Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

[ChevyNick]

Hey guys. Today I drove my truck up to the local oil change shop due to a tight personal schedule this week. Fast forward to the oil change, they asked what tire PSI I wanted, I replied just leave them as they are. I watched the guy fill up my windshield washer fluid, and he overflowed it like crazy. Upon getting home, I noticed multiple motor oil fingerprints on my bug deflector (even after he "wiped" them off with a red shop rag (!!).

So, basically this got me thinking... since we are all pretty anal about our cars, do you do any level of maintenance yourself?

Typically I do my own oil change, rotate my own tires, clean K&N air filter, fill up any fluids which require it if needed, and everything pretty much. I guess it would be easier for me to say the only things I haven't done personally are:
-Power steering pump (Dealer)
-Transmission fluid change / differential change (Dealer)
-Miscellaneous electrical issue I had (Dealer)
-Obviously Discount Tire mounted BFG's on my wheels.

I think that pretty much covers it, so yeah, I just thought this could be an interesting topic. Sure, most of us clean our vehicles ourselves, but what about the rest of the things that need to be done??

[Murr1525]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

Only the tie air pressure, washer fluid, and air filter for me....

[wifpd4]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

Like Murr, except no air filter. Haven't been under a car or worked under a hood for decades.

[davey g-force]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

Only tire pressures and fluids nowadays.

I used to get my hands dirty when I was younger but now that I can afford to get someone else to do it (plus I'm getting older), I just take it to a workshop.

I have found a shop that's quite good as far as looking after the car, but I typically I just count on having to detail it when I get it back.

[Detroit CC]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

Having a car under a year old, the dealership takes care of any issues.
however, I'm a trained vehicle fitter and very anal about cars, I do thorough inspections of any work undertaken and won't drive the car away if I'm not happy.
its only been services and an idle speed control valve issue so far.

I'll take a look at friends cars if they're having issues but I tend to try and not get dirty these days.
too many rip off garages in my experience, so to help people out before they get fleeced is always a good thing.
Sometimes, I'll stand there and help the person fix the fault or service the vehicle themselves.
a little education (only the basics though, oil change etc.) as a little knowledge can be dangerous some times.

I myself have no issue in stripping a vehicle to a bare shell and then putting it back together.
its simple really,,just a big Lego kit these days.

[Marc08EX]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

I do my own oil changes, transmission fluid changes, radiator fluid change, clean/replace air filter and cabin filter, rotate my tires, and replace brake pads/rotors. I try to do as much as I can. I only let the mechanic or dealer do something I cannot do.

[ChevyNick]

Hmm very interesting. I've gotta say I'm rather surprised for some reason.

[Meticulous-Detail]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

I use to do my own , but not anymore. My two daily drivers are leases and have a maintenance pkges for the life of the lease. My Shelby is a PIA to change the oil and it makes a big mess, so I usually buy the oil and filter and have the dealer do it. I do check tire pressure and all the fluids periodically on all my vehicles.

[wifpd4]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

Hmm very interesting. I've gotta say I'm rather surprised for some reason.

It's some kind of cycle of life thing. In high school, I drove a car that needed constant attention. In college, the motorcycle. In early married life, it was the beat up pickup truck. Now, I drive a hybrid and like a flashlight, ya keep the lens clean, put in new batteries every so often and you're good to go.

As davey said, I can afford to have someone else do it. In my case, someone more knowledgeable, skilled and with the right tools.

[BillE]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

I still do it all. But with each passing year it does get harder and harder to get ambition to do it.

Only once have I required the use of 'a shop.' Fuel pump took a dive and I had a full tank of gas.

To be real honest, todays vehicles DO require MUCH LESS in the care and feeding area.

Bill (ex ASE tech)

[billoftt]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

I do my own oil changes, transmission fluid changes, radiator fluid change, clean/replace air filter and cabin filter, rotate my tires, and replace brake pads/rotors. I try to do as much as I can. I only let the mechanic or dealer do something I cannot do.

That is pretty much the same with me. I can barely trucst most shops around here to rotate the tires right on my cars.

I do have one guy that has his own independent shop that I trust not to screw anything up or screw me over, but he usually leaves a mess behing, but he is trustworthy and cheap.

I agree wiht BillE on current cars. It is easy for people to say "Yeah, they just don't make cars like they used to." Really? So, in addition to changing oil every 3000 miles, you also like changing plugs, wires, points and condenser, etc...

Heck, even the days of 3000 mile oil changes are gone! I use full synthetic in my Impala and I have actually had my oil tested! The testing said I am safe to go 9000 miles on an oil change in my car, 6000 in my van!

My wife got mad at the last repair that I had to do the the old Impala, (Squirrels chewed the wire harness on the transmission, not the car's fault.) and I got to thinking; I have spent less than $1000 on repairs for a car that is seven years old and has over 134,000 miles on it! That is WAY better than the "Good ol' days!"

[ChevyNick]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

It's some kind of cycle of life thing. In high school, I drove a car that needed constant attention. In college, the motorcycle. In early married life, it was the beat up pickup truck. Now, I drive a hybrid and like a flashlight, ya keep the lens clean, put in new batteries every so often and you're good to go.

As davey said, I can afford to have someone else do it. In my case, someone more knowledgeable, skilled and with the right tools.

Hmm, well not to say that people like myself couldn't afford to do it, it's just a preference thing I guess. I can see the cycle of life thing though, I just turned 20 so I am still at the age where I enjoy doing it to some extent. But heck, it almost is easier just to have someone else do it anymore because it always seems like there is more than just the obvious problem.

I'm pretty sure in the future I'll be like a lot of you guys who said they just have other people do it. But I won't be driving a hybrid like you wifpd :p
Diesel power!!

[wifpd4]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

...

I'm pretty sure in the future I'll be like a lot of you guys who said they just have other people do it. But I won't be driving a hybrid like you wifpd :p
Diesel power!!

I'm fairly sure that is where the phrase, "More power to ya" came from!!

[mswerb]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

I have done my own oil changes for quite some time now. I will not wait at the dealership for an hour for an oil change. I can rotate tires, check all fluids, change most bulbs, and minor repairs. A good trustworthy mechanic is hard to find, and I have one.

[Paul S]

Re: Do You Do Your Own Vehicle Maintenance?

I work on all of my cars and trucks plus those of my grown son and daughter. I'm currently doing a EGR delete on the sons F-250 6.0. I refuse to pay the inflated rates most dealers charge. To ChevyNick for tire pressure , most cars have the specs listed on a sticker located in the drivers door jam or on the door.