The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: TAB on February 08, 2026, 03:50:22 PM
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I had to change the turbo boots out on my truck, no big deal, relatively easy and not really expensive at $160.
the misses does not understand why I work on my truck.
" you have a shop full of diesel mechanics and can afford to take it anywhere you want...."
still nice to know something is done right, when and where I want it to be done. I dont have to wait for some one to get too it, I dont have to take it some where and I know it is done right.
now her car, out side of gas and window washer fluid I wont touch. it is way to complicated.
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I don't do anything where I need to crawl under a vehicle anymore, except to air up my spare tire. I never had a garage to work in and hate lying on the ground, especially when it's covered with snow and ice. I'll change an air filter if it needs it, but not much else under the hood besides checking fluids and topping off anything that needs it. I have a new pair of wiper blades here and need to put one on the passenger side. It was warm enough to do it today but I slept in and now it's too late. I accidentally broke the rear wiper and took the whole arm off. Me and my friend covered the metal "spline" sticking out with a black plastic cap he had in his garage, and it looks good enough to me.
I don't even do my own oil changes on my ATV anymore. I used to when I got my first one 29 years ago. But it used a special hub fluid in the front hubs, plus engine oil, plus gear oil, plus transmission fluid, plus differential fluid, plus 2 different kinds of grease. Buy the time you bought containers of each special oil, grease, and fluid, it was around the same price the dealer charged to do an oil change and lube job, plus go though everything else, like checking the brake disks for wear. I only need to take it in once a year, and sometimes less often.
But I completely understand wanting things done right, not by the cheapest grease monkey some local garage can hire. That's why I quit going to quick oil change places. I'll just take it to the dealer every couple of years, or whenever the oil monitor says it's time. So far Applegate Chevrolet hasn't screwed anything up as far as I recall. And as the only dealer in the city where GM and the UAW were founded, they'll keep getting my business if they don't screw up. They're still family owned and have stayed in business 98 years by not screwing over their customers, like Al Serra did when I bought a used car from them. I only bought one used car from them before buying a few brand new cars and trucks from Applegate. Greedy, lying, short-term profit seekers don't deserve repeat business, like a company that cares for their customers and does things to keep them coming back. I don't know why that's so hard for some businesses to get. Well, that's enough ranting for now.
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Depends. If it involves the computer and cannot be reset with a cheap programmer I'm out.
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I still do anything within my physical ability.
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Same here Peg. I need to trace out some wire on my stereo...a short is somewhere in the system.
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Electrical and electronic problems are the worst. With electrical stuff, you have to figure out where the problem is, and it's usually something you can't see, like an internal short, or a broken wire that may not even look broken on the outside. Electronic stuff with transistors and such is even worse. They're all full of magic smoke, and once you see a puff of it come out you're screwed. It will never work again, because you can't put the magic smoke back in. ;)
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I was a mechanic for 30+ years before I trashed my back and my Dr told me that's it, you're done. I've worked on everything from small engines to Diesel Trucks( Mack,IH,Mercedes etc) I do most of my own work in warmer weather, but once the temps get under 45,They get shipped out if it's something that needs fixing right now.I have most of the tools to do repairs including the computer scanner. But it seems that they are making it more difficult to do home repairs anymore.
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Yes it is more difficult.
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I gave up on oil changes when our new SUV required dropping a dust shield to get to the filter. Of late, I've changed batteries and windshield wipers. That's about it. I'll do light bulbs, but with the LEDs when's that going to happen?
I imagine kids of the future will brag about doing maintenance on the vehicles at their computers by upgrading the software.
Of note, in days of old the car manual instructed users on setting the points. Now it just contains warning about things like, "don't drink the battery fluid."
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I used to do the light stuff on my El Camino, plugs filters and whatnot....
At my age now, I have no desire to do that stuff any more! Can't on the Buick or Slingshot with all that electrical hooey now days.
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I do not miss the days of changing points and plugs every time you turned around.
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I used to do the light stuff on my El Camino, plugs filters and whatnot....
At my age now, I have no desire to do that stuff any more! Can't on the Buick or Slingshot with all that electrical hooey now days.
Slingshot?!? I want a ride.