this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2026
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[–] terranoid@lemmy.cafe 26 points 22 hours ago (5 children)

In this economy I learned how to do my own maintenance. I refuse to pay someone else over a $100 to unscrew something then screw in something else.

[–] 87Six@lemmy.zip 2 points 12 hours ago

It's not the mechanic making the money, it's their boss. Mechanics are undnerpaid as fuck. Go to independent mechanics if you can

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 20 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Same. Did my brakes last weekend and saved like $700. And it’s about as hard as an oil change.

[–] Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 8 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Its kinda crazy what mechanics charge in the US. I get that they have significant tooling costs to recoup, and every job isn't so straightforward and that all gets spread out, but shit I paid $5 for 2 new footpegs and bending my shifter back onto place with a torch, then $4 for an oil change after I got hit by a taxi.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 11 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

Last year they said I needed a new turbo. Quoted me $2300. I got the part and tools for under $1200

Turns out that didn’t fix it and it was the catalytic converter - bad misfire clogged it with gas. Replaced the downpipe for $800 and then sold the old cats as scrap for $250.

Now I know that I can do all that stuff and I saved $550.

[–] YabbaDabbaDipshit@lemmy.world 9 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

I knew how to change oil before I even had a license. You need to be able to handle your own shit because you'll be gouged every single time otherwise

The way I see it if anyone opened a drivers school that also taught basic maintenance they'd make a killing here.

I’ve only ever once paid someone to change my oil, and that was because I physically couldn’t do it. A filter is less than $10 and 5 quarts of full synthetic is less than 30. The whole job takes longer to find all my tools than to just do it.

[–] DudeWhoYapsTooMuch@lemmy.world 4 points 19 hours ago

You're paying for the labor, the time to check everything else and giving you actual decisions. That's where the rest of that 50 bucks is going. Yes you do need ONLY the oil change, and maybe you don't need anything else but the one thing I learned about cars is that they're like fickle people. They won't open up unless you deliberately ask them all the right questions lmao!