SkullFudge

If that's what people call them I'm also a cheque book tuner although it makes no sense.

1. I don't have the mechanical skills to build an engine like Matt Clark of RCM.
2. I don't have a workshop.
3. I don't have the spare time.
4. It's not my trade.

I do the sensible thing and leave it to people who do it for a living, in the same way that if the owner of an office block who wants a new lift shaft cut out through all 16 floors would call the likes of me to do rather than take it on themselves and ***** it right up.

The Pink Ninja

iTrader: (23)

I will do as much as I can myself, because i enjoy it and wont let anyone **** with my car...There are things I won't attempt on a driveway without a ramp so that's when other people get the call, If I know how to do it I may ask to borrow a ramp, If it's cheap enough they can do it

Certain things like engine building and mapping is usually left to the people who do it day in and day out and haven't taken advice from Facebook

Fudgey

iTrader: (1)

Some good honest replies here chaps, thanks

I guess from my point of view from an early age ive always been inquisitiv and wondered how things work etc so just taken stuff apart and tried to put back together.
My first car being a mk4 escort i boight off my mum, was a 1.3l so i bought a 1.6 engine off a garage and had them fit it. I kept the 1.3, got it home and got the spanners out and stripped it down
Rebuilt it and sold it lol. Never heard back from the buyer so i guess it worked!
People think oh god, an engine etc but in reality there really isnt much too them. Yes tolereances matter etc but with time, research and a but of effortost things can be done.

Moving on a few years my last bug project was a 3-door sierra. I built and fitted a 2.0l zetec, big spec and had about 35k in the car! Titan motorsport roller barrel throttles, fully stripped and caged etc. most stuff was custom made an it was a ballache. But i got it done

Ok tools are a slight issue sometimes but ive always had a 'can do' attitude.
One of my brothers is ****ing useless at diy stuff tho, so iguess not everyone is cut out to have a go.

Aside from cars, im a year into quite a big extension on my house, before i started i thought it cant be that hard after getting some rediculous quotes.. So just got on with it and i have a **** load these last 12 months.

I do electronics for my day job lol

nyscooby

iTrader: (12)

Unrealistic poll without more options...

Ive fitted 50% of the parts to my car.... but getting a paid oil change tomorrow convenience... i could do it but dont have time....

Same with many things....

Firez34

iTrader: (5)

Invested a lot of money in tools so I use them all the time. The only thing that hasn't been off of the wagon is the petrol tank. Had a spell when I paid for work years ago and lost a lot of money in labour so I just started so spend labour money on tools instead. Things I do pay for fitted is Tyre fitting/tracking otherwise DIY all the way for me fella. Draw backs for me is it's all done on my drive in the open so if it rains I'm wet and if it snows I'm cold.

oliVeR6

I will do simple stuff (headunit, speakers, air filter and bolt on parts) but anything bigger I will get a specialist to do. Not because I can't be bothered or think I'm a flash Harry just because I'm too scared to fubar up my car by getting it wrong!!

Fudgey

iTrader: (1)

You dont know if you dont try lol.

most things arnt especially difficult, but as said, if you dont have a good range of tools then your stumped.

one of my best tools is a vacuum brake bleeder. can replace the brake fluid on a car in about 30mins, if that. but you need a compressor to run it so again, buying all the kit can get expensive

Shaid

I don't get much spare time off work and the time i do get off work i would rather spend driving the car or with my family. I've got various tools to do jobs, i've done several 'easy to medium' type jobs before but to be honest. I don't enjoy fixing cars. I hate rusty and seized bolts. I hate all the crap you get covered in when working on a car and i see no satisfaction in doing any of it myself other than standing back and saying 'yeah, that's all my work' and totally disregarding the weekend i've just thrown away.

It's just a shame that garages just can't seem to be trusted to do a job right.

scoobyman2007

iTrader: (5)

No one will work on my Scooby but me and I like it like this this is the part of doing the up grads to get your hands in and have fun

wms-racing

I had one DIY'er ask me to build an engine for them as they were far too busy, they had all the parts, it just needed assembling. Bores had rusted and needed at least +0.5 bore, block faces badley scored. Pistons were badly worn, rods were black (heat) and the crank had been re-ground, but the journals were all differnt sizes.
I don't think it would of run that well!!

swisstonihasher

Not cheque book person, started a bit that way but that's because it was under warranty. Will do all sorts bodywork items, even fitting inlet manifold and messing with exhausts, suspension, brakes, etc but cant do engine or box out as dont have the heavy gear. Also doing own tuning now, which is magic!

Dec3

DIY'R here all the way, i built my forged 2.6 ltr myself.. had engine in and out my scooby so often due to clutch troubles "the garage that removed my engine first time ripped it out" Really! they never released the clutch fork pin there for my "pull type clutch " release bearing cir-clip had came off "This cant be fixed" i tried 4 times "engine in and out" in 1 day..so New clutch.. oh well my 2.5 ran beautifully, was gutted when i put my foot on the clutch pedal and it vanished to the fwd bulkhead! Lessons learned. Pay Peanuts Expect Monkeys .. DIY all the way!

I can now remove my engine in 1 hour from driving car into garage to having engine sitting on my garage floor.

piehole1983

iTrader: (7)

I can't trust anyone to do jobs for me any more. There are some real ***** out there that either think they know what they're doing but don't or they just don't have a clue and just want to rob you.

DIY all the way. Luckily I'm an engineer and have a **** load of tools and equipment at home to use. I do all my own work, anything at all. Problem is, all my mates and family get me to do their work as well, leaving me no time for the Subaru!