Is it too late to try?
Discussion
Morning.
Long story short, I always wanted to work on my cars myself, but never had the all the conditions (time, space, money) for doing it.
Now the situation is almost favorable, but I even though I'm an automotive engineer, I only know the very basics and I lack confidence even to change a brake pad in my daily driver.
Is it too late to begin working? Should I buy a really chelp MOTable car to work on it, before working in the daily driver? Or just give up on it and keep using the professional services?
Sorry about the boring post, but here is one of the only places I can talk about cars...
Long story short, I always wanted to work on my cars myself, but never had the all the conditions (time, space, money) for doing it.
Now the situation is almost favorable, but I even though I'm an automotive engineer, I only know the very basics and I lack confidence even to change a brake pad in my daily driver.
Is it too late to begin working? Should I buy a really chelp MOTable car to work on it, before working in the daily driver? Or just give up on it and keep using the professional services?
Sorry about the boring post, but here is one of the only places I can talk about cars...
The more 'modern' the less easy it is to enjoy working on a car.
Special antitamper fasteners prevent you getting into it, and the electronics make simple pleasures like tuning the car impossible.
I suggest a classic! Pre 1980, which was the watershed for 'On Board Diagnostics', and electrification of engine function.
If you go this way, consider which marque you might want to have, visit a local owners club meeting, see their cars, talk to the owners. You'll probably find they are keen to help you find a suitable car, may know of some for sale and will inspect it before you buy, using their experience.
British marques are probably best, as they have lots of support. MG, Morris, Triumph - there's quite a list.
Good luck!
John
Special antitamper fasteners prevent you getting into it, and the electronics make simple pleasures like tuning the car impossible.
I suggest a classic! Pre 1980, which was the watershed for 'On Board Diagnostics', and electrification of engine function.
If you go this way, consider which marque you might want to have, visit a local owners club meeting, see their cars, talk to the owners. You'll probably find they are keen to help you find a suitable car, may know of some for sale and will inspect it before you buy, using their experience.
British marques are probably best, as they have lots of support. MG, Morris, Triumph - there's quite a list.
Good luck!
John
VPXavier said:
Now the situation is almost favorable, but I even though I'm an automotive engineer, I only know the very basics and I lack confidence even to change a brake pad in my daily driver.
This goes some way to explaining why modern cars can be such a pig to work on!Never too late to learn though. If you've got any electronics experience you should be OK with some modern cars. As a general rule, if you can look around the engine bay and easily identify and reach all of the parts you need to access for servicing, you could be OK. Some Japanese cars are a work of art under the bonnet. MX-5, Mazda 2, various Suzukis are good. Ford Ecoboost looks like a plumbing nightmare, but possibly not as bad as it looks - I'm sure others are much worse. MINIs look like a total nightmare.
Things that will make any car job easier:
- lots of pictures and instructions online (MG/Rover are really good for this)
- owning a popular/common car - so much easier to get parts
- buying everything you need before you start the job
- if in doubt, get someone who knows what they are doing to help. Very important where things like jacking, brakes, wheel bearings and springs are involved
Never too late to learn something new 
Just give ample time to start and finish a job rather than try rushing before the sun goes down.
Older cars are easier to work on but nothing is really that difficult. I find buying the correct tools to begin is key but expensive but they are yours to keep.
What’s your daily drive?
Just give ample time to start and finish a job rather than try rushing before the sun goes down.
Older cars are easier to work on but nothing is really that difficult. I find buying the correct tools to begin is key but expensive but they are yours to keep.
What’s your daily drive?
tapkaJohnD said:
If you go this way, consider which marque you might want to have, visit a local owners club meeting, see their cars, talk to the owners. You'll probably find they are keen to help you find a suitable car, may know of some for sale and will inspect it before you buy, using their experience.
British marques are probably best, as they have lots of support. MG, Morris, Triumph - there's quite a list.
Good luck!
John
Thanks John! The thing is: as I did not grew up in UK, I have absolutelly no emotional attachment to classics here. I was wondering that something from 1995-2005 would fit my wonderings. But basically its not the car, it's the learning. If I can learn from a £400 Honda Jazz (not fun), the learning would be fun.British marques are probably best, as they have lots of support. MG, Morris, Triumph - there's quite a list.
Good luck!
John
gweaver said:
This goes some way to explaining why modern cars can be such a pig to work on!
Never too late to learn though. If you've got any electronics experience you should be OK with some modern cars.
Thanks! Not a big problem with electronics. I basically work with it for a living. I have some experience in debugging electrics and eletronics from the work (but helping the mechanics, not hands on). For the classics, see anwser above.Never too late to learn though. If you've got any electronics experience you should be OK with some modern cars.
RobXjcoupe said:
Never too late to learn something new
Just give ample time to start and finish a job rather than try rushing before the sun goes down.
Older cars are easier to work on but nothing is really that difficult. I find buying the correct tools to begin is key but expensive but they are yours to keep.
What’s your daily drive?
Working a lot less if compared to last job (fewer hours weekly, less time commuting, so I think I have time now (not in winter).Just give ample time to start and finish a job rather than try rushing before the sun goes down.
Older cars are easier to work on but nothing is really that difficult. I find buying the correct tools to begin is key but expensive but they are yours to keep.
What’s your daily drive?
Buying quality tools is a key point, I am reading other topics to get used to the best cost-benefit brands...
No daily at the moment. I guess that soon I'll get an Mk5 Golf, but I dont really need it. 8 minutes walking and I am in the office. 90% of my shopping is online,l including groceries. I could buy a shed and work on it, but I need a car that I can trust to carry my family, and I have no confidence in my skills (yet)
Thank you!
Never too late, in fact I'd say there has never been a better time.
You tube and forums with DIY guides.
Availability of genuine workshop manuals, diagnostic and other tooling.
Availability of spare parts from multiple on line vendors.
There is so more information about stuff out there these days.
The majority of jobs will have been have been done by someone on a marque specific forum.
You tube and forums with DIY guides.
Availability of genuine workshop manuals, diagnostic and other tooling.
Availability of spare parts from multiple on line vendors.
There is so more information about stuff out there these days.
The majority of jobs will have been have been done by someone on a marque specific forum.
Get something you’re interested in as a (useful?) toy, be it a mower, bike, kit car, off road etc. to generate the motivation and get stuck in. Ideally something you don’t need to rely on using for work on a Monday morning after a weekend’s tinkering.
Make it a kit car then the world of good value track day driving beckons too, or pay and play days with an off roader. Then you’ll get plenty of practice maintaining it...
Make it a kit car then the world of good value track day driving beckons too, or pay and play days with an off roader. Then you’ll get plenty of practice maintaining it...
DuraAce said:
Never too late, in fact I'd say there has never been a better time.
You tube and forums with DIY guides.
Availability of genuine workshop manuals, diagnostic and other tooling.
Availability of spare parts from multiple on line vendors.
There is so more information about stuff out there these days.
The majority of jobs will have been have been done by someone on a marque specific forum.
100%You tube and forums with DIY guides.
Availability of genuine workshop manuals, diagnostic and other tooling.
Availability of spare parts from multiple on line vendors.
There is so more information about stuff out there these days.
The majority of jobs will have been have been done by someone on a marque specific forum.
The only thing I would add is that many of the procedures documented on the web (especially on marque specific websites) tend to make everything look harder than it actually is. This may be down to the fact that the car has been bodged previously or that the instructions have been created when the author does the job for the very first time. Sometimes ego comes into play. Whilst these guides are worth looking at to get the general idea, sometimes a little bit of thought and understanding of the task will make life a lot easier.
Barring a handful of oil changes on a Rover 416 and a Ford Focus, I had never worked on cars before but in the last 2 or 3 years I have completed a huge number of jobs using only the internet as a guide.
VPXavier said:
I guess that soon I'll get an Mk5 Golf,
There's your cheap car to learn on, Golfs are easy to work on and there's a massive online following for tech information and advice. There may even be a local VW owners group near you.Interested in you background now as your in Leamington do you work at Detroit Elec?
Never too late. I started 6 years ago on my then new Peugeot 107 as I was skint and it needed servicing. I've since bought a 1998 Corolla and learning as I go. Managed to change the clutch on it with nothing more than a scaffolding pipe, floor jack and a few blocks of wood.
If I were to do it again, I would get an engine hoist. But time and money prevented me from doing that!
Good luck
If I were to do it again, I would get an engine hoist. But time and money prevented me from doing that!
Good luck
sgtBerbatov said:
Never too late. I started 6 years ago on my then new Peugeot 107 as I was skint and it needed servicing. I've since bought a 1998 Corolla and learning as I go. Managed to change the clutch on it with nothing more than a scaffolding pipe, floor jack and a few blocks of wood.
A-Team stuff 
Andy 308GTB said:
sgtBerbatov said:
Never too late. I started 6 years ago on my then new Peugeot 107 as I was skint and it needed servicing. I've since bought a 1998 Corolla and learning as I go. Managed to change the clutch on it with nothing more than a scaffolding pipe, floor jack and a few blocks of wood.
A-Team stuff sgtBerbatov said:
Andy 308GTB said:
sgtBerbatov said:
Never too late. I started 6 years ago on my then new Peugeot 107 as I was skint and it needed servicing. I've since bought a 1998 Corolla and learning as I go. Managed to change the clutch on it with nothing more than a scaffolding pipe, floor jack and a few blocks of wood.
A-Team stuff PositronicRay said:
sgtBerbatov said:
Andy 308GTB said:
sgtBerbatov said:
Never too late. I started 6 years ago on my then new Peugeot 107 as I was skint and it needed servicing. I've since bought a 1998 Corolla and learning as I go. Managed to change the clutch on it with nothing more than a scaffolding pipe, floor jack and a few blocks of wood.
A-Team stuff When I put the gearbox back on to the car, I was pulling it up with the strap and the ratchet snapped. Gearbox fell down on to the tyres under it again.
I ended up hooking what was left of the strap to the scaffolding pole, and I'd hold on to the strap while I let the floor jack down. I'd then put blocks of wood under the jack, and pump the jack back up until I couldn't do it any more. I'd then hold the strap and repeat.
I should've had help on it, but he didn't turn up until I was half way through bolting everything back on to the gearbox.
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