Working on my new car and feeling like a rock star!!

[DeniseNJ]

I just bought about 2 weeks ago, a 2010 Pontiac Vibe FWD 1.8L 4 speed automatic with 114K miles on it for $3,300. that in itself has me feeling awesome. But until just about 3 weeks ago I knew NOTHING about cars. I am pretty handy with plumbing, electric, carpentry, even metal work, but cars always just eluded me. Like they combine everything all at once just to turn on.

But I got lots of advice on this board as to car buying and how to research. Thank you all so much. I started watching Chris fix videos and now I'm a bona fide grease monkey. So far, I've filled all the tires, changed the oil and filter, transmission fluid, and coolant, filled the windshield wiper fluid, changed the engine and inside filters, put in new spark plugs, cleaned the Mass Air Flow sensor (breaking the rusted stripped little screws and having to put it back together with zip ties), and installed a back up camera.

OMG I am so awesome. A total bad ass. This car sounds like a little kitten. I owe it all to you guys!! Thank you all so much.

We need a car forum.

[cool7hand]

Impressive. Most impressive.

[DeniseNJ]

Impressive. Most impressive.

I know, right!  The only downside is, I can't believe I actually ever paid someone to change my oil or rotate my tires. I feel like such an idiot. We would take our cars in for every little sound without even trying to find out what was wrong. Either that or just ignore it and hope it would go away. When I think of paying someone to put in new brake pads I just can't believe it!

I even made little car ramps out of lots of scrap wood piled up into big solid pieces so I could just drive the front wheels onto them to change the oil. Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yus8TuAzwbQ

[JLee]

Congratulations!  If you have a Harbor Freight tool supply near you, they have some excellent tools for really cheap (do some online research to determine which ones are good and which aren't).  I would strongly consider getting a drill/tap set or screw extractor set and removing the stripped screws - zipties may become brittle over time and break. Good call on the interim fix though!

[Car Jack]

Congratulations!  If you have a Harbor Freight tool supply near you, they have some excellent tools for really cheap (do some online research to determine which ones are good and which aren't).  I would strongly consider getting a drill/tap set or screw extractor set and removing the stripped screws - zipties may become brittle over time and break. Good call on the interim fix though!

Noooooo.  Stay away from Harbor Freight!  You'll go in just to see what they have and walk out with $1,000 worth of tools and stuff!

Tools in general can be like that.  I'm the poster child.  I will admit that I save a boatload of money on doing my own car work, my tool portfolio over the years has the normal 12 point sockets in metric and freedom units in deep and regular 1/2" drive sockets, same for 3/8" drive sockets, same for 1/4" drive sockets.  Of course all the torx bits along with screwdriver sets, bench grinder/wheel, vice and such.  2 floor jacks, creeper, 220V stand up compressor to power the impact gun, the monster impact gun, the butterfly 1/4" driver, the cutoff wheel....  Should I talk about the 4 post lift and telescoping roll around oil catch can?  I don't have a tire machine.  Well.....not a hydraulic one.  I do have the little hand driven one and a bubble balancer.  Oh, don't forget all those cool kits.  Tap and die kit, thread chaser kit, brake caliper tool kit for pushing in the caliper pistons including when they're the rears with the screw in type parking brake thing.....

I could go on for a few more pages....

[DeniseNJ]

Congratulations!  If you have a Harbor Freight tool supply near you, they have some excellent tools for really cheap (do some online research to determine which ones are good and which aren't).  I would strongly consider getting a drill/tap set or screw extractor set and removing the stripped screws - zipties may become brittle over time and break. Good call on the interim fix though!

Noooooo.  Stay away from Harbor Freight!  You'll go in just to see what they have and walk out with $1,000 worth of tools and stuff!

Tools in general can be like that.  I'm the poster child.  I will admit that I save a boatload of money on doing my own car work, my tool portfolio over the years has the normal 12 point sockets in metric and freedom units in deep and regular 1/2" drive sockets, same for 3/8" drive sockets, same for 1/4" drive sockets.  Of course all the torx bits along with screwdriver sets, bench grinder/wheel, vice and such.  2 floor jacks, creeper, 220V stand up compressor to power the impact gun, the monster impact gun, the butterfly 1/4" driver, the cutoff wheel....  Should I talk about the 4 post lift and telescoping roll around oil catch can?  I don't have a tire machine.  Well.....not a hydraulic one.  I do have the little hand driven one and a bubble balancer.  Oh, don't forget all those cool kits.  Tap and die kit, thread chaser kit, brake caliper tool kit for pushing in the caliper pistons including when they're the rears with the screw in type parking brake thing.....

I could go on for a few more pages....

Well, um, yeah, I've had to add a tiny bit to my tool collection for working on the car. I mean, as an investment. In all fairness to me, I needed a metric ratchet set, and that cute little thing to gap spark plugs, and that fancy no spill funnel to fill the coolant and let the bubbles out. And how can I live without a torque wrench and breaker bar. And just a few other essentials. I've had my eye on that tire balancing cone thing with the bubble.

I found Harbor Freight when I started welding and joined the cult. And I just went to my first AutoZone. I'm trying to control myself but with such an easy justification as saving money on car repairs and maintenance, it's really hard not to add to the tool wall(s).

[Blondetuco]

Congrats! I've been trying to do similar work over the last couple years - tire rotations, brake pads, spark plugs. Do you find yourself super tentative driving after completing your own mechanical work?

I just took my winter tires off, and keep the lug wrench on the passenger seat so I can easily check the nuts every day. Last thing I need is a tire popping off on the interstate! Obviously a professional at JiffyLube could make the same mistake, but I trust myself so much less.

[DeniseNJ]

Congrats! I've been trying to do similar work over the last couple years - tire rotations, brake pads, spark plugs. Do you find yourself super tentative driving after completing your own mechanical work?

I just took my winter tires off, and keep the lug wrench on the passenger seat so I can easily check the nuts every day. Last thing I need is a tire popping off on the interstate! Obviously a professional at JiffyLube could make the same mistake, but I trust myself so much less.

Nah. I watch a bunch of videos then follow the instructions. Also, if you buy a torque wrench and tighten to spec, then it shouldn't come off. As long as it all looks good and sounds good then I assume it's fine. But I triple check and verify what to do on forum boards for my car and with both general videos and my car specific videos.

Don't keep tightening your nuts or you're going to break them.

[Blondetuco]

I'm just putting the wrench on there, and pulling enough to make sure there's still resistence. But I hear what you're saying about ruining the nuts. You could say I'm a little scarred from childhood when my older brother (who probably just hand-tightened) lost a tire while going 55 mph, haha.

[DeniseNJ]

I'm just putting the wrench on there, and pulling enough to make sure there's still resistence. But I hear what you're saying about ruining the nuts. You could say I'm a little scarred from childhood when my older brother (who probably just hand-tightened) lost a tire while going 55 mph, haha.

I got this one from Harbor Freight for 20 bucks. Also, always search for coupons for harbor freight.  They take one for each product you buy so you can apply as many codes as you can find online. There are also in store coupons too. You just set the torque wrench to the right amount--look in your manual or online--and then you turn until it clicks. Peace of mind you aren't too tight or too loose.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-click-type-torque-wrench-63882.html?cid=paid_google|*PLA+-+Top+SKUs+-+All+%28Branded%29|Water+Pump|63882&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=*PLA+-+Top+SKUs+-+All+%28Branded%29&utm_content=Water+Pump&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgtbUmau17wIViYTICh2GDA4pEAQYASABEgJyn_D_BwE

[meghan88]

Sounds like you're having enough fun to turn it into a side hustle?