Lew Hodgett wrote:
Trevor Jones wrote:

It is in fact not only possible, but pretty easy to do. A simple set of
hand tools and a Haynes or Chilton manual for your vehicle, and you or
anyone else is quite capable of changing the oil, belts, or various
electrical components like starters or alternators, at home or on the
roadside.

snip

Totally impractical to try to work on an automobile today.

For you perhaps, for me, not so much.

If you live in an urban area, many places do not permit working on a
car, especially outside, even on your own property, much less a rental
unit.
That, I'll have to leave to the discretion of the individuals
involved, though I have not yet run across it in a situation that caused
any serious inconvenience.

Want to change your oil?

6 qts of oil, an air and oil filter costs as much or more than paying
for that same service down at the corner gas station, in this area at
least, never mind the used oil disposal process and cost.
I can get the oil changed in my car for about the same as it costs me
to get it done for me. I do it myself. Seen a couple botched oil plugs
from the minimum wage earners at the oil change places. They won't
cover costs on repairs or towing. All the places I buy my oil, aso
collect for no charge. In one area that I lived, this was mandated by
provincial law. In any case, there are always hazmat collection days or
dropoffs.

Sort of makes changing your own oil a non productive process.

Not really. I can visually inspect the condition of the other parts
while I am so doing.

Want to change the coolant every couple of years?

Again you face a toxic waste disposal problem which does not include
being able to pour used coolant into the sewer.
Same as oil. I can drop coolant at the places I buy, or send it
through a couple different routes for recycling. Doesn't cost me, but
for the time it takes.

The plugs on my vehicle are good for 100,000 miles and require special
tools to change. Think I'll pass on that one.

Special as in a couple flex joints in the extension, or special like a
seven sided socket? FWIW I probably would not buy a special tool for
most of what I do. If the option is a $30 special tool or a bill for an
hours shop time, so they can do a twenty minute job, I'll buy the tool.

Most people don't keep a vehicle 100,000 miles like I do so they don't
even have to think about changing plugs and wires.

Matter of fact, most of today's vehicles have a pretty good track record
for the first 75,000 miles.
I have three vehicles right now. The low mileage one is my wifes car,
250 thousand kilometers, my car has 394 thousand, and my new truck has
341 thousand.
I just gave away a truck that had 425 thousand Km's on it. I put most
of them there. It passed a safety check a couple years back.

Trying to do your own auto repairs today is a lose-lose proposition, IMHO.

Not as much as paying some joker $85 an hour shop rate to do what I
can do in less time, not to mention that I don't bill out at book rate
to myself. I try to keep a straight face when I hear of guys being
quoted better than a months wages for work that takes less than a decent
days work to do. The ones that pay those rates are keeping the economy
rolling right along. :-)
I don't muck with tires much anymore, and won't touch airbags or a/c
(other than belts).
Now you want to talk about diesel engine maintenance on a sail boat,
that's another matterG.
Let's not. Your money is already gone! :-)

Cheers
Trevor Jones