If you service or fix your car - List tasks you are confident of doing yourself

[GO FURTHER]

Although my car is still under warranty, and I get the scheduled 15,000Km services done at a dealer or by a professional mechanic and the log book stamped, I still enjoy doing in-between services and minor repairs myself.

I'd love to hear from other members on what they feel comfortable doing themselves at home.
Obviously, a lot depends on your skill set, access to proper tools and equipment and if you have the time or passion.

List mechanical maintenance, service and repair tasks (excluding mods) you are confident in doing or have done to your cars if you are not a professional motor mechanic by trade.

I'll kick off....

◦ Change brake rotors / pads / flush brake fluid
◦ Adjust handbrake
◦ Change engine oil and filter
◦ Change spark plugs and coil packs
◦ Tighten manifold bolts
◦ Flush radiator and change coolant
◦ Replace or clean air filter
◦ Change differential oil, power steering fluid
◦ Replace head light bulbs / other globes / fuses
◦ Change drive belt / idler pulley
◦ Clean terminals / change battery
◦ Clean throttle body / inlet piping
◦ Replace PCV valve
◦ Scan and erase engine fault codes
◦ Replace radiator hoses
◦ Clean aircon filter
◦ Change fuel filter
◦ Check and replace wheel bearings
◦ Change windscreen wipers
◦ Replace oxygen sensors
◦ Front wheel alignment / rotate wheels
◦ Replace boot / bonnet struts






[AJ09]

I have always done my own servicing and repairs on any car I have owned, and the only repairs I won't do are those which I don't have the equipment for:
A/C Regas
Wheel Alignment
Replacing Tyres

I did pay for my Diff Bushes to be replaced last year however at the time I didn't have access to a hoist, whereas I do now.

I'm not a Motor Mechanic however I am qualified in small engines so maybe that's why I feel confident enough to have a go. And I should add the advice I have received from other members here has been great.

[Bluehoon]

Diff bushes
Ball joints
Heater shafts
Dual zone conversions
All Front / Rear suspension bushes
LPG converter stuff (low pressure side)
Trans coolers
Gaskets
Timing belts (other makes)
Centre bearings

[Stock XR]

Front & Rear brake pads & rotors
Wheel bearings/hubs
Spark plugs, coil packs
Engine oil & filter
Transmission service & diff oil
Fuel filters
Radiator, hose, Header tanker replacement & coolant flush & change
Idler pulleys & drive belt
Heater tap
The thing we haven't done was the cam synchronizer & harmonic balancer
We do just about everything else, take your time and read your workshop manuals

[Pis-ton broke]

i do all fluids
all filters and bushes, bearing.
brake service, rotors , pads rubbers.
head gaskets.
motor rebuilds
i won,t rebuild gearboxes or diffs.
panel repair, have done full resprays
have done chassis welding and panel welding, aluminum wheel welding repair (xr6 rims needed repair)
fix interior.
remove and put back in motors gearbox and diffs.
in the old days we set points, tuned carb. timing, plugs etc, all done in the back yard.

and it all started when a mechanic ripped me off when i was young, thank you sir,, ive saved thousands!

[aussiblue]

Everything - from trans rebuilds to panel and paint. No problem with skills, tools and equipment but my advancing years and declining health is starting to an adverse impact. Oh and local government's desire to prohibit it and especially things like spray painting that can have environmental air quality issues.

[Express]

Change the air freshener hanging off the rear vision mirror.

[.:4:.]

Taking things apart.... I always end up with extra nuts and things when I finish the reassemble..... thats why I get others to do anything more then an oil change (an extra plug... not really) or pads

[marty351]

Washing the car
Changing all fluids
Radiator repairs
Interior repairs or mods
Spark plugs and leads
Basic electrics
Locks.

Anything else I can blame on someone else.

[barrys123]

◦ Change brake rotors / pads / flush brake fluid
◦ Adjust handbrake
◦ Change engine oil and filter
◦ Change spark plugs and coil packs
◦ Tighten manifold bolts
◦ Flush radiator and change coolant
◦ Replace or clean air filter
◦ Change differential oil, power steering fluid
◦ Replace head light bulbs / other globes / fuses
◦ Change drive belt / idler pulley
◦ Clean terminals / change battery
◦ Clean throttle body / inlet piping
◦ Replace PCV valve
◦ Scan and erase engine fault codes
◦ Replace radiator hoses
◦ Clean aircon filter
◦ Change fuel filter
◦ Check and replace wheel bearings
◦ Change windscreen wipers
◦ Replace oxygen sensors
◦ Front wheel alignment / rotate wheels
◦ Replace boot / bonnet struts

Same as BAXRSIX except for wheel alignment and like aussiblue getting on in years 74 this month, recently fitted oil cooler and dual battery system, and service auto transmission (4 speed BTR).

[wodahs]

i am a diesel fitter by trade (was state railways) even tho I was employed in the vehicles division I worked in many divisions from rolling stock/locomotive to break down crew to small motors (ie gensets n so on) I was also put in to the retrim , body and paint shops for short terms
so generally ill do as much as possible in all areas except where my vehicles are still under warranty or I don't have the equipment to do whats needed then I have the deliver do I go out and purchase the equipment or sent the work out ( and as it turns out ive purchased some quality equipment that ive rarely used for this reason like a mig then whent and got a tig and also went and got a lathe on the same day just coz it was there at right price)

[SYZ]

Fill wiper wash bottle.
Hose down body.
Vacuum carpets.
Dust instrument cluster.
Blacken tyres.
Clean rims.
Clean windscreen.
Fill gas and petrol tanks.

—Leave everything else to my mechanic.

[Jastel]

My list will be shorter saying what I DONT do...
I pay someone to put in new windscreens.

[2011G6E]

Short list of what I won't do...

Wheel alignment...
Air con regas...
Glass replacement...
Interior trim...
Diesel or EFI stuff...
The black art of automatic gearboxes...

Older cars, I'll happily do just about everything up to and including rebuilding an engine providing I can get a crane off someone to get the motor out.

[Qwerty321]

If I have the equipment required or I get a quote so ridiculous that buying the equipment it worth it, then I'll give it a try.

So at this time I'd probably just do (or atleast attempt) anything that doesn't require jacking up or putting the car on hoists. If it can be done with the car on the ground and a fairly bog standard tool box, which pretty much limits it to just the engine, I'll give it a go.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Qwerty321

If I have the equipment required or I get a quote so ridiculous that buying the equipment it worth it, then I'll give it a try.

As I found out with my GSX1400 bike recently. Stripped the sump plug doing an oil change...fine steel thread going into an alloy sump...and asked around for a price on getting a helicoil fitted. I've done it myself on older bikes I have, but this thing is a modern piece of machinery and I wanted it done properly.
After a few eye-watering quotes...mainly all labour as the actual helicoil was only less than twenty bucks...I bit the bullet and got stuck in. Oil cooler moved forward, fumble around getting the entire exhaust off, undo about fifteen 6mm bolts holding the sump on (which undid with that heart-stopping "click!" of a small diameter steel bolt going into alloy), and took the sump into the shop to get it done.

$35 for the job. Well worth the effort.

[Madaya]

Pretty much all the OP says, but not wheel alignment.
Also, stripping down the engine or transmission is not my forte, but I have replaced gear boxes and clutches.

[aussiblue]

Yes; air con regas is something , although I have most of the gear, that I now have to get someone else to do for legal, environmental and gas access reasons. But I do have my own wheel alignment tools.

[Carrion]

I wash my car but I am thinking of outsourcing that job.

[Olbucko]

Depends on the car!
The Old Rodeo 4WD ute - Anything
The XM Falcon - Anything but the auto
The Subaru Forester - Most things, minor repairs to engine, not auto
The FGX - Very little at this stage.

Modern cars are generally too low and congested to work on without a hoist, more and more special tools are needed, and workshop manuals are expensive and difficult to get.

I last removed, rebuilt, and refitted an engine 3 years ago, don't think I want to be doing that again. All starts to get too hard as you get older.

[cheap]

Can do everything except gear boxes but I'm getting too old to be bothered crawling under a car, so I pay people to get their hands dirty. I still do basic maintenance, plugs, oil changes and my knowledge is useful keeping mechanics honest. Sucks getting old!

[The Yeti]

I'm a qualified mechanic and I CBF doing any work more than changing a flat tyre and checking levels on my daily

I'll pay some one and Malcolm and his mates can pay for part of it at the EOFY