwell. Was pissed the guy at autozone, bad mistake asking those slugs, what was wrong it it.

I've pretty much done everything you can to a car. I won't touch my Charger. She goes to my mechanic for everything. I'll do just about all the work on my truck if I have time.

I will do all my own work, assuming I have the tools to do it. If I don't, I pay someone to do it. I will do oil changes, brakes, wheel bearings, ball joints, minor engine work, alternators, water pumps, etc.