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Do you service your own car or take it to a Garage?


Butch

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I do all my own servicing, I also enjoy doing it. I don't bugger about with repairs though, (there is a difference).

This includes own oil changes, brake pads / discs / tyre pressures / top ups of fluids if needed as I've access to a lift and have the tools, but even so, I used to do it on my driveway years ago.

It saves me money and running a 4 car household (2 daily drivers, 2 classics of my own) makes a difference, plus I know the job has been done correctly (stuff like pre filling oil filters that screw vertically, using new sump crush washers and bolts torqued to the correct setting and angle).

A typical oil / filter / air filter / pollen filter / fuel filter / spark plugs service runs at around £300 upwards these days, plus any parts needed, I DIY it for £100, sometimes less.

Most BM's strike me as being fairly "hands on" - so what so you guys do?

 

 

 

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I'll do the basics on the bike but things like valve clearance check's I'll get done in the shop.

I could probably do it okay but it's your bike so you get more wary about fucking it up.

Spent 15 years working on car's as a panel beater so am pretty technical competent.

 

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I used to do basic servicing but can't be arsed these days and things aren't so straight forward on modern cars and I don't have a plug in CPU reader. I do bung a bit of oil in now and then and windscreen washer but that's about it. 

But...... Servicing isn't cheap these days and will the right tools and workspace, could probably save a few quid doing my own service. 

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11 minutes ago, galenkia said:

I'll do the basics on the bike but things like valve clearance check's I'll get done in the shop.

I could probably do it okay but it's your bike so you get more wary about fucking it up.

Spent 15 years working on car's as a panel beater so am pretty technical competent.

 

Haven't heard "panel beater" in a few years Gal!.

Goes back to the days of tin lead filling, panel repair and metal working, welding in, linishing or flap disc and then making good. Nowadays it's "Bodywork technicians".

There's a shortage of panel beaters these days, as it's just a matter of jigging the body straight and replacing said panels, rather than repair, welding, flatting and fillers. Traditional skilled panel beaters can make some very good money.

Mate always told me, "a good sprayer / panel beater will spray to a good finish, a bad one will cut back to it".

 

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Always used to. Even rebuilt half a dozen engines in my yoof.

These days I'll do the routine stuff, fluids, tyre pressures etc, but it goes to a garage for anything else. Give me an A-series and I could do most things.... but I know my modern thing has spark plugs, and I know they could do with changing, but I'll be blowed if I can find them!

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1 minute ago, Butch said:

Haven't heard "panel beater" in a few years Gal!.

Goes back to the days of tin lead filling, panel repair and metal working, welding in, linishing or flap disc and then making good. Nowadays it's "Bodywork technicians".

There's a shortage of panel beaters these days, as it's just a matter of jigging the body straight and replacing said panels, rather than repair, welding, flatting and fillers.

Mate always told me, "a good sprayer / panel beater will spray to a good finish, a bad one will cut back to it".

 

Yeah, technician gets overused these days.

Did all the jig work,Cellete, Blackhawk and Car Bench were the best jigs I used.Caroliner was shite.

Remember working at a shop that did hire car repairs for the Heathrow companies, would repair everything and charge them for New parts, made over a million a year back in the late 80's/early 90's charging for new parts we repaired.

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24 minutes ago, galenkia said:

Yeah, technician gets overused these days.

Did all the jig work,Cellete, Blackhawk and Car Bench were the best jigs I used.Caroliner was shite.

Remember working at a shop that did hire car repairs for the Heathrow companies, would repair everything and charge them for New parts, made over a million a year back in the late 80's/early 90's charging for new parts we repaired.

Ever thought of going back into the trade?. Good panel beaters are like gold dust these days. People who understand that panel gaps were never that great from the factory, and that the term "jap crap" has a ring of truth about it.

Classic car guys need places to go for bodywork, if mine needed anything (it does) the very last place I'd take it is a main dealer bodyshop or franchise, and 99.9% of us feel the same. I've a few mates in the trade, one runs his own spray shop doing older stuff (pre 2005) earliest he can book me in in July 2023.

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58 minutes ago, Butch said:

Ever thought of going back into the trade?. Good panel beaters are like gold dust these days. People who understand that panel gaps were never that great from the factory, and that the term "jap crap" has a ring of truth about it.

Classic car guys need places to go for bodywork, if mine needed anything (it does) the very last place I'd take it is a main dealer bodyshop or franchise, and 99.9% of us feel the same. I've a few mates in the trade, one runs his own spray shop doing older stuff (pre 2005) earliest he can book me in in July 2023.

Never go back to it, plus sold my tools to a mate 20 years ago. Got an interview Monday afternoon for a forklift driver in Bracknell so only a couple of miles away. Big supermarket distribution center.

Was working at a factory in Reading before all this shit went down,but too boring, like to be busy.

Got other agencies offering interviews so hopefully can sort something this week.

Not desperate for money, more about keeping busy and out of trouble.🤣

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19 minutes ago, galenkia said:

Never go back to it, plus sold my tools to a mate 20 years ago. Got an interview Monday afternoon for a forklift driver in Bracknell so only a couple of miles away. Big supermarket distribution center.

Was working at a factory in Reading before all this shit went down,but too boring, like to be busy.

Got other agencies offering interviews so hopefully can sort something this week.

Not desperate for money, more about keeping busy and out of trouble.🤣

Yeah, I read about a bit of a brush with the law. I know a very good brief if you need one, but as usual not cheap. I don't get a referral, but she was mustard when my brother threatened to have me erm..."sorted out".

Hope it works out for you mate. Nowadays they provide tools though. I can put you in touch with a mate or two who run a body shop down in Suffolk, drop me a PM if interested.

Take it easy mate.

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I'm on the tools 60 hours a week ( its a retirement job) so I can't be arsed to do it for my vehicles off to a ex customer of mine for for its annual warrent of fitness ( very stringent safety check any thing thats not to factory specs and its a fail ) every vehicle in nz has to have one if its pre 2k  or commercial its every 6months ,and I tell him if you see any thing that needs doing with in reason just do it ohh while your at it just service it 

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44 minutes ago, Butch said:

Yeah, I read about a bit of a brush with the law. I know a very good brief if you need one, but as usual not cheap. I don't get a referral, but she was mustard when my brother threatened to have me erm..."sorted out".

Hope it works out for you mate. Nowadays they provide tools though. I can put you in touch with a mate or two who run a body shop down in Suffolk, drop me a PM if interested.

Take it easy mate.

My duty solicitor Was pretty confident I won't be charged, nobody had given witness or victim statements when I got released 24 hours later. So hopefully it goes that way.

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1 hour ago, Aqualung said:

Tried to change the brake pads on a previous car. Failed miserably. Even forgot to tighten the wheel nuts before driving home. 

Shop/ garage every time for me. 

I remember a mate helping me do mine on my ‘98 Pontiac Sunfire….was about to drive off and he yelled “pump those brakes now” ……pedal did seem a touch soft 😂

Never changed my own oil, but I did a few tire changeovers from winters & back. Air filters, I can’t believe anyone would pay a shop for that, 30 second job. What I do hate is when modern technology hampers you, some cars even changing a light bulb can be hard, especially for me as I have big hands

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23 minutes ago, galenkia said:

My duty solicitor Was pretty confident I won't be charged, nobody had given witness or victim statements when I got released 24 hours later. So hopefully it goes that way.

Is the event in question on YouTube, from 12 different Smartphone angles? 
 

If not, it doesn’t even qualify as assault these days

😂

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26 minutes ago, Golfingboy said:

Is the event in question on YouTube, from 12 different Smartphone angles? 
 

If not, it doesn’t even qualify as assault these days

😂

There's actually an old football footage on YouTube with Luton I was involved in back in the 80's.🤣

Was at St Pancras Station. 

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5 minutes ago, galenkia said:

There's actually an old football footage on YouTube with Luton I was involved in back in the 80's.🤣

Was at St Pancras Station. 

Oh no, you’re not a Luton supporter too? I actually met 2 in my years driving cab. Simply priceless to ask who an Englishman who he supports, then they respond “ Well you probably haven’t heard of them” to which I say “try me” 

😂😂

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Just now, Golfingboy said:

Oh no, you’re not a Luton supporter too? I actually met 2 in my years driving cab. Simply priceless to ask who an Englishman who he supports, then they respond “ Well you probably haven’t heard of them” to which I say “try me” 

😂😂

I'm QPR, and Luton are one of our hated teams. 

Along with Chelsea of course. 

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Just now, Golfingboy said:

Just saw the clip in 1987 in B&W, f**k me……proper madness. Nobody was killed I hope? 

 No, just normal football violence back then. 

Apologies for taking it off topic. 

Let's get back on topic.  

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I've commented on similar topics before and will state again that I stay as well clear of "stealerships" as I can - in fact I haven't had any work done by a dealership on any vehicles of mine for over twenty years; if I can't do it myself at home I know mechanics who either work on the side or work out of their home shops full-time. Most minor running gear stuff and servicing I do myself at home as I have the tools and gear to do so and for years it was somewhat of a hobby but now I find that I really don't enjoy doing it that much anymore, especially working underneath vehicles - no problem getting down and under but often painful trying to get up again. I've got three trucks (four if you count my Ford F800 with the crane, but that isn't licensed and doesn't leave my yard) and two cars to maintain but I really don't drive as much as I used to and only keep one pickup on the road all winter, usually averaging only 350-400km a month. My newest vehicle is a 2007 Ford F150 which has basic creature comforts but thankfully isn't loaded with computerized gimmicks like the newer models, and I don't really drive it that much - with today's gas prices and heavy traffic I try to plan my trips downtown a lot more carefully than I used to - and it isn't that difficult to do minor repairs on with so many helpful videos on YouTube these days. Same with the old BMW E36 - it's not that complicated compared to the E46 I owned for a while and thankfully passed on to a new owner last year. 

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could and would do myself but its too hot here.  I have done the usual repairs, batery check and changes, belet etc but somcahi at the end of my road does a damn good job and doent care that its hot.  he is very good and cheap too.  only a few times had a debate.  once was when the truck sunddenly overheated.  he thought waterpump but i got radiator replaced, and been fine for 3 yrs since.  i have a shed full of tools but as said, too bleedin ot here

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