Self servicing your car

[anonymous-user]

Just finished doing a full service on the shed. There is something really satisfying about a job well done, knowing that you are set fair for another 12 months. I fully understand why people don't, either because they have a newer car, lack of tools, time and knowledge but for me not only does it save money it is also really enjoyable.

Anybody else enjoy tinkering? I have all the tools that I need to do most jobs at home and 2 ex mechanics as mates for the bits that I can't and give them a hand.

Where I live it's quite a drive to the nearest independent so I've not got that rapport that some people have with their local mechanic so I have, in general, to do most jobs by myself, brakes, suspension, servicing etc but I always use good quality parts and save the receipts. I would be quite happy buying a car from an owner as fastidious with maintenance as me.

[anonymous-user]

I did this around 2000 when I had a Micra 1.4 and it was honestly the easiest car to work on. Three things I purchased: spark plug socket removal tool, feeler gauge for said plugs, and rubber strap wrench for oil filter. I’d get the parts from Nissan when visiting my folks. An uncle said it was okay to sign the service book yourself and keep invoices. I sold the car to someone local (ad on Church board) and they were happy with it from 24k miles to 80k+ before handing it down in the family. When I had mine MOT’d it was there with the village mechanic and north of 120k.

[Starjet99]

I self-service my shed, and do other fairly routine maintenance. Bigger or more complex jobs would see the car go to 'the man' for fixes.

I'll do routine maintenance on the XKR, but servicing and other jobs are done by 'the man'.

[Baldchap]

I self service the sheds and also do stuff like brakes and servicing for mates, but my nice cars go to the dealer, largely because I can't be arsed.

[itcaptainslow]

I self service and maintain all the cars in my fleet (daily Micra, modern classic Rovers) with the exception of my Elise (to keep the full Lotus history).

I find it pretty anxious every year getting the Elise serviced as I’m waiting to find what’s been cocked up or damaged (fortunately the “authorised workshop” as Lotus now denote them I now use have been great so far, after a horrendous experience with another one of the so-called expert dealerships).

There isn’t a job on the others I’m afraid to tackle; I’m fortunate I’ve got a hydraulic lift at home plus the tools to do most things. If I find a job I need a new tool for, I quite enjoy having the excuse to buy it!

[Captain Answer]

Just done air filter, pollen filter, oil & oil filter on both household cars plus tightening one of the Aux belts on mine and it's hand brake - even got to play with the new oil strap I'd bought from seeing on here - the gap between sump and filter on the RAV4 is less than 5 mill with a plastic cover under the sump, so couldn't easily get in the oil filter plyers I ususally use

Got all parts delivered from GSF and Opie Oils, signed up the books etc and they both sorted now for a further 12 month

[Chris32345]

I find it quite relaxing allthrough only do the more basice stuff
If I had a propper garage and ramp if probably do a lot more work myself just a pain on a old concrete driveway thats not very smooth

[Lotobear]

itcaptainslow said:

I self service and maintain all the cars in my fleet (daily Micra, modern classic Rovers) with the exception of my Elise (to keep the full Lotus history).

I find it pretty anxious every year getting the Elise serviced as I’m waiting to find what’s been cocked up or damaged (fortunately the “authorised workshop” as Lotus now denote them I now use have been great so far, after a horrendous experience with another one of the so-called expert dealerships).

There isn’t a job on the others I’m afraid to tackle; I’m fortunate I’ve got a hydraulic lift at home plus the tools to do most things. If I find a job I need a new tool for, I quite enjoy having the excuse to buy it!

Funnily enough I do the opposite and send all our regular cars to a local garage but do all of my own servicing on my Evora for exactly the reasons you cite. Aside from the unreasonably high cost of labour and parts from Lotus service centres I hear all too often of the poor quality of the work.

I keep a meticulous typed service record of everything I do and figure, in so much as it bothers me anyway, that a future buyer might feel happier with a true enthusiast carrying out the service work than a spotty 'technician' oik in the local Lotus dealership.

[OMITN]

Just ordered oil and filters from ECP to do mine for the first time. Have opted for an oil extractor as well because I don’t have a jack or axle stands (yet).

I was hoping a couple of days off and warm weather would make it a more attractive proposition (no room in the garage currently) but the icy weather we’re having means it may be more of a challenge..!!

[anonymous-user]

OMITN said:

Just ordered oil and filters from ECP to do mine for the first time. Have opted for an oil extractor as well because I don’t have a jack or axle stands (yet).

I was hoping a couple of days off and warm weather would make it a more attractive proposition (no room in the garage currently) but the icy weather we’re having means it may be more of a challenge..!!

Once you've done the first one your confidence will increase, after a few years you'll wonder why you ever bothered to pay someone else because it's so simple. You build from there to the point where not many jobs are that daunting.

[mk08]

How do you sign your service book after carrying out work on your car?

[Superleg48]

mk08 said:

How do you sign your service book after carrying out work on your car?

With a pen, I should imagine....

[Captain Answer]

OMITN said:

Just ordered oil and filters from ECP to do mine for the first time. Have opted for an oil extractor as well because I don’t have a jack or axle stands (yet).

I was hoping a couple of days off and warm weather would make it a more attractive proposition (no room in the garage currently) but the icy weather we’re having means it may be more of a challenge..!!

Is your filter accessible without a jack? You don't want to find that out after you've sucked out the old oil

I just an electric pump to do all mine where I can, much cleaner process

[OMITN]

dunc01965 said:

Once you've done the first one your confidence will increase, after a few years you'll wonder why you ever bothered to pay someone else because it's so simple. You build from there to the point where not many jobs are that daunting.

Cheers.

I’m reasonably handy with most things, but I have mostly driven new cars and head them serviced by the supplying dealers. With a shed these days doing only 6k miles a year and the reality of working at home these days, it seems like I really ought to put theory into practice!

[OMITN]

Captain Answer said:

Is your filter accessible without a jack? You don't want to find that out after you've sucked out the old oil

I just an electric pump to do all mine where I can, much cleaner process

Yes. Peugeot 307 petrol. Filter is accessed top down via the bonnet.

Thankfully I’ve found a great series on YouTube from a guy who had a petrol 307 and did all the jobs I’ll be doing, so at least I have a video reference guide. iPad at the ready..!

[_Mja_]

I enjoy tinkering and it's a necessity with 6 cars. I could not afford to pay out on garage labour on all of them and as I have so many it doesn't matter if a job takes me longer. I've had so many bad experiences with "professionals" working on my car that I really do believe I can do a better job. I won't jack it on the sill or over torque the bolts or fail to refit plastic trims etc.

However I do keep our "modern" 8 year old car serviced by the local independent. Partly to have a contact to help me if i need it and partly becuase it would be too stressful if something didn't go to plan and we needed to use it. It would take the enjoyment away for me.

I understand why many don't do it, apart from just not being mechanically minded it would be no fun working on cars without the right gear and much like an earlier poster said, I am the same; if there is a tool needed for a job and I don't have it I enjoy buying it.

I have just learnt to weld using a mig. I'm doing it with butt welds and it is hugely satisfying fusing metal together and knowing rust issues that would send an older car to the scrappy I can fix in my garage with a bit of fabrication and welding. I really enjoy researching how to do stuff and equally how to protect my work with the right products. Next skill to learn is painting and with that aspiration i've just bought my first compressor.

Edited by _Mja_ on Tuesday 6th April 23:41

[Captain Answer]

OMITN said:

Yes. Peugeot 307 petrol. Filter is accessed top down via the bonnet.

Thankfully I’ve found a great series on YouTube from a guy who had a petrol 307 and did all the jobs I’ll be doing, so at least I have a video reference guide. iPad at the ready..!

Happy days then, just need something to catch the old oil in out the pump and something to un-do the filter (or filter housing cap) - probably take you less than 30minutes all being well

[Megaflow]

Superleg48 said:

mk08 said:

How do you sign your service book after carrying out work on your car?

With a pen, I should imagine....

That’s what I do. Date, miles, what’s done and signed. I also keep the receipt/invoice for the parts. That is a full service history in my book. Just a stamped service book could easily have been bought off eBay.

[anonymous-user]

Personally I do not understand how anybody can pay a main dealer £200+ to change the oil and filter. When I used to run new cars they would always come back with scratches and scrapes and it was an inconvenience in time and organising a courtesy car.

I now run sheds and the advantage of this is I can service them myself. I have just purchased a genuine Renault Oil and Air filter from eBay for £12.50 delivered and my dad gets the oil from work. I recently replaced the glow plugs, £23 for a set of genuine Bosch ones. New battery, £60 from Tayna and five minutes to fit it.

It also gives me a chance to give the car a good look over and see if anything else is going to need doing in the near future.

Plus, I know the work has actually been done. I had a four year old car with full service history which still had the original pollen filter fitted when I changed it.

[anonymous-user]

I can't ever remember taking a car to a main dealer. When friends who have newer cars tell me how much they pay for basic maintenance it takes me all my powers of self control not to laugh at them. I've not used a garage in over 20 years but for me it's not just about saving money. I actually enjoy working on my own car, in spring and summer at least and I know it's been done properly.