I Hate Working On Cars
I absolutely love cars and modifying them, to the point it's almost my entire personality. But, I've recently bought a VW T4 van and own an older Audi TT (remapped, body kit etc). I love both of them, but absolutely dread working on them whether that's for mods or repairs.
I hate working on cars partly because I don't have the space, and therefore, the tools. Give me a free-standing garage with a proper lift and plenty of tools, I wouldn't mind taking my sweet time performing maintenance. In this video, I talk about why that feeling has changed, using my current car, a G87 BMW M2, and my first car, a 1989 Miata.
Im not saying modern cars are bad. I used to really like working on cars in my youth. First car was a 67 Mustang that I fully restored.
But I am much lazier these days. I have finally come to grips with the fact that I don't really enjoy working on cars all that much. I love traditional hot rods, original classics & antiques, and just about anything old, and can appreciate most things in the gear-head world, It just feels like a chore to go out in the shop and work on my projects.
Cars these days are ten times more complicated to work on than they were 20 years ago. Except for changing oil and filters and some fluids, most everything is a lot more difficult. First look at your current team.
Is anyone a "tractor guy" working on cars? Somebody whose energy is clearly somewhere else? Don't assume they'll stay forever just because they're here today. Have the honest conversation now while you still have options. Second if you already know someone is eyeing the door, negotiate the timeline.
Why stuff an engine in a space where you can't reach anything? . Ill bet you can get to number 8 on the Monte. On 4/20/2025 at 4:45 PM, DragCat said: So decided after chasing a ground gremlin on the Cougar I would change the plugs.
I knew #8 was gonna be a chore so I started on the drivers side, 1-7. I hate being a mechanic on my cars. I just want them to work.
Nothing ever works the way you think it should. Bolts get stripped out. Something is designed stupid and you have to grind something off in order to take it out.
Maybe you need tiny hands to reach something. The whole experience is awful. I didn't even enjoy it much as a full time job.
I don't mind wrenching when I'm not under a time constraint. If I only have a single car and that car is broke, I'll get very stressed, very irritated, lots of swearing and kicking tires. With an extra car (like my Miata), it's no big deal.
