[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

That assumes that I'm foregoing billable hours to wrench...or mow my lawn, or blow snow, or split firewood, or rake leaves. But I'm not. I bill 40 to 50+ hours a week all year long except when I'm on vacation. That's about as many hours as I can work in a week and still be focused and effective. I do all the other stuff when I'm done with work, so that I can start the next day relaxed and positive and ready to work.

This is the point I like to make as well. When people compare DIY cost to a real shop cost, they don't factor in "their" business costs (G&A/Overhead operating cost). Those are things such as electricity, lighting, heat, taxes, facility space rent, computer systems, training, tools and equipment, just to name a few. Factor those things in, and the DIY savings picture gets worse. But one shouldn't factor in G&A and Overhead costs, just as they shouldn't count the monetary value their labor time when DIY'ing.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

This is the point I like to make as well. When people compare DIY cost to a real shop cost, they don't factor in "their" business costs (G&A/Overhead operating cost). Those are things such as electricity, lighting, heat, taxes, facility space rent, computer systems, training, tools and equipment, just to name a few. Factor those things in, and the DIY savings picture gets worse. But one shouldn't factor in G&A and Overhead costs, just as they shouldn't count the monetary value their labor time when DIY'ing.

I don't factor in the cost of the building or the hoist or the air compressor or any of the tools, any more than I would factor in the cost of the car itself. They're all my toys. It's play-time.

[CalAcacian]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

This is based on calculating your professional salary hourly rate times the hours it takes to complete a DIY project?

Partially, yes. It's a combo of professional time plus the value of my free time that could otherwise be spent with family. Of course, it's not a pure 1 to 1. It's not like I would be billing 100% or even 80% of the time I would be spending on my car. But I am the only one in my family who likes working on cars, and my friends who I would normally work on my car with are not in my COVID bubble.

So for me, it is a matter of prioritizing my limited free time. And, my firm is currently exceptionally busy and actively expanding. So in addition to my work, I am also taking on additional load from some of our employees while also managing all of our recruitment efforts and interviewing candidates. So my time is even more limited now than it was before.

I have a good relationship with a local shop whose work I trust, so I am confident that my car is being well taken care of.

[Biginboca]

I DIY... but I also know my limits and pain tolerance lol

When the A/C evaporator needed replacement I farmed that out to a BMW dealership tech who takes side work on the weekends. It involved taking out the whole dash and like 8 hours labor, and wasn’t a job I would enjoy. Meanwhile I did spend like 30 hours swapping the roof on my car because that was something I did enjoy the challenge of.

For the most part, I enjoy doing mods myself and would never pay someone to do those, and simple maintenance like gaskets, oil changes, spark plugs, fluids.

For a clutch or a AC Evaporator I’m seeing a shop.

[jimbobiggens]

My dad worked for Bud Moore as a Nascar mechanic in the early to mid '60s so I grew up with the roar of a 427. Dad did all his own work and I followed in his footsteps.
BMW's and Fords aren't all that much different, the BMW might have a few funny heads on some bolts but it is all just nuts and bolts.
I'm very blessed to live out in the county with plenty of space for a shop and no zoning requirements. I built a 30' x 40' shop with two rollup doors, a 30' workbench along the back wall and I have a two stage air compressor, four double-decker rollaround toolboxes and most recently, a quickjack. Love that thing.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by CalAcacian

Partially, yes. It's a combo of professional time plus the value of my free time that could otherwise be spent with family. Of course, it's not a pure 1 to 1. It's not like I would be billing 100% or even 80% of the time I would be spending on my car. But I am the only one in my family who likes working on cars, and my friends who I would normally work on my car with are not in my COVID bubble.

So for me, it is a matter of prioritizing my limited free time. And, my firm is currently exceptionally busy and actively expanding. So in addition to my work, I am also taking on additional load from some of our employees while also managing all of our recruitment efforts and interviewing candidates. So my time is even more limited now than it was before.

I have a good relationship with a local shop whose work I trust, so I am confident that my car is being well taken care of.

I understand that totally. The one thing I didn't factor in with building my dream shop was the impact of spending time with my wife. She's mentioned on many occasions she's a Garage Widow.

Well, except when I have her 23-year old E87 over there for maintenance; I can spend all frickin day on the Z3

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by jimbobiggens

My dad worked for Bud Moore as a Nascar mechanic in the early to mid '60s so I grew up with the roar of a 427. Dad did all his own work and I followed in his footsteps.
BMW's and Fords aren't all that much different, the BMW might have a few funny heads on some bolts but it is all just nuts and bolts.
I'm very blessed to live out in the county with plenty of space for a shop and no zoning requirements. I built a 30' x 40' shop with two rollup doors, a 30' workbench along the back wall and I have a two stage air compressor, four double-decker rollaround toolboxes and most recently, a quickjack. Love that thing.

What model of compressor if you don't mind sharing. And... awesome your dad was a NASCAR mechanic. That must have been great growing up in that environment.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by jimbobiggens

My dad worked for Bud Moore as a Nascar mechanic in the early to mid '60s so I grew up with the roar of a 427. Dad did all his own work and I followed in his footsteps.
BMW's and Fords aren't all that much different, the BMW might have a few funny heads on some bolts but it is all just nuts and bolts.
I'm very blessed to live out in the county with plenty of space for a shop and no zoning requirements. I built a 30' x 40' shop with two rollup doors, a 30' workbench along the back wall and I have a two stage air compressor, four double-decker rollaround toolboxes and most recently, a quickjack. Love that thing.

I've still got a Bud Moore intake manifold for a Boss 302. I've been thinking for years about building a replica/tribute of the 1970 Trans-Am Mustangs that Bud campaigned. One of the iconic and most dominant racing cars of that era. I have about 75% of the parts I need.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Biginboca

I DIY... but I also know my limits and pain tolerance lol

When the A/C evaporator needed replacement I farmed that out to a BMW dealership tech who takes side work on the weekends. It involved taking out the whole dash and like 8 hours labor, and wasn’t a job I would enjoy. Meanwhile I did spend like 30 hours swapping the roof on my car because that was something I did enjoy the challenge of.

For the most part, I enjoy doing mods myself and would never pay someone to do those, and simple maintenance like gaskets, oil changes, spark plugs, fluids.

For a clutch or a AC Evaporator I’m seeing a shop.

I have to agree about pulling the dash out. I've done the same with my '99 F150, but more because the AC system had to be opened up. I don't work on AC systems simply because the tools necessary to properly effect a repair are not worth buying for a home mechanic. The routine of having a shop evac the system, then you drive home, pull the compressor/drier, then take it back to the shop to refill is too complicated logistics-wise IMO and gives you no warranty for the work.

[wdb]

I did all my own work for years. Then I started getting busier with work and family and the value of my time was such that it made sense for me to have a shop do things. Now I'm getting to a point in my life where I am looking forward to doing my own work again. But I will probably be choosy. Somebody else can change the tires for example, but I want to be the one doing the rod bearings. That kind of thing.

[pennsiveguy]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

What model of compressor if you don't mind sharing. And... awesome your dad was a NASCAR mechanic. That must have been great growing up in that environment.

About a year ago I bought a used 5HP IR rotary screw compressor at a machinery auction. I lucked out and there was only 1 other person bidding on it. Not sure what model it is, I'm not at my shop now. The vibration and noise are significantly less than a piston-type compressor. It's a hum, rather than a jackhammer sound.

[jimbobiggens]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

What model of compressor if you don't mind sharing. And... awesome your dad was a NASCAR mechanic. That must have been great growing up in that environment.

It's a DeVilbiss model number LK6580V2. Yeah, looking back, it was pretty cool but as a kid I didn't know any better.

[jimbobiggens]

Originally Posted by pennsiveguy

I've still got a Bud Moore intake manifold for a Boss 302. I've been thinking for years about building a replica/tribute of the 1970 Trans-Am Mustangs that Bud campaigned. One of the iconic and most dominant racing cars of that era. I have about 75% of the parts I need.

That is so cool! I remember Parnelli Jones in that yellow Boss, that man could drive. Dad left Bud Moore in '66 or '67 to work for Honeywell.

[Fined]

Put me in the DIY whenever it is possible camp. I love working on my cars.

[ramman434]

Originally Posted by jimbobiggens

My dad worked for Bud Moore as a Nascar mechanic in the early to mid '60s so I grew up with the roar of a 427. Dad did all his own work and I followed in his footsteps.
BMW's and Fords aren't all that much different, the BMW might have a few funny heads on some bolts but it is all just nuts and bolts.
I'm very blessed to live out in the county with plenty of space for a shop and no zoning requirements. I built a 30' x 40' shop with two rollup doors, a 30' workbench along the back wall and I have a two stage air compressor, four double-decker rollaround toolboxes and most recently, a quickjack. Love that thing.

This looks like the garage my buddy built at his house about 12 yrs ago in Eagleville, TN (between Nash & Murfreesboro). Makes me miss having all that space living in TN. Down here in S. FL, I've got no chance of ever having enough land to build something like that, even before dealing with zoning. Would literally cost me $1M+.
Makes me wanna move back home to Nashville

[383vett]

I get satisfaction when I am able to accomplish an automotive task myself. Not only that, I know it has been done right.

[Mosaud1998]

I diy most of the things on my E90 (oil changes, filters, plugs/coils, brakes, etc). But when the time comes to do the water pump and the transmission fluid, differential fluids, and transfer case, I might have my indy do those because of the amount of mess it can cause. I'm 21 and live with my parents. I don't think they'd like the fact that I spilled transmission fluid or coolant all on the driveway or garage floor . If I had my own house and a garage, I'd for sure install a lift and DIY everything. A lift makes working on cars 10x easier.

[Popicle1989]

With little mechanical knowledge I bought a Hansen manual some equipment and tools and pulled my 118D engine out replaced timing chain all gaskets and seals was a busy week but got it all done with luk clutch and fly wheel upgrade. Also learned the hard way the gearbox needs to come out with the engine saved around £2.000 or more 🤷*♂️ car works great I drive it 100+ miles a day and now it's cold and roads are frosty it's become a power sliding lil devil love it!