Doing Everything Yourself

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by bankrobber

WTF?
If you have a question on DIY ask it. Making a speech about how you dont wantt to work on your car in the DIY section makes no sense. Probably should have been in a discussion section. Just sayin....

It WAS in the discussion forum, but was moved here. If you don't like it, kick it back!

[chrisj]

@KCALB - lol!

But yeah, my original post was partly about DIY and partly about NDIY (Never Do It Yourself). Probably was in the wrong section.

[suckerface]

Good post Chris, and I, too, commend you for knowing your limitations. I'm an IT major as well, and when it comes to network cabling/troubleshooting, or ANY PC Hardware/software issue, put a blindfold on me and I'll still have it fixed within a few hours.

However, due to having "inherited" a run-down '96 Passat, I forced myself to learn about cars because I didn't have the money to have a shop do the work. Granted, there wasn't much that I could do to it to make it any worse off, so even if my experiments and work failed, I wouldn't have been set any further back.

Fast forward to today and the replacement car (<3 '08 MT HB) and I'm more willing to get my hands dirty. Fortunately, I happen to have two good friends, one who's been an installer for Best Buy for many years, and the other a Toyota mechanic for even longer. It makes it easier to have those around to help you see and understand what it is you want done. My head unit install, for example, took all of 20 min, and realistically, I could have done it myself.

Also, I do have to give props to the Yaris community. The DIY that many people have posted both on here and MI have been very concise and easy to follow with pictures, and the stories I've read about people getting stuck and other members calling/PM them to walk them through their project just gives me that much more encouragement.

So, Chris, I'd encourage you to at least ask the shop if you can observe their work, you might surprise yourself at just how confident you'll find yourself after seeing how easy some work can be, and I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

[why?]

Good posts. I didn't even try to install my hu and sub myself, i took it to someone who knew what they were doing.

There will always be stupid people, and you just need to tell them what you think about them, that will generally shut them up.

Knowing your own limits, especially with cars, is a good thing. To me, my car is my lifeblood, and if i screw it up I am in deep trouble. I'd rather pay someone else and make sure it is done correctly quickly, than take the time (years) and who knows how much money in tools to try and figure it out myself.

I might learn how to do more in the future myself. But man, those tools are expensive.

[sleey0]

Wow. Bunch of IT guys here!

I am in IT myself but I love working on my car. I am a complete n00b but there is one way, and one way only, to learn.

That is to get dirty and do it.

Suit yourself, fellas!!

[jpmck03]

Originally Posted by sleey0

Wow. Bunch of IT guys here!

I am in IT myself but I love working on my car. I am a complete n00b but there is one way, and one way only, to learn...

...and I'm going to be going back to school soon for computer science soon. I must be in good company here at YW!

And to everyone else here:



This is one damn good thread. I was reading some petty bickering in some threads here a few days ago and was thinking of being a little less active on the forum, but I think I've changed my mind!