Working on your own car

[The Hub 0]

Was thinking about this myself recently, and thought about approaching a friends dad about volunteering myself on a Saturday to do any odd jobs about his garage in return for him explaining the basics of the engine bay. I am sure he'd be keen to get free labour and I would be keen for some of his knowledge.

[StuartFZR400 0]

I've always tried to do my own work; for a few reasons - relaxing, there is an element of confidence you know its been done right, you learn a little and maybe alble to bodge at the raodside, and its often cheaper. However, if its a nasty job or I just dont have time, then I gotta admit I use a local friendly garage. I've had to step in before now, seeing them do it wrong in some garages, simple stuff like fitting an exhaust. Its already been said, osme things you just cant do without some serious tools or worse still machinery - rejigging your suspension is tricky, so get it done by a pro' once you've fitted the shocks/springs your self.

[NottsCounty 0]

Rear axle bushes aren't too difficult to do.

 

If you've got a good drill and hacksaw.......oh and a ten ton hydraulic press :lol:

[herisites 0]

Rear axle bushes aren't too difficult to do.

 

If you've got a good drill and hacksaw.......oh and a ten ton hydraulic press :lol:

 

I done my rear axle bushes on my old fiesta, ended up melting the rubber out with a blowtorch and hacksawing the metal outer part to get the bastards out :lol: worked though :wink:

[Ryan S 0]

I've never done any work on a car, wouldn't even trust myself to change the oil without something going wrong :lol: That's why it goes to the garage whenever anything needs doing, bought a new throttle cable for it the other day, supposedly dead easy to do yourself so it shouldn't take my mechanic long to fit.

 

Oddly enough I've always bought haynes manuals though :? needless to say they remained pristine and got given away when the cars were sold.

This sounds familiar!

[ben16v 0]

which haynes should be bought for 1.8 16v?

 

golf 2 and is passat required too?

[Talc 0]

I've never done any work on a car, wouldn't even trust myself to change the oil without something going wrong :lol: That's why it goes to the garage whenever anything needs doing, bought a new throttle cable for it the other day, supposedly dead easy to do yourself so it shouldn't take my mechanic long to fit.

 

Oddly enough I've always bought haynes manuals though :? needless to say they remained pristine and got given away when the cars were sold.

This sounds familiar![/quote:b44d1]

 

I've always considered the haynes manuals that i give away when i sell a car as part of the service history, the new owner can flick through and the oily pages are an indication of the work ive done on the car...

 

was forced to learn way around a car due to an early life of poor student and a dilapidated mk2 astra that needed to be fixed on a regular basis: my first day driving the fuel pump gave up and drove a few miles home with the car lurching along a dual carriagway at a top speed of 30mph.... Now working on cars is part of the appeal of them.

[Deluk 0]

worked on my golfs , the raddo is so easy to fix all the bolts are not as rusty , get some good tools and a brakerbar 1/2 in drive :) and some of them black sockets , shit i love buying tools i got a hole shed full and one of them cabnet things to put em all in and a tool box full , i tend to plan services in the summer like brakes, oil whatever , its got to be sunny :).

 

defo get in to it , you have an old motor you need to know.

 

Deluk

[TomB 0]

I found that crossing the psychological barrier of taking a set of tools to your car to be the hardest part... Up until a couple of years ago, my knowledge stopped at a 1934 Morris 8, but I got stuck in with the help of a mate, and what do you know? It's just like giant mechano!

A good manual helps, but if you don't know anything at all, start with "The AA Book of the Car" to understand the basics...I did.

The biggest problem is workspace. I live in a flat & park on the street, but luckily I have a mate with a driveway so I can attempt most things. I'm still paying someone else to do the gearbox though! :-)