I serviced my own car!

[Daisygirl]

I was so proud of myself this weekend. On Saturday, instead of paying to have a maintenance done on my car, I did it myself!

I work at a shop and if we aren't busy on the weekends we are able to use a hoist. So I went in and did an oil change and tire rotation on my car. I had never done this before, just bits and pieces here and there, but it was really easy. I got seriously dirty, but I am washable.

With tax I spent $20.17 for oil, washer fluid, etc.

If I went in and paid to have everythig done by someone else it would have been $64.78!

For an hour and 45 minutes of work I saved $44!!!!

Not only that, but I felt really accomplished by doing this. I am woman, hear me roar!

[Lambie]

Wow, way to goooooooooooo!!! I'm not even sure where the dipstick is!!! Keep up the good work!!!Katy

[M55FF]

[QUOTE=Daisygirl;857347]I was so proud of myself this weekend. On Saturday, instead of paying to have a maintenance done on my car, I did it myself!

I work at a shop and if we aren't busy on the weekends we are able to use a hoist. So I went in and did an oil change and tire rotation on my car. I had never done this before, just bits and pieces here and there, but it was really easy. I got seriously dirty, but I am washable.

With tax I spent $20.17 for oil, washer fluid, etc.

If I went in and paid to have everythig done by someone else it would have been $64.78!

For an hour and 45 minutes of work I saved $44!!!!

*** congratulations on a do it yourself project.
( was wondering if oil changes cost that much putside my area? an oil change in Texas can be had for 20 dollars, with oil... so its not worth it for me to do myself but I have done it myself in the 1970's )


Now that you can do this.... you can do almost anything ! lol

[Darlene]

WTG Karen! What's the next thing you are going to do that you haven't before?

[emily_hope]

Wow, you go girl!!

[M55FF]

Last summer I took my car in for an oil change and the mechanic did something very wrong... when I left the oil light came on... so I took it back and it died right at the front door of the shop. he looked under it and turned pale....
he said... the engine was blown. I told him he would have to fix it and I ended upo getting a new engine installed by the local new car dealership. It was over 6,000 dollars.
While they were in there replacing the engine block I asked if they could replace all the belts with new ones and not charge labor since they were already taking them off ( replace with new belts and hoses) and that was a few hundred dollars in parts I had to pay out of pocket. WELL WORTH IT !!!!!!
Now I have a 9 year old car with a new engine ( and the new engine warrentee) that runs like a top and should last me until age 65 ( at least) since I'm no longer working.
BE SURE IF YOU TAKE YOUR CAR SOMEWHERE TO HAVE IT SERVICED.... YOU TAKE IT SOMEWHERE THAT CARRIES MALPRACTICE INSURANCE ( or whatever they call it for mechanics)
because they screw up sometimes and it can be costly !!!!!!

[cissylu]

girl you are awesome not every body can do that. I couldn`t. wtg

[kaykwilts]

Good for you.. Every penny you save counts.

[Edna_E]

Yay for you! I've been good at things like that since I was a kid, thanks to a father who believed that if you were going to drive a car, you should be able to maintain it and take care of minor repairs. Oddly, I did not drive until my late 20s. I am less proficient at things like elctrical and plumbing, but I get the biggest kick out of accomplishing something new like that. I think you whould reward yourself with something whenever you do it - even if it's just getting a candy bar and sitting on a park bench listening to birs sing while you eat it.

[prairiewife]

Congratulations! And isn't it a great feeling to accomplish this on your own.

When each of us children bought our first cars (back in the 70's) the first thing my father did was teach us how to work on them. My first driving lesson consisted of nothing but identifying the parts under the hood, understanding how to read the gauges and check the fluids.

Over the course of owning my first car I learned to change the tires, replace the power steering pump, the transmission, the shocks and so much more. This car was such a lemon that when my first husband asked my father's permission to marry me he said only if you promise to take the Pinto with you. I still laugh when I think of this.

Of course cars are different now and so much has to be done at a shop, but I think it's great you are learning how to do the basic maintenance yourself.