Does a TRUE e30 enthusiast need to wrench on their cars?

[ELVA164]

sometimes even good shops don't do the job any better

[LateFan]

I had this conversation with a buddy of mine the other day.

To be a car enthusiast, one would assume they like to work on their cars.
A true gear head to me, is someone who gets their hands dirty, and knuckles beatup working on their rides.
It's an extension of themselves.

If you were mega rich, would you still do your own work on your E30 (or any other car for that matter?)

I do, for several reasons:

It's hard to justify paying a good shop more than the car is worth fixing an old car.
I often can't afford a $1500 repair that I could do for $500.
I like it.
I learn things.
It can be relaxing - WHEN THINGS DON'T GO WRONG!
I know it was done well - sometimes even good shops don't do the job any better, they just know the tricks and shortcuts and have all the tools so they can do it quickly. Takes me 10 times as long, but everything is cleaned, clamps are checked, old hoses get replaced…

But to me the biggest part of being involved with your cars is when you've been under there with it all apart, you completely understand the machine. Then when you're driving the machine it makes sense. When there's a funny noise and something suddenly goes Code Odd, you have a sense of what's going on, which system, what's normal and what's not.

EDIT - Pride. My neighbors can't BELIEVE I put a new engine in my Audi by myself, and it runs.

If I had plenty of money, I'd buy only the best parts (no more beat up used r3v shit!), and I'd have the nicest tools. And heat….I'd have heat in the garage.

[Dj Buttchug]

bye felica

[slammin.e28]

User CP top left, then select 'options' in the bar on the left and scroll down to posts per page drop down box and set to 40 posts per page...


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Hey guys....there's only two pages here.

KTHXBAI

;)

[e34john]

If I had more money I would do more of my own work. Because I would have the proper tools to do it. Right now it sucks crawling under the car, not having all the right equipment and knowing if I screw something up its going to even cut more into the rent money, plus if the car is down, I need it done as soon as possible to be able to drive to work again.

But I was never huge into working on my car, I get impatient and I am not the most tedious careful worker. I do some stuff and general maintenance but not too much.

Once I come into money, I would be able to make it more into a hobby, would love to dial up the car myself to take to autocross or build up a Factory5 or Caterham in my free time.

[F34R]

There's a way to change that?

User CP top left, then select 'options' in the bar on the left and scroll down to posts per page drop down box and set to 40 posts per page...


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[cgk_iii]

I wouldn't stop wrenching. If I were rich I'd have all the tools/shop equipment necessary to make each job I do easier. Plus if you break anything you're still "mega rich" and it won't be a problem to fix it.

[ELVA164]

I'd say this is an unequivocal "no."

I mean, all our customers are definitely enthusiasts or they wouldn't have vintage race cars. They spend time researching the history of their cars, reading about the events they ran in, what types of cars ran with them, how the different cars work, etc. Definite and obvious passion for automobiles. If they had to work on their cars in order to be "true enthusiasts," I wouldn't have a job.

[ST1G]

Ya, 4 pages pls.

It's 59 pages for me

[jrossowvue30]

I love my cars, take care of my cars, maintain my cars, but I don't do most of the work on my cars. I know my cars inside and out and can diagnose them when they aren't feeling well but I'd rather pay an expert to tackle the bigger jobs. I actually have my own mechanic that comes to my house with all of his tools and works on my cars when I need him to. Does that make me any less passionate about cars? I don't think so.

[slammin.e28]

not sure if srs but you can adjust posts per page. This is a 2 page thread

Fucking hipsters, this here is a 4 page thread.

Ya, 4 pages pls.

[Nesset]

I think yes.. Thats how people did it back in the day, thats the way it should be now. If I were mega rich I'd do the work myself, just buy the best parts and tools. :)

[Exodus_2pt0]

Fucking hipsters, this here is a 4 page thread.

[Dj Buttchug]

There's a way to change that?

not sure if srs but you can adjust posts per page. This is a 2 page thread

[rcsoundn1]

I would prefer those who either do not know how to, or can no longer, work on their cars for the safety of everyone else. I am not much for labels, and generally don't care for the "what makes a person (enter a label here)"