Self-Service

[spinner]

I've changed my own oil before, but that's about as far as it's gone. What other things are included when a car usually gets "serviced," and how easy is it for an average person like me to do it themselves? I'd love to be able to efficiently service my own car!

 

[Chandler]

Changing the fuel filter and the air filter is not terribly hard. Of course the body maintenance things like greasing/siliconing hinges and replacing broken shocks on a hatchback aren't too difficult either. Changing tires can be done but it's better if you have an air gun to make sure they are on good.

 

[Candle]

Self Service

Self Service has never really been something I was interested in. In my second last year of high school, back in the 70's, they offered a course in basic mechanics for girls. My school was old fashioned, and didn't let the girls take shop classes. As all my friends were taking the course, I took it too. I actually learned a great deal. If absolutely necessary, I could change the oil, rotate the tires, etc.

Then in my first year of university, my father re-married, and my eldest step-brother, turned out to be a mechanic. So from that time on, I've let him service my cars. He is retired now, but he still likes to work on all our cars.

 

[spinner]

I can see myself changing filters, maybe shocks, and greasing hinges and whatnot. An air gun for the tires...I'd have to look into the price on that kind of thing. Is that all that's included in a regular servicing, though?

 

[MaximumSpeed]

Newer cars are being made so it is more difficult (if not impossible) to work on by the owner. Older cars were so much more accessible and much easier for owners to repair. I usually take mine to someone, even though I *could* do it myself.

 

[spinner]

I do have a mechanic friend who has to go to workshops twice a year to to keep up to date with the new developments and computer systems in cars. Fortunately, I've got an old clunker as my first car so I can tinker around with it.

 

[philio]

I do everything that I can. I am very lucky that I have a good friend who works for a car manufacture and he has an electronic car diagnosing machine. Each kind of car comes with a cartridge. I paid for the kind of cartridge he would need for my car and now he can help diagnose the car and work on it with me.

 

[Candle]

I've just added a new self service item to my list. I can now make my own de-icer. You can see my thread on it to get the receipt. I haven't tried it yet, but I mean to give it a go!