follow ft86club on our blog, twitter or facebook.
FT86CLUB
Ft86Club
Speed By Design
Register Garage Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB > Off-Topic Discussions > Other Vehicles & General Automotive Discussions

Other Vehicles & General Automotive Discussions Discuss all other cars and automotive news here.


User Tag List

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-29-2014, 02:57 AM   #1
ZionsWrath
Thanks
 
ZionsWrath's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Drives: BRZ
Location: NY
Posts: 4,163
Thanks: 5,989
Thanked 3,100 Times in 1,498 Posts
Mentioned: 38 Post(s)
Tagged: 3 Thread(s)
Why so few DIYers

I find very few people are interested in working on their vehicles. Physical limitations and workspace constraints aside, what is the reason?

I consider myself to make a decent middle class wage but my hourly pay is not even half of the hourly labor rate for a shop. To me that means it is worth my time to fix my own car when i can. Why are so many opposed to it and refuse to even try when it is suggested?
__________________
ZionsWrath is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to ZionsWrath For This Useful Post:
86-tundra (05-06-2014), Rampage (02-09-2019)
Old 04-29-2014, 03:14 AM   #2
serialk11r
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Drives: '06 AM V8V Coupe
Location: United States of America
Posts: 5,279
Thanks: 285
Thanked 1,074 Times in 759 Posts
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Garage
I dunno for me it's tools and space, if I had a high paying job and all that I'd try to do as much work on my car as possible. However being an avid DIYer in general, I know that my craftsmanship...is somewhat lacking LOL. Stuff I toss together never looks pretty and is often not functional either, which is an argument for letting someone else do the work.
serialk11r is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to serialk11r For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:20 AM   #3
dem00n
Member of the year - 2016
 
dem00n's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Drives: Scion FRS
Location: New York
Posts: 3,575
Thanks: 788
Thanked 2,427 Times in 1,111 Posts
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Time
Tools
Money
Has family
Some people aren't interested, they might like cars but don't care for the mechanical side of it. Though that might be the difference from someone whose into cars and someone whose a gearhead.

A lot of people are afraid as well. I say if you don't trust your self putting a picture frame on a wall, then don't touch a car.
__________________
Friends don't let friends Plastidip
dem00n is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to dem00n For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:30 AM   #4
airjonny
Senior Member
 
airjonny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Drives: Nissan Murano
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posts: 491
Thanks: 505
Thanked 340 Times in 185 Posts
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Some may be intimidated. Rightfully so if they own new euro cars with all the tech inside them.
airjonny is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to airjonny For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:34 AM   #5
BRZZZZZZZZZZ
Car Nut
 
BRZZZZZZZZZZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Drives: BMW 335d, Toyota Echo RS, FRS
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,557
Thanks: 368
Thanked 603 Times in 346 Posts
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Laziness, even though I have an automotive degree and almost every tool known to man, sometimes I just don't want to work on my car. Usually I end up doing it anyway since I am a cheap bastard though.
BRZZZZZZZZZZ is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to BRZZZZZZZZZZ For This Useful Post:
JohnJuan (02-11-2019), SirBrass (04-29-2014), ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:34 AM   #6
cnk
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Drives: '13 DGM BRZ Limited
Location: NJ
Posts: 1,201
Thanks: 59
Thanked 547 Times in 339 Posts
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
I think a lot of it has to do with lack of resources as stated above, i.e. time, space, tools, etc. But I would also say that a large part of it is fear. Fear of doing something wrong, breaking something, running into a problem (seized nut, cross threaded nuts, etc.). It takes a certain mentality to be a DIYer in anything and not everyone can even if they want to. Some people are good with their hands and using tools. Some are not so they pay to have things done. This applies to anything DIY, not just cars.
cnk is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to cnk For This Useful Post:
airjonny (04-29-2014), Annahra (04-29-2014), why? (02-11-2019), ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:43 AM   #7
neutron256
Senior Member
 
neutron256's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Drives: '13 GBS Subaru BRZ
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 2,030
Thanks: 680
Thanked 664 Times in 382 Posts
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
I personally think with this car there are lots of DIYers. It just depends on what level, and what resources are available. Some might just be comfortable doing an oil change, others might be cool with installing an FI system.

The DIY section on the forum is an amazing resource. I'm rarely one to shy away from a project, but with the detailed instructions found here I can take on most projects with confidence.
__________________
-Fortes fortuna adiuvat (Fortune favors the bold)
neutron256 is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to neutron256 For This Useful Post:
SirBrass (04-29-2014), ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:44 AM   #8
Diode Dynamics
 
Diode Dynamics's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 2,770
Thanks: 1,503
Thanked 1,761 Times in 877 Posts
Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 5 Thread(s)
The biggest reasons why I imagine people don't do less DIYs

1. Lack of tools. Seriously. What if I need to weld something?

2. No Garage....

3. Cost of convenience vs. personal satisfaction of knowing you installed it yourself. Sometimes the back pain and shoulder pain (arthritis) make it worth the extra few bucks to have it done

4. Skill, there are some jobs that you shouldn't tackle without having help or a great amount of resources around you. It's pretty silly to consider doing your own motor swap if you don't know if you have everything needed for a full swap, or how to figure things out like gauge cluster swaps

5. Newers cars have more electronics now that require specialized equipment to work on

I love working on my car, but I hate not having the proper tools to make the job easier. I'll do the easy bits without help like exhaust, but I'll take it to a friend's shop and have them help for tricky stuff.

Sometimes it's better to pay to have it done right IMO

Nick C.
__________________
John C.
Diode Dynamics
Follow Us: FB // IG // YT // TikTok
Diode Dynamics is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Diode Dynamics For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:47 AM   #9
Model Citizen
Lacking brains
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Drives: frz
Location: Ma
Posts: 730
Thanks: 180
Thanked 825 Times in 328 Posts
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
thanks to places like harbor freight, not having tools is far from a legit argument when the standard auto labor rate is around $100 an hour.
Model Citizen is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Model Citizen For This Useful Post:
86-tundra (05-06-2014), Lav (02-11-2019), ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:54 AM   #10
stugray
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Drives: 2013 GBS BRZ Limited
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,925
Thanks: 627
Thanked 1,445 Times in 711 Posts
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
One reason I see: These cars are so new that most of them are under warranty.

Why would we fix something that the dealer can do for free while risking screwing something up and voiding our warranty.
I even choose to let the dealer do the oil changes and scheduled maintenance because it then goes into their records.

Now installing aftermarket parts is a different story.
stugray is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to stugray For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 09:57 AM   #11
Burrcold
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Drives: Subaru BRZ Limited
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,624
Thanks: 763
Thanked 1,586 Times in 776 Posts
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
I have a job, a house to maintain, a wife to maintain, and two young girls. I simply don't have the time.
__________________
Burrcold is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Burrcold For This Useful Post:
n2oinferno (04-29-2014), tmcmullins (04-29-2014), ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 11:24 AM   #12
Annahra
Senior Member
 
Annahra's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Drives: 2014 WRB BRZ LTD
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 398
Thanks: 448
Thanked 291 Times in 140 Posts
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
There's a certain amount of risk I'm willing to take on myself without guidance. Installing a new HD on my $1000 laptop, sure. Removing the bumper from my $28,000 car, no.

I would do more if I had friends/family nearby who could give me guidance, but my dad is really the only car guy I know and he's four states away.

I'm also a perfectionist, and I need things to come out EXACTLY RIGHT.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
Annahra is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Annahra For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 11:35 AM   #13
wheelhaus
 
wheelhaus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Drives: 2013 BRZ, 2020 KTM Super Duke 1290R
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,788
Thanks: 714
Thanked 1,140 Times in 624 Posts
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
I'm a big DIYer and really prefer to figure out everything myself unless it's something requiring specialty tools or an engine lift I don't have room.
wheelhaus is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to wheelhaus For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
Old 04-29-2014, 11:57 AM   #14
gramicci101
Off Topic
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Drives: 2014 Subaru BRZ Limited
Location: Vegas, baby!
Posts: 4,610
Thanks: 2,369
Thanked 4,243 Times in 2,170 Posts
Mentioned: 43 Post(s)
Tagged: 3 Thread(s)
Well, since my base auto hobby shop is closed, I have to buy all the tools needed to change my oil in my garage. And I might as well buy stuff that will last me, since I'll need to do all my maintenance in my garage. Oh, and a decent floor jack and jack stands, since I can't use the lifts at the hobby shop anymore. That's a decent sum of money just to change my oil. If I want to do anything specialized like pulling bearings or seals, that's more tools I need to buy. If I strip a bolt out, I need a tap set or helicoils. I probably ought to have those before I start working, because I won't be able to go out and get them if my suspension is hanging off the car. Some easy-outs, too.

DIY is expensive.
gramicci101 is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to gramicci101 For This Useful Post:
ZionsWrath (04-29-2014)
 
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:27 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Garage vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.