DIY Car Repairs

I agree and I think it is like with cars. I for one did basically everything from changing the tires to replacing the body of the car after a crash (I don't have a car anymore). For me it was part of the fun, tinkering with stuff, learning, etc.Other people never touch anything in their cars and even pay for replacing the light bulbs. This obviously costs a lot of money if you let someone else do that for you. But you just have other priorities, that is ok.

Imagine someone messing with your car. Might be an easy fix if you are a mechanic. Most people are not.

I don't know. I read it before and I agree. Heck, I've defended that point of view on the net in the past.But I have spent most of the last 2 days surfing the net looking for information on which models of lightbulbs and washer pump I should buy for my car. Eventually I managed to track down and figure out the manufacturer serial number patterns and I was able to order the things (hoping the washer pump manufacturer I randomly chose delivers quality products) but I haven't yet

Mechanics do it often, as do people who work on their cars. It isn't the Hacker News segment that is doing it, but the people who work on cars for a living or for fun.

> A better parallel would be not being able to replace the tires on your AudiYou're right actually.Now, when was the last time anyone who didn't work at/own a tire shop, mechanic's garage change their own tires?You need very specialised tools and specific knowledge/experience to change tires on cars - particularly if you want them balanced/aligned so they last more than a month.So how is this any different?

Better Hack #5: Be your own mechanic. Cars really aren't that complicated - especially for smart hacker folk like us. I did maintenance on my parents vehicles when I was 12 years old (brakes + oil changes) and have been working on my own vehicles since I could drive. In the past 7 years, I have only spent money on alignments and tire mounting/balancing, to the tune of $300 probably. The kicker is that I'm no more mechanically inclined than anybody else. I learn every time I pick up a w

A bit like saying your car's engine is user replaceable. It is but it's wildly out of the skill set of most users.

I've had the same experience the past few years with car maintenance.- I can find any owner's manual online.- I can find detailed instructions for any type of repair in written form or in a Youtube video.- There are free online courses for anything from changing a tire to becoming a full-fledged mechanic.- I can find and order any part of my car at wholesale prices.- The same diagnostic software that repair shops use can be downloaded for free. I can hook up my iPad to my car thro

I don't think that 'strength' is the issue but better tools and a lot more experience are the core parts: I remember watching one mechanic changing the light in my car: what took me ~15 minutes (I'm not kidding) took him ~30secondes..And that's like riding a bike: you cannot really tell someone how to do it..It can still be very interesting in many ways!

People are allowed to work on their own cars, including brakes, suspension, steering, etc. Happens every day in driveways everywhere. I do it myself.