DIY maintenance

[Wangler]

I would be interested to know how much maintenance people do on their cars. When I say maintenance, I mean fairly serious spannering, not just things such as an oil/filter/plug change.

As we get older we may know how to do things, but perhaps find it physically difficult to do them. I’m sure that most people here know that the first time they do new a job it might take most of the day, but the second time they can whizz through it in a couple of hours.

I am extremely reluctant to hand anything to a garage because the learning curve I have to pay for someone who is unaccustomed to Lancias (or any other comparatively rare car) is very high. Garage costs can easily be £80-£100 an hour, which is probably why when someone says they’ve had bills for £5,000 I tend to think that most of that is labour at £100 an hour.

Frankly, if I had to pay a garage for every job that I did on my car, I doubt I could afford it.

[SanRemo78]

Pretty much do everything myself these days except for the Alfa 159 which is because I don't have the software. yet.

I built the Stratos replica 30 years ago myself and the only other people to touch it have welding or painting skills I don't!

The newly acquired Beta is going to be the same! staring by taking every nut, bolt and fitting off the chassis before I put it back together!

Service history may not be written down but the invoices for the parts used are there...

Guy

[Kevinlincs]

Garage bills can be horendous, especially nowadays with their complexity and electronic systems.
I too have seen some terrifying invoices that I simply would not have been able to think about agreeing to.
I learnt to spray as I couldn't afford to pay paintshops.
I could weld, so did some fabrication classes.
Engines etc I.ve done all my working life so that's no big issue.
It's meant that I have been able to restore my dream car as I couldn't afford to buy.
I did get my fingers burnt on trimming the Dedra though, should have learnt how to sew!

[frankxhv773t]

I consider there to be a cut off around 1990. Stuff before then I will have a go at anything if I have the fitness to tackle it. Anything later than about 1990 tends to get into electronics and computers which require a certain mindset and skillset that I don't possess. Anything from a Flaminia to a Y10 is fine provided I can buy or borrow the necessary tools but my 1995 Dedra which won't start is possibly going to prove beyond me. Spannering, basic welding and rattle-can painting are all things I will have a go at.

Age has a big impact though, lack of concentration, lack of mobility/flexibility or willingness to work in the cold are a great disincentive to home mechanics.

[SanRemo78]

I did get my fingers burnt on trimming the Dedra though, should have learnt how to sew!

When I built the Stratos replica I couldn't paint so that was farmed out. Didn't need to weld. Seats were bought from the manufacturer but I couldn't afford to farm out the trimming so I bought some headlining material, a foam pad and some Alcantara and stitched the headlining pleats by hand. Did the roof and screen surrounds and dashboard/instrument binnacle in hand stitched Alcantara and then it got nasty....

I bought the carpeting and bound the edges with vinyl. A folded loop to give a nice edge on the top stitched through the carpet and then through the vinyl wrapped over the edge. And where the carpet met a door opening a further layer of vinyl to stick under the door seal. There was a piece on the bulkhead, one for each side to the floorpan, the inner arches and the centre tunnel. Plus the front, back and floor of the boot. By hand. It took the entire Euro 1990 Italy tournament to do that and my hands were like leather after it!

If I had to do it again I'd farm it out!

Guy

[Wangler]

@sanremo78

There are some jobs which require a lot of skill that only comes through long hands-on experience. Anything to do with panel beating, spraying or fabrics/trim usually falls into that category. Mechanical things where something is designed and manufactured to fit can usually be dealt with relatively easily if you're patient, organised and do your homework first. YouTube is an incredible resource.

Electrics is fairly logical, but anything involving electronics rarely sits well without specific training, even with good mechanics.

Having a reasonable garage is a godsend. Mine is a double under the house. A few years ago I put in a good plastic floor and a dehumidifier. It already had an insulated electric door so it doesn't take much to get a bit of warmth into it. One thing is indisputable, a man can never have a big enough garage!

[peteracs]

Hi Richard

Definitely in your camp, if I can afford it the bodywork/painting/trimming are farmed out and the rest I am happy with which means putting it all back together after those processes are completed. On a full restoration still leaves a pile of work which is what I am currently going through on a Beta HPE….

Peter