The Case For DIY: How I Stopped Worrying & Learned To Love The Wrench

"daiheadjai" (daiheadjai1)
02/20/2016 at 12:45 • Filed to: DIY, Subaru BRZ

It is, at first, both perplexing and intimidating.

I suspect each of us had that moment, as we stood in front of our car, wrench in hand, and asked ourselves “Is this really a good idea?”

We had two options: Either brave the uncertainty and go ahead anyway, or put the tools away and just drive it to the dealer or a shop.

Maybe it was that first tire change, or the first oil change.

Maybe it was installing an intake, or an exhaust.

No matter what the task, for the neophyte wrencher, that first step always seems so daunting. But once you take that first plunge – what a fun realm of possibilities it opens up.

Prior to taking delivery of a brand new 2013 Subaru BRZ, I was virtually illiterate when it came to turning wrenches on anything more complex than my Ikea TV cabinet. Sure, I knew how to handle simple things like topping up the engine oil and washer fluid, or replacing my wiper blades. I had even replaced the hatch struts on my previous car, a black, ratty second- (or third-) hand 2002 Celica GT 5-spd, once I tired of using a broomstick to keep the hatch propped up – But when it came to honest-to-goodness tinkering with my car’s mechanical bits, I was uninitiated.

At the time, I considered myself a car guy – I could talk about the stats, 0-60 times, lateral G numbers, and all those fun things I gleaned from my old Sport Compact Car mags and from the Internet. I even prided myself on my ability to work a car with a clutch and manual transmission, and enjoyed a spirited drive whenever the opportunity presented itself. However, I can honestly say that, until I actually got my hands dirty and started taking things apart and (hopefully) putting them back together again, my appreciation and enjoyment of these four-wheeled motorized mechanical marvels took on a whole new level. The idea that I could take this canvas that the engineers had provided, and make changes to it to improve on it (whether in a tangible or intangible sense) made my car that much more “my car.”

No longer was my BRZ simply one of many on the road - indistinguishable from all its brethren. No, my BRZ had more value to it than that, if not quantifiably so, then at least in my own eyes – simply because I had invested time, energy, sweat, and sometimes blood – into it.

I still remember the sense of satisfaction I got when I swapped to winter tires by myself for the first time. I remember my immense enjoyment when I started my car after replacing the stock airbox with a short ram intake. Or the feeling of accomplishment that I got as I crawled out from under my car after spending a couple hours on my back, installing my shifter springs and quick shifter kit.

I am convinced that my enjoyment of these little mods was increased, simply by the knowledge that they had been installed by me.

Of course, it doesn’t always go smoothly – the various hiccups add colour to the memories of each modification. I remember the moment when I dropped a vital bolt for the intake into my engine bay, out of sight and out of reach. I remember rubbing and scraping my forearms raw against the driveshaft, trying to loosen a bolt on my transmission from underneath the car.
I remember grunting and cursing as I hammered at a rusted and stuck wheel hub assembly, knowing full well that I was past the point of no return.
And I remember the taste of road salt, as I rested my axleback exhaust on my chest to catch my breath, exhausted from wrestling with the muffler hangers while lying on the cold garage floor.

Every one of these memories is a brush stroke in the masterpiece that is My Car.

And every one of these memories adds one more reason to smile: when I hear the distinct bark of the engine when I blip the throttle (I hated the sound of the car as it came from the factory, but the intake and exhaust cooperate to give it a lovely growl), or when I snap a snick-snick downshift with my shifter (augmented with the TRD quick shift kit, MTEC shifter springs, and WC Lathewerks shiftknob), or when I take it into a corner faster than I could before, because my camber bolts keep the front end from plowing into understeer.

I’m reminded of the Rifleman’s Creed, from Full Metal Jacket:
“This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.”

This is my car. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

DISCUSSION (15)

Urambo Tauro > daiheadjai
02/20/2016 at 13:03

I started accumulating tools well before I summoned up the courage to start working on my own car. It started with a Haynes book and an oil change, then moved up to simple bolt-on repairs like alternator and fender replacement.

Part of the saved money went into improving my tool collection, and that continues to happen. I’ve grown to take on more and more complex projects. The experience has been educational, empowering, and fun. Budget-friendly, too.

DipodomysDeserti > daiheadjai
02/20/2016 at 13:34

Great post. I started out just changing my own oil, and next thing I knew I was swapping turbos and editing MAPs. Now I’m getting into fabricating parts in my backyard for my CL450. I was actually able to make my own short ram intake for my Abarth using some silicone tube, and jet ski bilge fittings. It goes from “I don’t think I can do this” to “I don’t have enough time to do all the stuff I want to do” very quickly.

daiheadjai > Urambo Tauro
02/20/2016 at 14:36

Beyond the money savings, I think there’s a therapeutic value to it all as well (assuming things go smoothly - which isn’t always the case).
Not to mention, I think we learn to appreciate these mechanical marvels more, when we get deep into the guts of the beast.

daiheadjai > DipodomysDeserti
02/20/2016 at 14:36

That’s next level stuff there - I’m just happy that I managed to do some simple bolt-ons and oil changes!

Master Cylinder > daiheadjai
02/20/2016 at 15:48

Nice post! I’ve been working on cars for about two decades now so it’s hard for me sometimes to remember that apprehension. I had a conversation with a co-worker yesterday and since he just moved to the area, he asked me if I could recommend a quick-lube shop so he could get his oil changed.

I asked him why he wasn’t just going to do it himself and he just looked at me funny, like I’d asked him why he wasn’t going to fill his own cavities or remove his own appendix.

I really enjoy spinning wrenches and sometimes I forget that 95% of people out there think it’s some black art.

DipodomysDeserti > daiheadjai
02/20/2016 at 16:13

The Subaru community is a good one to start out in as everyone is pretty well informed about stuff and very tech savvy. My first real hands on experience came with my WRX. I then fixed up an old Loyale before moving on to BMWs and then old American cars.

daiheadjai > DipodomysDeserti
02/20/2016 at 23:03

Vehicle-specific forums and Youtube are a godsend for DIY’ers...

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > daiheadjai
02/21/2016 at 22:50

I think the title of wrencher comes in when you transition from “crap I broke this, this is going to cost a fortune” to “ crap I broke this, now i have to take off the access panel, undo the wiring harness ...”

daiheadjai > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
02/21/2016 at 23:00

Like “gut-wrenchingly bad decisions to unplug/remove part X”?

The Stig's former college room mate > daiheadjai
02/22/2016 at 16:57

Is that a claw hammer I see in the first picture??!! Good article though. This is how many mechanics get their start. I learned at 16 out of necessity. Being a broke teenager that had foolishly spent every penny on buying the car, I had no choice but to learn how to do things myself. Some repairs didn’t go well (like replacing the drum brake linings but neglecting to adjust them up), but it was a learning experience. Every repair or modification gave me more confidence, and by 21, i was an A.S.E. certified master mechanic.

daiheadjai > The Stig's former college room mate
02/22/2016 at 23:55

Yup! Didn't have a mallet handy, so I had to use a hammer and a hockey puck (I am Canadian, after all)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > daiheadjai
02/23/2016 at 12:05

Thanks for the inspiration! I’ve done some things (exhaust, head gasket on an old car), but am still pretty hesitant and want to get comfortable tackling a whole lot more on my cars.

daiheadjai > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
02/23/2016 at 15:14

I’m pretty sure you’re more advanced in your skills than I am!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > daiheadjai
02/23/2016 at 15:29

I doubt it. The head gasket sounds somewhat impressive, but it was a tranverse-mounted engine and it was just right there, easy to get at. I haven’t changed my own oil in a long time, and I’ve never bled my brakes or replaced brake pads, something that seems really easy, but I get nervous diving into something like that.

daiheadjai > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
02/23/2016 at 21:01

I’ve done all the oil changes on my BRZ except the first one. The first time, you will be paranoid, and keep checking the DIY guides to make sure you haven’t totalled your car, but it gets easier and more comfortable (plus you can certainly save a lot).

The internet is your friend here - forums and Youtube videos are fantastic.