[blackguardx]

Replaced front rotors, calipers, pads, master brake cylinder. Currently contemplating replacing rear brake drums and shoes. Probably need to replace some suspension components soon. My car has developed a troubling squeak and click in the front left.

So I do only basic things. I draw the line at anything engine related. I have too much fear that I could screw something up. If I had old beater project car (like a VW bug), I might consider trying more difficult stuff.

[vaksel]

working on the engine is no different really. Remove part a, b, c, d to get to part e. And then replace that with the new part and put everything back together.

Most things can be pretty much taken apart with a socket wrench.

[blackguardx]

Thats true. Maybe I'll venture further away from my safety zone in the future.

Problems get harder to diagnose in the engine, though. I find the diagnosing the problem is where the skill is.

Also, as repairs become more complicated, I have discovered that the chances of needing to replace something that you don't have a spare for go up. It sucks to have to bike down to the auto parts store and retrieve 40 lbs of parts in my backpack.

[vaksel]

To tell the truth engine problems fall into two categories...serious ones, like engine knock which you really can't do anything about to something simple like a heat shield rattle or a loose gasket. There is really no middle ground. And for the "serious" problems, its usually cheaper to replace the whole motor, than to do the repairs.

Granted that mostly applies to japanese cars. You drive a BMW and to replace an engine will cost you 10 grand. While even the most rare JDM swaps will run you at most 5K.

For example, one guy I know never changes the oil on his daily driver civic. Why? Because he figured out that its cheaper for him to replace an engine every 80K miles, than it is to spend the money on an oil change.