Do you pay a shop to work on your car or do it yourself?

[330ci]

Was kind of curious whether anyone else here works on their own cars? NGL I don't change my own oil as it's too cheap and convenient at the quick e lube, but anything else I do myself as I just don't trust mechanics after redoing most repairs I've paid for.

The oil pump failed on my 330, destroying the engine and while I plan on building up the original block up for some boost, it was just cheaper and easier to get another engine in the meantime. I'm putting a Seemslegit upgraded racing oil pump in it, a Warner upgraded water pump, new radiator & hoses, engine & trans mounts, swapping over the valve cover and coils off my original block. Putting in new seals where necessary. Then slapping it all back together.

Having had 2 previous E46s, I've replaced everything shy of an engine on one of these and figured that this would be an easy job. While its been pretty straightforward, getting everything unhooked properly took quite a bit more time than expected. The front end came off easy enough, but a few stubborn bolts, and a header stud nut that was rounded prior to me getting under held things up far longer than expected.

My plan was to have the engine pulled Thursday, but with day lights savings time; I wasn't able to get it out until midday yesterday. Now I'm just hoping to have it all put back together by the end of the weekend -.-

I've replaced a few transmissions before, and do all my suspension and brake work; but part of me wishes I would've just let the professionals handle this one. It has definitely pushed the limits of my patience lol ��

Do you work on your own vehicles? Take them in? Where do you draw the line? I definitely am glad I get to see everything and assess the situation myself, but for the ~$2000 in labor this would have cost me, I'm not sure if this was really worth it. Fortunately, going back in should be a bit easier.

[kieselguhr]

I’ve done engine swaps but with friends who are more knowledgeable than me so they can point me in the right direction if I get stumped. I can kinda tig weld but it looks horrendous and is probably questionable integrity so I usually ask for help from the same friends if I need structural work done.

I still work the basics on my cars. Mods and maintenance. I have a quickjack so even oil changes take 5 minutes.

Nowadays if its a job that’s going to take longer than a few hours (drop trans, cherry pick the engine out, take the stupid engine apart) that’s where I call it and it would be much cheaper to just pay a shop to do it.

I don’t do any kind of body or paint work. Don’t do my own tuning.

I still have nightmares from trying to work on the wiring harness of a project car so I won’t touch that either.

[MrGoat]

I do most of my own work on my personal vehicles. If it’s her car it goes to the mechanic beyond anything less than a few hours.

Body work, painting, a/c and electrical issues are where I draw the line. I also will not tear a transmission apart.

You back home now?

Hope you can get her all put back together this weekend.


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[brandrea]

Todays cars a way beyond me in terms of the electronics and computer systems.

Besides, even if I could diagnose the problem, I’d never have the right tool and I’d be forever running off to the hardware store.

I used to work on my beetle when I was young, but those were much simpler times

[enjoythemusic]

Wow OP, that's a heck of a big job you got on your hand.

Back in the day, oh heck yes!

Did lots and lots of wrenching on the modded 308 GTS QV for road course track upgrades (uprated Brembo brakes, light/more efficient cooling, better intake, K-Jetronic serviced/installed, modern ignition system, lightweight flywheel/clutch, modded oil pan to avoid starvation, battery system, Halon...). Like anyone who has worked on 'vintage' Italian cars, it's a love hate love relationship.

Then went right to SCCA Formula 2000 racing... change gearing within the Hewland LD200 for pretty much each event, tweaking the aero, maybe changing the undertray or rear wing, changing brake pads (including safety wire), needing to mount multiple sets of tires during an event... yes it was just me... which kinda 'cured me' (more like burning out) of working on cars.

Now i just keep the dino-powered Echo lawn stuff and Honda lawn mower in top working order. Road legal cars go to the shop.

It was great turning wrenches and learned a heck of a lot along the way years ago, but today without access to an asymmetrical lift... Added benefit is that today, "Dude, I can fix it. I have an awesome set of tools." :)

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[zengineer]

Cars, motorcycles, lawn equipment, even barber's chairs....yes. Every repair is an excuse to buy more tools with the money saved.

[GB-man]

Honestly I’ve never had a car that wasn’t under warranty or service agreement so there’s never been a need to attempt it.

I use to enjoy working on my ATVs as a kid. Those were far less complex though. Change the oil, oil filter, air filter, tighten chain etc.

[1William]

I do not and have no desire to do my own repairs. I have a very limited interest and even less aptitude. I do enjoy watching people who do that work and listening to them discuss it. Most have a passion for it.

[kulak]

I have desire and aptitude but don’t have the time like I did when I was younger. It is a mental release for me to get my hands dirty and forget about my day job. I still fit it in occasionally.

If I decide to retire, a shop with a lift on the property to work on projects is appealing.

[East Bay Rider]

Used to but now mostly due to physical limitations I no longer can bend over a car/bike or crawl around underneath.
Just yesterday I paid to have the steering shaft in my truck replaced. Five years ago I'd have fixed that before lunch.

[rolexpatek363]

I pay a garage, life's too short.

[mailman]

I used to work in an auto body repair shop. Back then I worked on my own stuff. It’s been a while since I had a vehicle that wasn’t under warranty so there isn’t any reason to now. I still do what needs to be done on my lawn tractor, push mower and simple stuff on my motorcycle if needed.

[DLRIDES]

Build all, repair all. Complete chassis, complete car builds, repair modern sports cars, to fabricate my own flatbeds, with several motorcycle builds thrown in. I must admit, prefer the fabrication more, and consider repairs a pain in the a** ! The recent electronic/electrical advances have surpassed my desire to learn them, I’ll just do the mechanical repairs going forward.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Wow OP, that's a heck of a big job you got on your hand.

Back in the day, oh heck yes!

Did lots and lots of wrenching on the modded 308 GTS QV for road course track upgrades (uprated Brembo brakes, light/more efficient cooling, better intake, K-Jetronic serviced/installed, modern ignition system, lightweight flywheel/clutch, modded oil pan to avoid starvation, battery system, Halon...). Like anyone who has worked on 'vintage' Italian cars, it's a love hate love relationship.

Then went right to SCCA Formula 2000 racing... change gearing within the Hewland LD200 for pretty much each event, tweaking the aero, maybe changing the undertray or rear wing, changing brake pads (including safety wire), needing to mount multiple sets of tires during an event... yes it was just me... which kinda 'cured me' (more like burning out) of working on cars.

Now i just keep the dino-powered Echo lawn stuff and Honda lawn mower in top working order. Road legal cars go to the shop.

It was great turning wrenches and learned a heck of a lot along the way years ago, but today without access to an asymmetrical lift... Added benefit is that today, "Dude, I can fix it. I have an awesome set of tools." :)

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I imagine owning/racing/maintaining the 308 was quite the experience. I love the idea of racing; but even the Miata/E46 classes are far out of my disposable income bracket. A vintage Ferrari would be a bit of a dream though, I can only imagine how thrilling the engine sounds opening up on a straight away.

I'm in the process of finding a piece of property to build a pole barn with a few lifts and a small house on so I can wrench a bit more. Its definitely rewarding, but wish I had a covered/warmer space to work in.

I definitely wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of wrenching during racing; I have a friend who does it and builds wiring harnesses for high end race cars/is an engineer at GM. His abilities blow my mind when I see him at work. One time he told me to go grab a 12 pack when we were doing plugs and coils on my Grand Marquise, and he had them done in the 10 minutes I was gone. I definitely take my time, and consult manuals far too much lol I try to enjoy the process as much as can be had.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by MrGoat

I do most of my own work on my personal vehicles. If it’s her car it goes to the mechanic beyond anything less than a few hours.

Body work, painting, a/c and electrical issues are where I draw the line. I also will not tear a transmission apart.

You back home now?

Hope you can get her all put back together this weekend.


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Yeah, had enough of the circus in SC, night before I started with my new foreman, he told me he did dope and proceeded to snort a line in front of me as we were heading into our hotel from dinner, then dropped a m37+ pipe on the way in.


I packed my bags and ubered to Myrtle Beach first thing the next morning, biked down the beach for a day and tried out some local eats while enjoying $75/night rooms right on the water. Then hopped on the first flight out the next day and came home, relisted everything on ebay, and have done my best to forget that it all happened. Still have to contact all the labor boards and try to recoup the leftover money. Pretty sure the contractor that keeps shafting everyone is still working the job with crew 3 or 4 at this point.

Then come home to this BS

Once this car is running I'm going somewhere sunny


I had a feeling you did a bit of work of your own, I feel like anyone who owns a deuce and a half knows a thing or two about a thing or two xD

[East Bay Rider]

Originally Posted by 330ci

...I'm in the process of finding a piece of property to build a pole barn with a few lifts and a small house on so I can wrench a bit more. Its definitely rewarding, but wish I had a covered/warmer space to work in.

I always say that if left to my own devices I would build a pole barn (with amenities) and simply park a camper inside to sleep in. Fill the rest of the space with a lift, workbench, hot rods and motorcycles. Plenty of warm space to hang out with my dog.
My wife wants nothing to do with that idea so we live in a house.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by zengineer

Cars, motorcycles, lawn equipment, even barber's chairs....yes. Every repair is an excuse to buy more tools with the money saved.

Honestly, purchasing this cheap ass engine lift brought me far more satisfaction than I ever anticipated. I hid all the nuts and bolts on the inside of the beams wherever possible to keep it nice and clean. Then I was just thinking about how I could find a car that isn't a cheap POS to fix up and it would be a more worthwhile experience 🤣

It got to the point where I didn't know what to do with her, the shops all wanted 5-7k using a used engine without any other parts. Cars worth 5-6k. Couldn't find anyone who wanted to take on the project themselves, I didn't want to part the car out as it seemed like it would be a bit of a shame. So here I am xD

Between the engine, and all the other parts and tools, it's cost about $3k. Definitely some decent savings and I really don't know what they would've charged for the radiator, water pump, oil pump, etc.

You definitely have a dream set up, whats hiding under the dust cover?

[330ci]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Build all, repair all. Complete chassis, complete car builds, repair modern sports cars, to fabricate my own flatbeds, with several motorcycle builds thrown in. I must admit, prefer the fabrication more, and consider repairs a pain in the a** ! The recent electronic/electrical advances have surpassed my desire to learn them, I’ll just do the mechanical repairs going forward.

Dream builds in a dream garage!

I definitely hear ya on the fabrication aspect, anytime I build a tool or something to use in my daily life that I couldn't find off the shelf it breeds a sense of accomplishment that few other things provide. Eventually I want to start small scale production of boutique bike brakes, pedals, bells, racks, levers and potentially hubs.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

I’ve done engine swaps but with friends who are more knowledgeable than me so they can point me in the right direction if I get stumped. I can kinda tig weld but it looks horrendous and is probably questionable integrity so I usually ask for help from the same friends if I need structural work done.

I still work the basics on my cars. Mods and maintenance. I have a quickjack so even oil changes take 5 minutes.

Nowadays if its a job that’s going to take longer than a few hours (drop trans, cherry pick the engine out, take the stupid engine apart) that’s where I call it and it would be much cheaper to just pay a shop to do it.

I don’t do any kind of body or paint work. Don’t do my own tuning.

I still have nightmares from trying to work on the wiring harness of a project car so I won’t touch that either.

I think you have a pretty good outlook on things.

I probably need to adopt the 4 hr rule.

Wiring problems are the worst. I had to redo part of the wiring harness on my Mustang that wiped out the battery and alternator in the process of failure. When I finally got the car working after replacing the crumbling main power line I was rather ecstatic. Made sense why I got it so cheap after, but also was kind of funny as it wasn't a major issue at all and I got the car for less than dealer wholesale at the time.

I wish I would have asked for help on this one, but now that she's out, I think I have a pretty good plan to get it all back in. Hopefully no more problems.

[Widows Son]

Back in the day I used to do my own oil changes and simple stuff. Not anymore. My wife and I now drive so little, we barely put 5-10,000 miles a year on our two cars. They go in at least once a year to a local shop whom I trust. I drop it off and it's done the next day.

I have an antique car a friend works on, and my Harley goes to the dealer.

I change the oil and filters on my garden tractor and walk behind Toro.

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by 330ci

Honestly, purchasing this cheap ass engine lift brought me far more satisfaction than I ever anticipated. I hid all the nuts and bolts on the inside of the beams wherever possible to keep it nice and clean. Then I was just thinking about how I could find a car that isn't a cheap POS to fix up and it would be a more worthwhile experience



It got to the point where I didn't know what to do with her, the shops all wanted 5-7k using a used engine without any other parts. Cars worth 5-6k. Couldn't find anyone who wanted to take on the project themselves, I didn't want to part the car out as it seemed like it would be a bit of a shame. So here I am xD



Between the engine, and all the other parts and tools, it's cost about $3k. Definitely some decent savings and I really don't know what they would've charged for the radiator, water pump, oil pump, etc.



You definitely have a dream set up, whats hiding under the dust cover?

Just my Summer fun car, 2017 44i convertible. It's AWD but lowered to RWD height with a few go fast engine mods. My daily driver pickup truck and the wife's vehicle are usually new enough to be under warranty but there's still oil changes, brakes and any mods to keep me occupied. I enjoy the time spent in the garage but I understand those who see it as a burden best left to real mechanics. I may retire soon and take on a restoration of something interesting.
I don't really need the engine lift often but using it to install the 4 post lift myself funded it's purchase along with some nice lightweight ramps.

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[330ci]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

I always say that if left to my own devices I would build a pole barn (with amenities) and simply park a camper inside to sleep in. Fill the rest of the space with a lift, workbench, hot rods and motorcycles. Plenty of warm space to hang out with my dog.
My wife wants nothing to do with that idea so we live in a house.

I have a 2006 BMW k1200S that I bought off Copart because it was a pretty clean stolen recovery and I wanted to put it in the living room as a piece of artwork. My ex lost her composure at the proposal and I've had this thing in storage for close to 4 years or something at this point. Never wanted to ride it or anything, just thought it was beautiful and that a 167hp sports bike would be cool to own. She didn't understand. Totally want to battle out at this point. I'm single, and will likely stay that way judging by my living quarter plans and most womens lack of desire to live in a man cave; but YOLO

[330ci]

Originally Posted by zengineer

Just my Summer fun car, 2017 44i convertible. It's AWD but lowered to RWD height with a few go fast engine mods. My daily driver pickup truck and the wife's vehicle are usually new enough to be under warranty but there's still oil changes, brakes and any mods to keep me occupied. I enjoy the time spent in the garage but I understand those who see it as a burden best left to real mechanics. I may retire soon and take on a restoration of something interesting.

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That car looks as fabulous as that brick work! How's she like the Michigan winters? I had a 330xi with a 6 speed manual and I miss that car dearly, seems like the perfect Michigan coupe if you do run it year round.

I feel like this is a light restoration in a way. This thing was going to be parted out and scrapped otherwise. I imagine I'll get 50-100k problemish free miles out of her after this. Hopefully the car market cools off a bit by then, as Mustang prices have gotten a bit absurd over the past few years.

My taste in cars is so wide spread id have a hard time deciding what to build as a project. The modern drive train options really have opened up the world of resto modding though



Update: just saw the lift photos.... that is so cool! Never would imagine that hiding in there.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by East Bay Rider

Used to but now mostly due to physical limitations I no longer can bend over a car/bike or crawl around underneath.
Just yesterday I paid to have the steering shaft in my truck replaced. Five years ago I'd have fixed that before lunch.

The shaft that connects your steering wheel to your rack went bad?

That is kinda wild 😳

I was surprised to see a rubber guibo connecting mine on the BMW

[Stud Screw]

If it is something you enjoy, then by all means do it.

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by 330ci

That car looks as fabulous as that brick work! How's she like the Michigan winters? I had a 330xi with a 6 speed manual and I miss that car dearly, seems like the perfect Michigan coupe if you do run it year round.

I feel like this is a light restoration in a way. This thing was going to be parted out and scrapped otherwise. I imagine I'll get 50-100k problemish free miles out of her after this. Hopefully the car market cools off a bit by then, as Mustang prices have gotten a bit absurd over the past few years.

My taste in cars is so wide spread id have a hard time deciding what to build as a project. The modern drive train options really have opened up the world of resto modding though

I had a 1999 and a 2000 (2001?) E46, great road cars and with a few suspension bushings can feel like new way beyond 100k miles. I don't drive the 440 in winter but did the E46's. I originally planned to drive the 440 year round and got the x-drive but ended up I prefer my truck in winter so the car now has summer only non run flats and after 6 summers only has 16k miles. I took delivery in Germany and was able to drive it around Europe for a week.

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[BNA/LION]

Nice work OP!

I just take my car to the dealer. I used to like to work on them but found it easier to drop it off and pay the bill.

[Cougar1968]

Used to do it myself when I made more time than money… now it’s the opposite ��

[Chewbacca]

My help makes an appointment for my cars (I have many) because Rolex investors should not waste time on broken cars.

[Blansky]

Not anymore. But WAY back I did an engine swap and transmission repair on a car I had.

I just hate it though when you're all done and there are a couple of pieces left over.