Better than you used to be...

[billison]

Any of you guys ever do a job " right" and realize you've grown as a person

Let me explain.. Recently I fixed the ebrake and re did the drums of my 92. When I was younger.. I would have never fixed any of it right.. Or I'm replacing my window bushings.. And I'm removing the tracks and doing it right, years ago I would of tried to cut and glue it in place.. I was a do it ghetto kinda guy.. I'm not perfect but I'm much more of a do it right kinda guy now..

You guys ever get this?

 

[TOOLOW91]

yes , especially being In the field everyday (heavy diesel mechanic ) you realize how far you come and how you actually take the time to do it right

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Yeah, it is just about your frame of mind. I think the biggest thing with car projects is that you tend to get to a point where you just want to get whatever task it is finished, and you start rushing or doing things that you KNOW you really shouldn't do trying to complete the project. It usually results in having to spend money to fix whatever it is you broke, spending more time than you would have to do it right the first time, and worst of all potentially having to redo it all over to make it right.

When it does work out, the sub-par work leads to having to do it again sooner or creating other underlying issues that you have to live with.

As I've gotten older, I am much more willing to be patient and accept that things just don't happen as quickly as I would like.

 

[rdharper02]

Fixing the wife's vacuum made me feel that way.

No, honestly..Its the recognition that your not half arsing it. Sometimes its based on the coin in your pocket or the time you have, but mine is based on pure laziness. I just don't feel like doing the same friggin thing over again...lol

 

[mikestang63]

Now if someone can help me out understanding women, I'd be all set.... Seems the older I get the less I know about them.

 

[reldla1996]

I can't help at all with the understanding women! On cars, for me, it comes down to available money. In my younger days, I used to jury rig everything, and now I can afford to buy what I need, and do it right.

 

[gearheadboy]

I learned a long time ago that I only wanted to do most jobs once. Therefore I try to do each one correctly suck or not. Next when I repaired transmissions everyday I realized that if you check it twice and make sure, you usually don't have to pull the transmission again. I also learned quickly that at a dealership if you were one of the few guys that was a straight shooter and wasn't afraid to say "I don't know" or "I'll work on anything", that you quickly moved to the top of the pay scale and were the go to guy. With that said we all make mistakes and when I DO have to pull the transmission back out or pull the oil pan back off, it really burns me because I tried to do it right.

 

[billison]

For me I think it's not being as lazy and wanting to take pride in my work..

It also helps that I don't depend on my mustang to go to work like I did then. I can afford to let it be down a few days.

I do wonder how ill do when I try to tackle the bigger jobs. ( to me) like pulling the motor and such. Will I keep doing my best.. Or get in a rush.

 

[Husky44]

You'll keep doing your best, because the more you do it, the more you realize that it's the ONLY way to do it. That's why my 67 has become a 9 year project. Do I wish it was on the road? Of course. But if I'd have cut the corners necessary to have put it on the road, it would have handled like crap and I'd have never trusted the car. That's one of the problems with DIY-you know what's right, and what isn't, and what isn't will bug the CRAP out of you. Every stray noise or wiggle, every time you walk out of the store and see the car sitting in the parking lot on an uneven surface, you're going to wonder if that suspect rear frame rail is giving way.

Keep doing it right. It sucks sometimes, but it's worth it.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Yes, I have grown in this way, too. I hacked up my old '95 to "de-clutter the engine bay", or "lighten it up a bit." Didnt take long to realize the sound deadening material was there for a reason, and that cold A/C really didnt need pulled for easier access around the bay after all. Also, my battery relocation although 100% successful, should have been done differently to avoid the random holes in the floor pans to run the cables. I never raced anyone, or took the car to the track in any of the 5 years I owned it, so I always keep that in mind when pondering random "things to do" on my 2011 when I am bored.