Just about scratched that itch

[Butcher]

All of my life i have done most of my own wrenching on cars and trucks that I have owned. As time went by and vehicles got more and more complicated (badly engineered) I slowly realized that it was almost cheaper to take  my junk to a compitant mechanic that I trust to diagnose and fix the problem. Well, yesterday I did an oil change on my truck. 7 quarts of Northland 10w30, a good Wix filter cost me $50 at the parts store with my company discount. As I was laying on the gravel floor of my shed daining the oil and then struggling to get back to my feet it dawned on me that the guy who does the other mechanical work on my stuff will do the same oil change useing the same stuff for...$50! Plus while he has it on the hoist he will look it over to inform me of anything that may need future attention. At work I do all my own service work on the equipment that I operate but that is a totally differant enviroment to do it in plus I am getting paid to do so. The DIY spirit in me is slowly dying I think.

[RedDave]

I know exactly where you are coming from.  I too used to do as much of my own service work as I could.  Over the years I did oil changes, exhaust work, brakes, carburetors, ball joints, replaced radiators & water pumps, batteries, points & plugs, you name it and I'd at least try to do it myself.  But I'm getting too old to crawl around on a creeper underneath a vehicle.

Until about ten years ago.  We found a young guy who is a good mechanic, understands the way these newer vehicles with electronics work and he is honest.  He was in The Boy Scouts with our son and I noticed that he was a good kid.  Later, when I found out that he was wrenching for a local garage we used sometimes, I was glad to see it.  After a few years working for somebody else, he went out on his own and I followed him.

I know enough about vehicles to know when somebody is blowing smoke up my ass, and this guy has never tried that.  To me, that's just as important as being knowledgeable.

I do still do the service and repair work on my antique Farmall and Cub Cadets, but all the licensed stuff goes to him for nearly everything.  Unless it a very quick, simple job, I send it to him.

[billinohio]

As long as you trust that mechanic to do it right.
A local guy sent his wife in to a quickly oil change place.
She came back with the same oil filter on it, had his mileage scribbling on it. He got fairly unpleasant about it!

My wife takes the Honda in to the dealership. The “mechanic” makes a video of everything in his “ service & inspection” he shows us a rather filthy air filter and recommends changing it next time. I go out and take a look at our real air filter, it ain’t bad and it is obviously NOT the same size as the one in his video. I got unpleasant and offered to call the fraud guy on the local news.

The main thing I would worry about is getting cheap oil when you are paying for synthetic.

A guy that used to live out here told about working in a gas station, they put the cheap tune up parts in the good name brand boxes and charged for the good stuff, and saved the box for the next customer

[f2036]

A couple of months ago I had my Subuaru Outback serviced at a place that specializes in foreign cars. It was 88.00 for everything. I did'nt think it was to bad since the last time it was serviced was over two years ago. I don't drive it very often, and the miles finally added up enough to get the oil changed.
My oldest son is into the self service thing and changes the oil/filter etc. in my pickups if I buy the fixins to get it done.
Mowers, tractors I still do myself, it seems like I can't even walk through the shop without getting dirty or greasey.

[sandbur]

Mar 17, 2024 10:44:20 GMT -6 billinohio said:

As long as you trust that mechanic to do it right.
A local guy sent his wife in to a quickly oil change place.
She came back with the same oil filter on it, had his mileage scribbling on it. He got fairly unpleasant about it!

My wife takes the Honda in to the dealership. The “mechanic” makes a video of everything in his “ service & inspection” he shows us a rather filthy air filter and recommends changing it next time. I go out and take a look at our real air filter, it ain’t bad and it is obviously NOT the same size as the one in his video. I got unpleasant and offered to call the fraud guy on the local news.

The main thing I would worry about is getting cheap oil when you are paying for synthetic.

A guy that used to live out here told about working in a gas station, they put the cheap tune up parts in the good name brand boxes and charged for the good stuff, and saved the box for the next customer

I don't trust those quick lube joints. They are crooks to say the least. I took a truck to one years ago, when I didn't have time to do it myself. They changed the oil alright, also told me the rear-end needed changed. I let them do it, well in just a few miles the rear-end went out. Wrong oil and no friction modifier...never again!

[504]

I change the pickups myself,Robins car I buy the oil and filter, and the local shop charges her 30.00 and they come and get it and bring it back.