Do you do your own maintenance?

[e30onBBSs]

I'm set on waiting and testing and learning everything until I figure out the problem unless it's like broken valves or something where a machine shop needs to be involved. With the bentely + R3V + google + youtube the knowledge is out there ready to be used. My parents are chill and let my car sit in the driveway, and all I need to do is work and make money for tools/ parts to diagnose and test and repair

[Vincent Brick]

I do everything myself unless it requires large tools I can't justify owning, which is more often than it used to be since moving to California means no longer being able to afford a garage, and thus having to leave 90% of my tools with my Pops in Ohio. I used to buy bigger tools when I needed them, but no longer have a place to keep them. Fortunately my roommate is a tech at an indie BMW shop so big jobs get done there with his assistance, the owner is cool and I can use a lift when I need it, and I have a lift and tools at my job as well. Until meeting this roommate, no one had touched my cars in over a decade except for paint/body and alignment, but him, I trust him more with my shit than myself. It was really strange that first time he jumped in and started changing my oil, like, no one changes my oil but me wtf. lol

[UlrichFennec]

I'm set on waiting and testing and learning everything until I figure out the problem unless it's like broken valves or something where a machine shop needs to be involved. With the bentely + R3V + google + youtube the knowledge is out there ready to be used. My parents are chill and let my car sit in the driveway, and all I need to do is work and make money for tools/ parts to diagnose and test and repair

I actually downloaded a Bentley Manual recently. I just fixed the standing water problem in my rear passenger footwell. My elephant trunk was filled with all sorts of crap, and now I don't have to worry about wet floorboards anymore! Saved her from rust before it happened.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I dont care whats getting done I will never let a shop touch my car i just dont like the fact of other people fixing my shit

[ccsdo5]

I do pretty much everything myself as of right now. But I enjoy doing it since I like knowing how things work and putting stuff together and apart. I do read a lot on the stuff I don't know, and in the rough 3-4 years of me learning about cars and messing with my truck, and e30's I've gotten pretty knowledgeable, there's no alternative to experience in my eyes. But I'm sure when I can afford it when I get older I'll be bringing my cars to shops to do some of the bigger jobs I don't want to do. But I'm only 20 so that'll be a long time from now lol

[hippiester]

I do my own work for peace of mind. I on't really trust shops since ive heard/read about so many horror stories. Some jobs are more intimidating, but everything ivd done with the help of reading r3v and googling.

Owning a car with such a great fanbase is pretty amazing

Thanks r3v

[rturbo 930]

I do my own work because I am poor, and also because I don't trust a shop to do the job properly. If I could afford to pay a shop, and also know that they would do the work to my standards, I would never work on my car again.

[Reichart12]

Just swapped my engine over the course of a couple weeks out from my townhouse. Had a shop do the machining and putting the bottom end in and head parts together but I bolted everything together from there. Learning as I go is half the fun.

[UlrichFennec]

It's a good thing I joined this forum then. The general consensus works by themselves. I still have a long way to go and plenty of things to learn from you guys. Y'all kick ass!

[ELVA164]

Jiffy Lube? Really?



Also,

Took it to a local shop run by an old guy who specialized in British cars. I needed the side draft Weber DCOE tuned. After sitting in his shop for almost a week, he gave it back to me after doing nothing because he couldn't figure it out.

That guy should be embarrassed. At least it ended up working out for you in that you learned to do it yourself.

[GDA]

Yup. Pretty much all of it unless its a complete biotch of a job and if it gets ugly highly specialized tools or big $$ follows.

Couple big jobs I have passed to my local indy were on my M5 - timing chain and gears a bit over a year ago and quite a few years ago I had them do rod bearings and install new oil pump etc while in there.

[SubDad]

I voted indy shop because the "Do it myself unless it's too much of a PITA" wasn't there.

And this:

I used to do everything myself. Now I just do what I want and have the Indy do the rest. Oil changes and such get old

Somebody else will be doing my subframe bushings this year, and oil changes get done down the street. $25 and 15 minutes, can't beat that when there's other stuff I gotta do.

[e30onBBSs]

15 minute oil changes leaves more crap from your oil in your oil pan that doesn't have time to slowly drip out tho

[totheredline]

I do pretty much everything myself. Even some body work on my truck and welding on my e30. Since I work at a shop I can even align myself. The only thing I've had a shop do is pull the frame on my e46

[yungmike]

I try my best to do everything on my own with what i have at my resource but, street repairs & maintenance with limited space for any decent tools can only get me so far. Soon though i shall have the garage or at least driveway and tool closet my heart desires.