Topic: Why I prefer to do things myself

[eigenvector]

As an engineer I generally assume that any professional business would be competent at what they do.  Seems like every time I test that theory I get burned.  Generally, I do my own work because I find that so-called professionals aren't.  Maybe this is why certain shops and businesses are booked so solidly - they're the only competent people for what they do and everyone knows it.

My truck's paint job.
I was not expecting a Rembrant, this is a work truck not a show truck.  That said, every time I look at it I find yet another amateur mistake that no professional shop should have let go.  This was not a fly-by-night either, by all rights they were perfectly reputable.  Had I just painted the truck myself - it would have take a lot longer, but unlike the hacks that did my truck I would have gotten it right.  Next time I need to get a vehicle painted - I'll do it myself.

Brake job on my truck.
My truck has 200k miles on it.  I took it to the dealer to have it inspected, serviced.  The dealer recommended a complete brake job - master cylinder and booster given the age on the units.  I had no issue with that and expected it.
Gave it back to me - they misadjusted the booster and didn't bleed the brakes properly.  What kind of a dealer screws up something that simple?  Again - had I just done it myself I could have finished it sooner, cheaper, and did it right.

In both cases I took it to an "expert" because I felt that they could do a far superior job than I could ever do - I'm always proven wrong.  It's why I don't trust handymen, service guys, plumbers, electricians, or tradesmen in general.  High price for inferior work.  Competence should be the norm - instead it's the exception.

[jgger]

I hear ya! When I was a wee lad back in the 60's I took my CL72 to the local Honda dealer to do a top end job. Being a stooped kid I managed to blow it up again, not having much money I said "I can do it myself". When I pulled the head I found that they had put 1 flat top piston and 1 domed, boy was I pissed! Got a free set of pistons and rings out of the deal and lost my faith in "professional" mechanics.

I now do as much as I can to this day and have taught my son the right way to do things too. It's very satisfying.

[Steve F]

There are always "professionals", but rarely "Experts".  Choose wisely.

[calj737]

Brake job on my truck.
My truck has 200k miles on it.  I took it to the dealer to have it inspected, serviced.  The dealer recommended a complete brake job - master cylinder and booster given the age on the units.  I had no issue with that and expected it.
Gave it back to me - they misadjusted the booster and didn't bleed the brakes properly.  What kind of a dealer screws up something that simple?  Again - had I just done it myself I could have finished it sooner, cheaper, and did it right.

200K miles doesn't necessitate a change in components at all. What you should do annually is to purge all the fluid and change it. Inspect your fluid and whenever it is no longer "clear", purge and refill it. The moisture accumulating rusts the internal components and the brake lines (if carbon steel) until you have to replace those (now that job really SUCKS).

Also, if equipped with ABS, unless they used a scanner/programmer to cycle the ABS module when fully purging the fluid, there will be some amount of fluid trapped within which then contaminates your fresh fluid. That leads to a crappy pedal also.

Why do things yourself? Because you can't hire anyone, to do anything, for any amount of money, anymore. They whine about having no money, no work, but are too damn busy to take a job/project and do it right. Fcuk'em! Like you, I'll do it myself. It will take longer but it will be done properly for less money.

[madmtnmotors]

I don't trust handymen, service guys, plumbers, electricians, or tradesmen in general.  High price for inferior work.  Competence should be the norm - instead it's the exception.

Why do things yourself? Because you can't hire anyone, to do anything, for any amount of money, anymore. They whine about having no money, no work, but are too damn busy to take a job/project and do it right. Fcuk'em! Like you, I'll do it myself. It will take longer but it will be done properly for less money.

Amen to both. You can't even get a set of tires installed properly anymore since the wrench monkeys just lean on the impact wrench when installing the wheels to the point that I have to use a 3 foot pipe on my 2 foot breaker bar just to get the lugs loose. I had one shop crank them down so tight that the steel rim was actually distorted. I know this because on the ride home, after having a set of fresh tires installed on my truck, there was a new vibration up front that wasn't there before. After loosening the lugs (with the aforementioned extension on the breaker bar) and re-torqueing to spec the vibration went away. It always feels like I'm going to break a wheel stud just trying to get them loose. 

Now I just carry the wheels in, have tires mounted on the wheel and balanced, then I carry them home and install them on the vehicle myself. Occasionally I carry the tires home and even mount them on the wheel myself. 

I am not comfortable leaving my vehicle with anybody anymore. If I had to pay somebody to maintain my truck/car/motorcycle/boat I wouldn't be able to afford to keep any of them...

[Stev-o]

As a project manager, I see this all to often - there is no pride in workmanship these days.  Workers just want to carelessly get the job asap, no matter how the job turns out.

Cant believe you brought your vehicle to a dealer to get a brake job!
I typically only go there for recalls or warranty work.

[CycleRanger]

You guys all sound old! 


And I'm right there with ya'! 
I do everything myself 'cause I'm cheeeep.

But as someone once said "A man's got to know his limitations."
For example last year I hired professionals to repair my septic system because I wasn't going to dig up 20 feet of drain line myself.
They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

[Stev-o]

They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

Seems this is the best route to go when having something done.

[CycleRanger]

They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

Seems this is the best route to go when having something done.

Yeah, and PVC isn't exactly rocket science.  But the guy running the excavator was an artist!

[calj737]

For example last year I hired professionals to repair my septic system because I wasn't going to dig up 20 feet of drain line myself.
They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

Some things you have to hire out due to certifications. Septic would be one of "those" things as would be running heavy equipment.

[CycleRanger]

For example last year I hired professionals to repair my septic system because I wasn't going to dig up 20 feet of drain line myself.
They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

Some things you have to hire out due to certifications. Septic would be one of "those" things as would be running heavy equipment.

Well, in my case I could have legally done it myself, but in most cases you are correct.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Then you have to deal with the aftermath. That's probably worse.

[Steve F]

They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

Seems this is the best route to go when having something done.

Yeah, and PVC isn't exactly rocket science.  But the guy running the excavator was an artist!

Maybe Eigenvector should hire this guy to paint his truck?

[CycleRanger]

They did an excellent job. I know this because I watched them every second of the job....

Seems this is the best route to go when having something done.

Yeah, and PVC isn't exactly rocket science.  But the guy running the excavator was an artist!

Maybe Eigenvector should hire this guy to paint his truck?

Well, only if he wants to give it a decent burial. 

I have my own bodyshop/paint nightmare story that I won't repeat here but let's just say I chose poorly.

[calj737]

Some things you have to hire out due to certifications. Septic would be one of "those" things as would be running heavy equipment.

Well, in my case I could have legally done it myself, but in most cases you are correct.

Is that to say you're certified to plumb sh!te? Or run an excavator? 

[CycleRanger]

Some things you have to hire out due to certifications. Septic would be one of "those" things as would be running heavy equipment.

Well, in my case I could have legally done it myself, but in most cases you are correct.

Is that to say you're certified to plumb sh!te? Or run an excavator? 

Nope, only that I live in an unincorporated area and my no one can see my backyard except google earth.   
What happens in the back yard stays in the back yard....hopefully. 

[BomberMann650]

As a project manager, I see this all to often - there is no pride in workmanship these days.  Workers just want to carelessly get the job asap, no matter how the job turns out.

I could debate you on this.
A young, hopeful, and enthusiastic me USED to practice great diligence and detail in my work efforts.
Then I got a job working for someone else.
They told me to cut corners
They told me to hurry the hell up
They told me to ignore the details
They told me not to take initiative
They told me quantity was all that mattered
They told me to Make the most money for the least effort.

Then they still tell me I was doing it wrong and fire me.

These were baby boomers that told this millenial what to do.
So i have zero sympathy when they complain about "the younger generation is so (blah blah blah)"

[edwardmorris]

As a project manager, I see this all to often - there is no pride in workmanship these days.  Workers just want to carelessly get the job asap, no matter how the job turns out.

I could debate you on this.
A young, hopeful, and enthusiastic me USED to practice great diligence and detail in my work efforts.
Then I got a job working for someone else.
They told me to cut corners
They told me to hurry the hell up
They told me to ignore the details
They told me not to take initiative
They told me quantity was all that mattered
They told me to Make the most money for the least effort.

Then they still tell me I was doing it wrong and fire me.

These were baby boomers that told this millenial what to do.
So i have zero sympathy when they complain about "the younger generation is so (blah blah blah)"

A project manager some years back tried to pull this #$%* on us, thankfully our team lead got his ass fired. I can see PMs policing contractors who slack off to rack up the hours, but their crap just doesn't fly with full time guys who are overworked to begin with.

Speaking of wanting to do stuff yourself, DaveZ recently posted a horror story on FB where a shop/someone had broken off the threaded end of a spark plug and packed it with gobs of silicone to replace a lost oil pan bolt on a car Just WTF is wrong with some ppl?

[eigenvector]

Well to answer some questions.
I didn't take the truck to the dealer to get the brakes done.  I took it to the dealer because at 200k miles I figured something needed to be serviced - valves, U-joint, etc...  I needed them to evaluate the condition of the vehicle and suggest.  I knew two things going in - that the front caliper was sticking (discovered that when I did the pads, rotors, bearings, and flushed the brakes), and that the fluid in power steering pump was roasted and down and I suspected the pump was leaking.

The blank look they gave me when I asked them to give it a 200k mile service should have tipped me off.  They reported the power steering pump was fine, and changed the fluid.  They recommended the booster and master cylinder - I agreed, and asked them to do the calipers as well.  They also pointed out a leaky valve cover gasket and quoted me (I kid you not) 5,000!!!! to replace both valve cover gaskets.   Yes - $5,000 for valve cover gaskets.  I declined.

I expect to pay more at the dealer - why, because off all shops they should be able to restore your vehicle to manufacturer's specs.  Does not appear to be the case anymore.  The cost is incidental to me - getting it done properly is all I'm interested in.  I can no longer count on them to do that, and it's not just the dealer I see that from.  Even if this was a case of air in the ABS module, dirty fluid, etc - well that's why he's got the ASE certification right??

Maybe this can be chalked up to overwork - too many clients and not enough time, I see this all the time at work as well.  Either way - I'm not paying someone 120 bucks an hour to do inferior work.  Pumping out the septic tank - well I'll just pay someone to do that, I have to draw the line somewhere.

[CycleRanger]

They also pointed out a leaky valve cover gasket and quoted me (I kid you not) 5,000!!!! to replace both valve cover gaskets.   Yes - $5,000 for valve cover gaskets.  I declined.

What truck is that?  I need to know so I don't buy one!

[eigenvector]

Don't worry - Ford stopped making them in 2013.

[HondaMan]

Me, too.
I had to 'train' my machine shop at first (who mostly does it right, now) to do my engines tightly enough: that was an expensive (for me) lesson, but we became decent friends over it in the end.
Cars: I won't start it, or I won't be able to stop....I do mine myself, except full-body paint, which I don't expect to be great (and ain't) around these parts. There is a painter I use for bikes: you'd all call me 'nuts' for using him if you found out how much a tank and side cover costs, but they are as close to perfect when done as any I have ever seen (and they win awards on my bikes!   .)

Brakes: NO ONE TOUCHES my brakes but ME. I learned that one LONG ago.

Last Spring I had to change my Explorer's fuel pump, and learned why Ford named it "Explore(r)"... After finding it, it still took the entire weekend to install it. I had bought Ford's own (was pre-warned by friends about the aftermarket versions out there), but when I took it to local NAPA auto repair shops for an estimate for installing it, they would not install any pump but their own....which lasts about 1 year, from all reports I can find...I usually like Fords, as they are usually made to repair easily as needed, but these 1990s Explorers were designed in Germany (Opal) and it really shows.

[Tenzrider]

You're preaching to the choir here. Most of the time it ends up being a lot more quality and a lot less cheaper to just do it yourself as you've said. I can't tell you how frustrating it has been sometimes to deal with someone else doing work on my bike and car.

[HondaMan]

You're preaching to the choir here. Most of the time it ends up being a lot more quality and a lot less cheaper to just do it yourself as you've said. I can't tell you how frustrating it has been sometimes to deal with someone else doing work on my bike and car.

Sadly....more than 80% of the SOHC4 bikes I get for rebuild/repair were victims of a shop somewhere. Some ended up being parked for decades, some come to me almost immediately afterward, but the handiwork I see in them sometimes just turns my stomach.

[calj737]

...but the hamfisting I see in them sometimes just turns my stomach.

FTFY there, Mark-