DIY basic services - where?
Discussion
Hi guys,
I am not a mechanic but I can do some things to my car thanks to my dad. I am about to do my oil change and I was wondering for those who do it themselves, where do you do it? I don't have a drive or garage and I bet I cannot do it in the street.... Anyone has any idea? Parents house is way too far.
It goes pretty much for any basic servicing, brakes change etc, do you work in the street? I don't feel like going to a garage when I know how easy (and cheap) it is to change a filter and drain the oil.. - and while reading some posts, you dont even know if they really did the work!
Thanks for your advice
I am not a mechanic but I can do some things to my car thanks to my dad. I am about to do my oil change and I was wondering for those who do it themselves, where do you do it? I don't have a drive or garage and I bet I cannot do it in the street.... Anyone has any idea? Parents house is way too far.
It goes pretty much for any basic servicing, brakes change etc, do you work in the street? I don't feel like going to a garage when I know how easy (and cheap) it is to change a filter and drain the oil.. - and while reading some posts, you dont even know if they really did the work!
Thanks for your advice
Why wouldn't you be able to do it in the street?
I'm in a terraced house with on-street parking and done bits to my car there no problems. Swapped wheels, changed oil/filters, changed radiator, replaced door actuator. Not ideal I grant you, but was fine. Would probably advise sticking some cardboard down before doing oil maybe as wind diverted the draining oil away from my drain pan a bit. I think the stain has disappeared from the road now...
I'm in a terraced house with on-street parking and done bits to my car there no problems. Swapped wheels, changed oil/filters, changed radiator, replaced door actuator. Not ideal I grant you, but was fine. Would probably advise sticking some cardboard down before doing oil maybe as wind diverted the draining oil away from my drain pan a bit. I think the stain has disappeared from the road now...
I do loads of work on my fleet on the road outside. The days of every man and his dog (well, probably not the dog) desperately taking their cars to bits on a Sunday in the hope the thing would fire up in time for work on Monday are long gone sadly.
The sight of someone poking around under a bonnet on a public thoroughfare is extremely rare nowadays, to the extent that when I do my weekly fluid checks I often get asked 'what's wrong with it ?' They recoil in horror when I say 'nowt, just doing a weekly check'.
I suppose a lot depends on how busy your street is. I'm fairly lucky in that I live in a cul de sac (no driveways) and whilst my car-to-household ratio outweighs every one on the street, I do seem to be successful in having dibs on a parking spot where I do all my work without fear of being run over. If you live on a busy road, may be trickier.
There was a time when you could hire a ramp for a few hours in a local co-operative group but these, sadly, seem to be few and far between.
My advice, stuff what people say - if it's safe to work on the road, crack on with it. You'll be surprised how many people will stop and chat with you (always at an inconvenient time when you are doing a job which needs three hands, a knee, full working knowledge of obscure Yoga positions and a helpful dollop of concentration), a lot of them out of sheer wonderment..
The sight of someone poking around under a bonnet on a public thoroughfare is extremely rare nowadays, to the extent that when I do my weekly fluid checks I often get asked 'what's wrong with it ?' They recoil in horror when I say 'nowt, just doing a weekly check'.
I suppose a lot depends on how busy your street is. I'm fairly lucky in that I live in a cul de sac (no driveways) and whilst my car-to-household ratio outweighs every one on the street, I do seem to be successful in having dibs on a parking spot where I do all my work without fear of being run over. If you live on a busy road, may be trickier.
There was a time when you could hire a ramp for a few hours in a local co-operative group but these, sadly, seem to be few and far between.
My advice, stuff what people say - if it's safe to work on the road, crack on with it. You'll be surprised how many people will stop and chat with you (always at an inconvenient time when you are doing a job which needs three hands, a knee, full working knowledge of obscure Yoga positions and a helpful dollop of concentration), a lot of them out of sheer wonderment..
(unless you have a Beemer without a dipstick)
Cold said:
Monkeylegend said:
D4MJT said:
Monkeylegend said:
Every BMW has a dipstick.
I’m afraid they most certainly do not my friend.My own included sadly.
clayts450 said:
'what's wrong with it ?' They recoil in horror when I say 'nowt, just doing a weekly check'.
^^ this I can relate to, people assume there is something wrong with your car even as soon as the bonnet is open! It's bizarre, it is a worrying sign to what people regard as basic maintenance nowadays, unless they just don't do anything until it breaks...often when I change my air filter on my drive or any other consumables I get aksed this all the time..."why are you replacing the paper filter, is it broken"... (Face palm) D'oh!!! Use to change my oil myself, but it's a dirty job, then finding a place to dispose of it - I just rather pay £30 labour and get some other wrench monkey to do it these days.
I used to do all mine in the street when I lived in a terrace.
If rolling around under it open all the doors so people don't drive too close.
As above big sheet of cardboard stops any muck ruining the patch of road outside your house and makes tarmac more comfortable.
Only problem is that every man and his dog will stop to chat.
I used to worry that kids would steal my tools /car parts when I went in for a pee or for lunch so would have to tidy up.
If rolling around under it open all the doors so people don't drive too close.
As above big sheet of cardboard stops any muck ruining the patch of road outside your house and makes tarmac more comfortable.
Only problem is that every man and his dog will stop to chat.
I used to worry that kids would steal my tools /car parts when I went in for a pee or for lunch so would have to tidy up.
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