I'm 56 and would have said the same, only you said it first!
Now that I am retired, I take my time with car work, I do more of it and don't feel rushed. Problem is, with 2 very reliable cars there just isn't all that much to do.
guys over 50 doing maintenance
- Thread starter MaximaGuy
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Now that I am retired, I take my time with car work, I do more of it and don't feel rushed. Problem is, with 2 very reliable cars there just isn't all that much to do.
Turned 72 in March. Let's just say I ain't bench pressing Turbo 400's into FireChickens any more.
Brakes are about as far as I go. I elected to let a great Lex-Toyota shop to flush the ATF in the GS.
But I love my tools. I service family and friends cars. It's pretty expensive to live around here, so I enjoy being able to help.
Gonna do it as long as I can.
Edit: I inherited my brother's hand tools; Greg owned and operated Comprehensive Mechanics in Santa Cruz, CA. He got cancer and died at 44. Probably $20K or more. How many Snappy torque wrenches do I need? As a home DIY guy, I could never own such wonderful tools. Greg would kick my ... if he saw them uncleaned and not put away properly after each day.
Brakes are about as far as I go. I elected to let a great Lex-Toyota shop to flush the ATF in the GS.
But I love my tools. I service family and friends cars. It's pretty expensive to live around here, so I enjoy being able to help.
Gonna do it as long as I can.
Edit: I inherited my brother's hand tools; Greg owned and operated Comprehensive Mechanics in Santa Cruz, CA. He got cancer and died at 44. Probably $20K or more. How many Snappy torque wrenches do I need? As a home DIY guy, I could never own such wonderful tools. Greg would kick my ... if he saw them uncleaned and not put away properly after each day.
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Newly 60 here and I still enjoy most of the wrenching I do, but I'll admit to not enjoying some of it as much as I did and owning the old Land Rovers is becoming a bit of a messy chore; repetitive axle seals, everything covered in oily grime...
Get a lift. Nothing like working on your feet vs crawling under the car or crouching or kneeling.
Zee09
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Nice to see others in the same
boat. I don't set a day to do car work.
Only when I feel good and in the mood do I attack it and actually I feel empowered afterwards because some vehicles are a real hassle to work on.. When I was in my 50s I had no trouble at all.
boat. I don't set a day to do car work.
Only when I feel good and in the mood do I attack it and actually I feel empowered afterwards because some vehicles are a real hassle to work on.. When I was in my 50s I had no trouble at all.
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+1
I've made use of my gym membership since graduating HS over a quarter century ago.
As a result, aging isn't nearly as difficult on me as it is on others in my family/classmates.
Auto/motorcycle maintenance is as easy as it's ever been (of the items I choose to address).
For everything else, there are a few reputable techs I know with a lift.
Zee09
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I really can't stress enough: work smarter, not harder. We developed lifts, transmission jacks, hydraulic carts and even tractors or forklifts for a reason. It's not just greed or profit or even productivity -- some of it is flat out ergonomics, comfort and reduced wear on the human body.
If you can't do a full-on 2-post or 4-post consider the hobbyist mid-rise lifts. They're still great for brake and wheel hub work.
Unfortunately, yeah, you gotta pay to play. I don't know any other way around it.
It's no different than happily digging a ditch when you're 20 but using a mini-ex when you're 50
If you can't do a full-on 2-post or 4-post consider the hobbyist mid-rise lifts. They're still great for brake and wheel hub work.
Unfortunately, yeah, you gotta pay to play. I don't know any other way around it.
It's no different than happily digging a ditch when you're 20 but using a mini-ex when you're 50
63 next week and same as you. Still love doing my own work and so far, am physically able to do it. Being able to take my time doing the work drastically cuts down on rushing through something and causing an injury or serious pain later. I have started doing more stretching beforehand to keep stiffness and lock-up at bay. Really helps sliding under the car. Visualizing the work and/or watching guides helps to avoid surprises and frustration too. And a couple beers during makes everything go that much easier. Just did a complete suspension change on the Tiguan and took me almost all day. The stretching before and Ibuprofen after helped with the aches and pains. Oh, and if you can afford something like a Quick Jack, gamechanger.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
68 this month and still do all I can. Bought the 02 Wrangler 2 years ago and it was undriveable. Replaced all the suspension parts and sorted everything else that it needed but paced myself. When it needed a radiator a couple of months ago took it to my Jeep guy mainly because I didn't want the mess on the floor, I helped out. I'll change oil in our vehicles until I just can't because I don't trust anyplace to do it right. In the process of changing fluids in the Equinox we recently got. Who knew ACDelco transfer case fluid sells for $75/qt. 
The truck needs a tranny spill & fill & filter and I'll take it to the Jeep guy and make the mess on his floor and use the lift. Not long ago I'd do those jobs myself without thinking twice. When I was 50 I jumped right into anything possible. Love tools. Ibu is your friend.
The truck needs a tranny spill & fill & filter and I'll take it to the Jeep guy and make the mess on his floor and use the lift. Not long ago I'd do those jobs myself without thinking twice. When I was 50 I jumped right into anything possible. Love tools. Ibu is your friend.
I'll be 74 next month. No plans to quit doing maintenance anytime soon as I bought a 3 ton Daytona Professional jack in candy apple metallic red to match my red 4Runners. I inspected brakes on the 2011 8 days ago and changed oil on the 2023 a couple months ago. 4 years ago, I made a spring compressor and installed new front springs and shocks on the 2011 to get one inch of lift. It has less rake than before and I really like the look.
Good to see folks doing more than just fluid changes, brake bleeds & pad swaps, but actual suspension work!
A few years ago one of the OEM shocks in my Mazda3 failed, which was my excuse to redo the entire suspension. Koni yellow shocks with Racing Beat +20% springs all around with a stiffer rear swaybar. About 1/2" lower, barely enough to notice, but lowering it was not my goal. Just how I'd set it up if I were autocrossing (which I don't do anymore). I did everything myself including the spring swap with manual compressor. When I was done, took it in for an alignment check and it was still spot-on, nothing shifted. The car is vastly improved! On the freeway, solid as a brick house at all speeds, corners like it's on rails, you can tell it's not stock but it's not punishingly stiff.
As a senior member of this oleaginous fraternity (not by seniority) I'm still wrenching. Sometimes I have trouble recognizing the mm size on my sockets so the job takes longer. No hurry, book time is a long ago memory. I have three vehicles scheduled for spring oil changes. Lying supine under a vehicle for a few minutes is invigorating. I just this year decided to stop riding my motorcyles.
For you younger guys,
For you younger guys,
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60. Still do my own work , struts brakes, bearings, cv axles. Heck , I'm still buy tools, although i really have enough. I think some of us may morph into tool collectors.
I'll be 74 in June and I still do most of my own work, mostly just maintenance.
I just spent a few days under my Ecodiesel Pickup changing coolant, transfer case, and transmission fluid. I'll be rotating the tires (using a floor jack) and that we be a little bit of a workout since they are load range E tires.
I'm not sure how long the body will allow me to continue but I've been turning wrenches all of my life and still enjoy it.
Age 51. Just did a bunch of maintenance On my new to me vibe including replacing the lower control arms. I’m just happy I have the mental and physical strength to do it
My motto, "He who dies with the most tools wins."
I'm 65 in October and do as many fluid changes as I can on both, and tire rotations on one vehicle. The other gets done by Discount Tire and I'm fine with that. I don't like paying to have that stuff done.
