I try to do most work myself...and than I have mechanic who lets me use his shop when I can't do stuff out on the street...

 

I try to do anything that i can, but its kind of hard since i don't have a car so i work on mom's or dad's car when it breaks. I know that when i get my car i will do pretty much all the work especially if don't need it to get to school. I also wouldn't touch a transmission, but anything else i would give a shot.

 

<--- will be touching a transmission next week....may be even dropping it on the floor....

 

I shouldn't say that i would never touch a transmission. I've changed a gasket on the shift mechanism on an automatic trans once. I've changed the filter and gasket on an auto trans twice. As far as playing with the internals of a trans (gears, clutches, valves) i don't think i would try getting myself that deep.

 

I take a practical approach myself. Since I have at one time or another done about everything in the way of repairs I really don't need the experience. I take it to the shop for brakes and exhaust. I can have that done for about the same as it would cost me to do it. Everything else I do myself. An engine or transmission, I'll pull it,take everything off that is not part of the problem,drop off the block or tranny at a shop,let them do the work then I put it back together. That seems the most practicle thing for me. everything else is pretty straightforward with a shop manual. I guess it boils down to if you have the time or not.

 

I get where your are coming from with the brake job thing, but here is how i see it. If you are doing it so that its easier but you don't spend too much on labor, most likely you are gonna take it to a "quick lube" place. I wouldn't take my car to a place like Sears Auto Center to have the brakes changed. The guys working there are pretty much teens just like myself (prolly less experiance and knowledge). I will prolly do a much better job working on my own car, because i will do the absoulte best job possible (i would do a good job on any1's car) and not try to rush through it. The guy at Sears doesn't care about my car, he jus wants to get it done. Will he do a half *** job? Maybe. Thats a chance i don't want to take. And a brake job costs about $70.00 (i've never paid for one). For $70.00 i could good parts and still put some money in my pocket.

 

im with DCA and agent of darkness. i dont dink around with the tranny internals.

 

I do the basics like brake jobs, radiator, hose, belt replacements, some minor electrical, and small parts swap bad out for good part etc. But I don't mess with any of the internals. If I get hung up on symptoms, I'll call around and try to fix it myself, if I feel it's beyond my capacity, I'll hand it over to the "pros".

 

I do almost all my work for my self since thats what I do for a living.Like I take my car to friends in a certain expertise and we do it together like welding and such.

 

Watch yer toes they are FREAKIN" HEAVY
!!!!!