Car Repair Skills Everyone Should Have

[Monoriu]

I remember when I first got our car.  We tried to check the tire air ourselves, we really did.  We drove to a far away petroleum station (because prices are cheaper there).  My wife and I worked for 30 minutes under the sun for the four tires.  It is so difficult, because it is tough to bend the waist to reach the tire down there.  We both had severe back pain for days afterwards.

Then we figured out our mistake.  We should have picked a normal petroleum station.  See, all petroleum stations in HK are full-serviced (the customers are too slow, and the stations are tiny compared with North American ones.  A single slow customer will block the entire flow).  In a normal station, the staff check the tire air free of charge. 

We had to do it ourselves the first time because it was a far away petroleum station, where extra space was available.  Never again.

[Admiral Yi]

Mono, most people i know have this joint in the middle of the leg called a "knee."  One in each leg.

[11B4V]

The whole idea of specialisation and trade is that we each do what we do best, and exchange our goods and services.

I am not supposed to grow my own food, make my own anime shows, manufacture my own laptop etc. 

You can though. Many people have veggie gardens for a variety of reasons. But we are not talking about any of the non starters you listed above. We are talking basic preventative maintenance that every car owner should know. Look in your OWNERS MANUAL they dont put it in there for your mechanic. They put it in there for YOU.

Why am I supposed to fix my own car then?

Again, wrong thought process and not what this thread is about. No one is telling you to fix your car per say. Nobody is saying, if your clutch goes out or thermostat, or head gasket or..etc, you should know how to change it. You completely missed the point of the thread.

If you dont want to spend the money for a mech and have the smarts, you can save money by doing it yourself. But easy things like people have noted in the thread doesnt take an ASE cert (Fuses, changing oil, checking belt, tire inflation, change a flat).

     

I really don't know how to do it. 

Fixing your car is for a mechanic if you dont have the smarts or time. Preventive maintenance is something you should know.

I don't even know how to open the hood

OWNERS MANUAL.

[11B4V]

I remember when I first got our car.  We tried to check the tire air ourselves, we really did.  We drove to a far away petroleum station (because prices are cheaper there).  My wife and I worked for 30 minutes under the sun for the four tires.  It is so difficult, because it is tough to bend the waist to reach the tire down there.  We both had severe back pain for days afterwards.

Then we figured out our mistake.  We should have picked a normal petroleum station.  See, all petroleum stations in HK are full-serviced (the customers are too slow, and the stations are tiny compared with North American ones.  A single slow customer will block the entire flow).  In a normal station, the staff check the tire air free of charge. 

We had to do it ourselves the first time because it was a far away petroleum station, where extra space was available.  Never again.

or you could have spent 1.99 on one of these.

[Monoriu]

Mono, most people i know have this joint in the middle of the leg called a "knee."  One in each leg.

That isn't exactly news to me  The problem is, we are already in our 30s.  We no longer have the strength or flexibility to do that.  Even if we can do squats, there is no way we can get back up. 

[Monoriu]

The whole idea of specialisation and trade is that we each do what we do best, and exchange our goods and services.

I am not supposed to grow my own food, make my own anime shows, manufacture my own laptop etc. 

You can though. Many people have veggie gardens for a variety of reasons. But we are not talking about any of the non starters you listed above. We are talking basic preventative maintenance that every car owner should know. Look in your OWNERS MANUAL they dont put it in there for your mechanic. They put it in there for YOU.

Why am I supposed to fix my own car then?

Again, wrong thought process and not what this thread is about. No one is telling you to fix your car per say. Nobody is saying, if your clutch goes out or thermostat, or head gasket or..etc, you should know how to change it. You completely missed the point of the thread.

If you dont want to spend the money for a mech and have the smarts, you can save money by doing it yourself. But easy things like people have noted in the thread doesnt take an ASE cert (Fuses, changing oil, checking belt, tire inflation, change a flat).

     

I really don't know how to do it. 

Fixing your car is for a mechanic if you dont have the smarts or time. Preventive maintenance is something you should know.

I don't even know how to open the hood

OWNERS MANUAL.

I surrender.  I don't have the smarts 

[Admiral Yi]

That isn't exactly news to me  The problem is, we are already in our 30s.  We no longer have the strength or flexibility to do that.  Even if we can do squats, there is no way we can get back up.

I'm not suggesting you squat like a Chinaman man, I'm suggesting you go down on one knee like a God-fearing Christian.

[11B4V]

Mono, most people i know have this joint in the middle of the leg called a "knee."  One in each leg.

That isn't exactly news to me  The problem is, we are already in our 30s.  We no longer have the strength or flexibility to do that.  Even if we can do squats, there is no way we can get back up.

is this a med condition?

[Monoriu]

That isn't exactly news to me  The problem is, we are already in our 30s.  We no longer have the strength or flexibility to do that.  Even if we can do squats, there is no way we can get back up.

I'm not suggesting you squat like a Chinaman man, I'm suggesting you go down on one knee like a God-fearing Christian.

Sitting on the floor is probably easier.  Getting up is still tough.

[11B4V]

The whole idea of specialisation and trade is that we each do what we do best, and exchange our goods and services.

I am not supposed to grow my own food, make my own anime shows, manufacture my own laptop etc. 

You can though. Many people have veggie gardens for a variety of reasons. But we are not talking about any of the non starters you listed above. We are talking basic preventative maintenance that every car owner should know. Look in your OWNERS MANUAL they dont put it in there for your mechanic. They put it in there for YOU.

Why am I supposed to fix my own car then?

Again, wrong thought process and not what this thread is about. No one is telling you to fix your car per say. Nobody is saying, if your clutch goes out or thermostat, or head gasket or..etc, you should know how to change it. You completely missed the point of the thread.

If you dont want to spend the money for a mech and have the smarts, you can save money by doing it yourself. But easy things like people have noted in the thread doesnt take an ASE cert (Fuses, changing oil, checking belt, tire inflation, change a flat).

     

I really don't know how to do it. 

Fixing your car is for a mechanic if you dont have the smarts or time. Preventive maintenance is something you should know.

I don't even know how to open the hood

OWNERS MANUAL.

I surrender.  I don't have the smarts 

No I surrender, because you do have the smarts.

[Monoriu]

is this a med condition?

Yes, if you count "too old" as a medical condition 

[11B4V]

Dude, I'm 47 and removed and installed the engine and transmission in the mustang by myself. 

[Monoriu]

Dude, I'm 47 and removed and installed the engine and transmission in the mustang by myself. 

You were in the army, right? 

[Monoriu]

I am curious.  How much does it cost in your area to send the car to the meahanic for routine maintenance, like changing the oil, changing the filter (whatever it is, I have no idea), doing whatever they need to do to the tires etc? 

For me it is around US$200-$300, parts and labour included.  That's the price that I pay every 6 months. 

[Admiral Yi]

I think I pay like 45 for regular maintenance.

But $300 is reasonable for a Lt. Colonel.