[Breaker_00]

If I'm gonna be buying a car that costs a crap load to keep running. Logic tells me that cutting out the middle man will save me a crap load of $$$$$$ How many of you do all of your own repairs??? How does one learn how to do this???? What type of equipment will I need?????
Thnaks
Cant wait to join ya.....

 

[YetiMan]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

Be not afraid. Have some patience. Don't get frustrated and throw things.
You will find yourself being afraid at the point where something doesn't just fall in your lap. You will think "why in the hell am i doing this?". Some people never make it beyond that point. German cars are built in layers. The part you are going to work on is never on top. You always have to remove seven other things in the process. This gets frustrating, and you will do a whole lot better if you can put off screaming and throwing things as long as possible. (easier said than done, let me tell you !)
Work in an organized fashion. don't set tools and fasteners down wherever they land... this will seriously benefit keeping from screaming fits.
Don't be a hack. A properly tightened fastener isn't one thats about to snap the head off after you cranked it. Double check your work. Run through the steps you did to complete a job and make sure you tightened everything. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WORK ON BRAKES !
For starting out, get the best manual there is for the car you have (in this case Bentley). Read it, and try and understand what is going on before you NEED to work on stuff.
Start small.
Get some basic tools, and when you need a tool buy it. And buy the good one, not the cheap crap.
Read books. Bosch has some inexpensive books out there that will give you a really good understanding of how their systems work. Read it before you need the information.
Do lots of maintenance. This will get you familliar with your car and tools, and will probably avoid a lot of those repairs that have people pulling their hair out all the time.
Ask good questions.
( i need to get some books on spelling (Doh !))


[Modified by YetiMan, 12:55 AM 11-28-2001]

 

[dbasch]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (YetiMan)

Yeti, Where can I get those Bosch books at??

 

[RedFuFuG60]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

I do absolutely everything on my corrado, unless machining is required, smog, or alignment.
If you have a mind for this stuff then it shouldn't be tough, since I was a kid I was into any and everything that was mechanical and from there growing up I learned by just messing with things and trying to fix them, I did screw some things up sometimes, but I learned alot.

 

[B(C)orrado]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (RedFuFuG60)

trial and error

JK, yeah, patience dude.... I learned, if I have the patience to take it apart without breaking it, I can put it back together.

 

[G60ING]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (B(C)orrado)

quote:[HR][/HR]trial and error

JK, yeah, patience dude.... I learned, if I have the patience to take it apart without breaking it, I can put it back together.[HR][/HR]​

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
the military put me through automotive types of training for working on the flightline gear but the corrado taught me how to put knowledge behind the wrench and this is where I got the most mechanical experiance. trial and error. it sucks and its expensive but I wouldn't trade my small amount of knowledge.

 

[Ricky]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (G60ING)

Marry a girl who's bro's a VW mechanic.. that's what i did.

 

[G60NUT]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

Start tearing s&!t apart!

 

[G60NUT]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (RedFuFuG60)

quote:[HR][/HR]I do absolutely everything on my corrado, unless machining is required, smog, or alignment.
If you have a mind for this stuff then it shouldn't be tough, since I was a kid I was into any and everything that was mechanical and from there growing up I learned by just messing with things and trying to fix them, I did screw some things up sometimes, but I learned alot.[HR][/HR]​

I second that notion

 

[vw mofo]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (G60NUT)

Honestly I think alot of it has to do with a good solid "No Fear" attitude. If you get something set in your mind, you can do anything.
So far, since my engine swap, my Corrado has NEVER been to a mechanic. Although, I'm going to leave changing the fuel pump and re-charging my AC system to a professional. I haven't done alot of major stuff, but here's a list (both corrado and other cars).
-CV boot
-Exhaust
-Cam
-Chip
-Replaced AC compressor
-Rear rotors, calipers, and pads (twice cause I forgot the speed sensor on the back of the rotor)
-front pads
-Rear drums on my Wife's old Jetta
-Timing belt on my Wife's old Jetta and a friends 96 Golf
All done without a Bentley except the cam. To be honest most of my desire to do this stuff myself has come from the fact that I can't afford to pay someone $65/hr to do it! lol

 

[Corrado4Life]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

First step, buy a Volkswagen.

 

[SaabFan]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (YetiMan)

quote:[HR][/HR]try and understand what is going on before you NEED to work on stuff.][HR][/HR]​

I think YetiMan has given the best advice so far. It helps to have a "no fear" attitude and to just dive into things - get your feet wet and your hands dirty, that whole sort of thing.
But what helps even more is knowledge. Before I removed my tranny to swap my clutch, I spent about two or three weeks just gathering information. I read the process over and over again in my bently until I had it memorized - I didn't even need the book when I did it. I asked for advice on here and at my local mechanic. I bought the parts and played with them on my kitchen table till I knew them well.
When I got my first car, a Saab 900 turbo, I didn't really know anything about cars. I'm a very mechanically minded person, but I just didn't have the knowledge. As things broke on that car, I slowly taught myself the basics of all the major systems - fuel injection, forced induction, brakes, suspension, etc.
So I'd say there are three things you need to be sucessful:
1) knowledge
2) good tools
3) good friends
Don't buy cheapo tools, you *will* brake them. I broke probably a dozen sockets in a few months on my Saab before I gave up and bought a good set. Since then I've only broken one, and it was replaced under warranty. Craftsman and Master Mechanic are two brands I like for their warranties and value for your dollar. Snap-On stuff is awesome, but pretty expensive.
As far as #3: Try to get in touch with other dub fans and car people in your area. i can't tell you how much it helps to have an extra set of hands or and extra brain when you are doing things.
I'm gonna add a fourth thing: patience. Take your time with everything you do on your car. Do everything very deliberately. Rushing or being careless will only get you angry or hurt, or wreck something on your car. Even little things like labelling parts and fasteners and knowing how to turn a wrench so you won't smash your knuckles if it slips will make the job go much more smoothly.
In the end, it's all just turning a wrench and plugging/unplugging things.
-Nate

 

[bluloo]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

Just dive on in... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[Blown6T]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

I'd never even changed oil before I bought my C.
I fixed avionics and instruments in the RAF. but my car was a mystery to me. I never knew what magic lay under that big door at the front.
When I bought the Corrado I found out that the dealer sucked and was going to be of no help, so I had to learn myself. Luckily there's the Corrado List and this forum.
Buy a Bentley and just take stuff apart. I pulled my engine last year, nearly crapped myself. But I put back together and it started, runs stringer than ever now.

 

[marcusandjane]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (bluloo)

buy a corrado and then you will get loads of pratical experience.
all jokes apart, like others have said, take your time, think it through, and double check everytime.

 

[Blown6T]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Breaker_00)

One more thing. Convince a friend to buy one too. It's a hundred times easier when you have another car to compare against. That's what I did.

 

[YetiMan]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (dbasch)

"Yeti, Where can I get those Bosch books at??"
The one i have right here is 'Bosch Fuel Injection And Engine Management' by Charles Probst. It is published by Bentley.
Subtitled "Theory of Operation. Troubleshooting and Servicing using common tools and equipment. High Performance Tuning. How to Identify your Bosch System."
It covers CIS, motronic, including LH and KE Motronic, Jetronic including L, LH, D, KE, and K. It also covers Digifant.
I have owned a ton (um, actuually about twenty tons) of cars with Bosch injection systems over the years and this book covers everything up to about 93', including a glossary of what cars have used which systems and oddball iregularities by year.
I think I got it at a Barnes and Noble or someplace like that years ago. I know that a lot of the mail order places have it, and there are others as well that i have gotten from the library, including some books on speciffic Bosch systems.
Other good books I have from Bentley are The Techniqeu Of Motor Racing by Piero Taruffi, New Directions In Suspension Design : Making The fast car Faster by Collin Campbell, The Scientiffic Design Of Exhaust And Intake Systems by Phillip Smith.
There are other great books out there too, too many to list.

 

[SaabFan]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (YetiMan)

quote:[HR][/HR]There are other great books out there too, too many to list.[HR][/HR]​

Thanks for the list of books, YetiMan. I've had my eye on that Bosch FI book for a while. I think it is gonna go on my x-mas list.
How's the exhaust and intake book by Smith that you mentioned? I'm looking for a good book that applies fluid dynamics to car stuff.
-Nate

 

[green_slc]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (Ricky)

quote:[HR][/HR]Marry a girl who's bro's a VW mechanic.. that's what i did.

[HR][/HR]​

That's good, but what if you don't along with her bro? What about a girl that IS the VW mechanic?
I started with a simple 64 bug and worked on all kinds of VW/Audis in the family. I agree that these German car are put together like jig saw puzzle, to get to the thing you are trying to fix/replace you must remove 10 other things. You have to be organized and my tip is: after you remove something, put its fasteners when they supposed to go so you don't lose anything. Nothing worse than scrambling around because you lost some little thing that can't be easily replace.

 

[Sact-O Corrad-O]

Re: Whats the best way to learn how to fix cars?????? (green_slc)

green_slc:
is there a dave and busters in sunnyvale???
the rest:
thanks for the advice also...im pretty mechanically declined but my friend has a C and eventually i will get the ballz to start taking stuff apart.

thanx again
len


[Modified by Sact-O Corrad-O, 1:33 PM 11-28-2001]