How do you service your own car without a garage/driveway?

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y_p_w

y_p_w

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I'm just wondering how people do this living in places that don't allow renters to work on their own cars.

I was considering moving for work where I might be somewhere for months where I might find a place to stay where I probably wouldn't be allowed to service my car. Maybe an apartment or a room rental.

I've heard of places that allow customers to work on their own cars, but I'm not sure how common that is with liability being what it is. I do remember hearing that the show Car Talk started with the Magliozzi brothers setting up a business like that before they decided that it made more sense to do the work.

Back around 1995 I asked a few repair shops if they would do oil changes if I provided the oil/filter. A Montgomery Wards (RIP) auto center said I could pay in advance for changes at $11 each just for the labor. I think they charged $25 for an oil change. This was back when it was easy to find oil for $1 a quart. I really wanted to use Mobil 1 and few shops would carry it.

If I took that remote job I figured I'd probably just end up using quickie lube places. Or find new friends who might let me use a garage.
 
work on the street
smile.gif


It helps if you live on a dead end where there's less traffic, but even if not, it's still doable.
 
When I was younger and lived in an apartment, if I had to do something minor in winter I would go to a self carwash at night. Always brightly lit, and nobody ever used them on a 15* night. It wasnt heated, but it wasnt real cold in them either. As a bonus, they left the water flowing slightly so the line wouldnt freeze up. Always get a free rinse when I was done. lol
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
work on the street
smile.gif


It helps if you live on a dead end where there's less traffic, but even if not, it's still doable.

I have seen that but I'm not quite sure how legal it is. I mean - I guess the cops aren't going to worry too much if someone is just checking a dipstick or filling a windshield washer reservoir, but an oil collecting pan on the ground is another matter. I also saw someone changing oil on a street parked car on maybe a 10º incline. I've changed the oil in my driveway where it's not really all that flat, but that seemed a bit crazy.

Also - I was waiting for my alignment check to be done today and got to hear the service writer talking. $45 for an oil change and $70 for "synthetic oil". I also got to hear the service writer telling the customer that once "synthetic oil" is used they shouldn't go back to conventional. It wasn't my place to say anything. I wanted my car back without it being "accidentally" dropped from the lift.
 
Originally Posted by Srt20
When I was younger and lived in an apartment, if I had to do something minor in winter I would go to a self carwash at night. Always brightly lit, and nobody ever used them on a 15* night. It wasnt heated, but it wasnt real cold in them either. As a bonus, they left the water flowing slightly so the line wouldnt freeze up. Always get a free rinse when I was done. lol



Don't drop anything down that grate!
 
I lived in an apartment for 6 years so I would generally do most work at my parents' house or borrow a friend's driveway/garage to do oil changes or anything major. The apartment complex didn't allow for vehicle work. Then one day, I saw one of my neighbors doing head gaskets on a S10. Apparently they did allow some work as long as you promised to contain fluids and such. I did pull a few driveshafts and rebuild them in my kitchen, and there was also some tire mounting inside the apartment.

By then, I was in the process of buying a house. I only ended up doing one wheel bearing change on the Jeep and maybe an oil change on the Focus or the Jeep.
 
Many years ago when I lived in an apartment I just pulled out onto the street. I did some pretty major repairs out there. Never a problem.
Some here where I work do the same after quitting time. I see them out on the street changing oil.
 
I used to have a friend that was manager at Speedy Muffler King and he let me come in at the end of the day and use the lift for and hour or so. Im in a house now and work in the driveway. I just did rear diff on the wifes subaru last week in 40 deg. weather. Not terrible other than the usual under car contortion. And sand in the eyes from the rear inner fenderwells
frown.gif
Next time? Swimming goggles - if they dont steam up. ...
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
The apartment complex didn't allow for vehicle work. Then one day, I saw one of my neighbors doing head gaskets on a S10. Apparently they did allow some work as long as you promised to contain fluids and such. I did pull a few driveshafts and rebuild them in my kitchen, and there was also some tire mounting inside the apartment.



This...did trans flushes and struts in the parking lot. If you are only doing oil changes, same day type stuff - parking lot of autozone is the go to place. When lived in Queens, saturdays had half the parking spots filled with people doing brakes, alternators, etc. Never a word...
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
I did pull a few driveshafts and rebuild them in my kitchen, and there was also some tire mounting inside the apartment.

lol.gif
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
One option would be to do it your parking space at night, quietly and cleanly.


Not if you live in a HOA. The condo commandos are always blundering around 24/7 watching your every move.
 
Originally Posted by NYSteve
Originally Posted by Miller88
The apartment complex didn't allow for vehicle work. Then one day, I saw one of my neighbors doing head gaskets on a S10. Apparently they did allow some work as long as you promised to contain fluids and such. I did pull a few driveshafts and rebuild them in my kitchen, and there was also some tire mounting inside the apartment.



This...did trans flushes and struts in the parking lot. If you are only doing oil changes, same day type stuff - parking lot of autozone is the go to place. When lived in Queens, saturdays had half the parking spots filled with people doing brakes, alternators, etc. Never a word...


^^^^^^ This. I've done oil changes, brakes, struts, wheel bearings, etc. in too many places to list. A car parts store parking lot, Wal Mart parking lot, an interstate rest stop, an empty car wash bay with no one around...The key is I'm always well out of aisles and traffic in the parking lots and I respectfully leave no spills or evidence I was there...several times I've been asked if I need help...No one has ever threatened me in any manner. I've even done upper and lower intake manifold gaskets on the (notorious) GM 3.8L V6 in a Hotel parking lot...They were remodeling the place, I parked behind the construction trash dumpster and left NOTHING on the ground and the car was gone by check out time. I've never had a problem anywhere; although now I own a home and my PREFERRED location is my own garage...Sometimes you just do what you have to do.
 
Originally Posted by Tahoe4Life
Originally Posted by zorobabel
One option would be to do it your parking space at night, quietly and cleanly.


Not if you live in a HOA. The condo commandos are always blundering around 24/7 watching your every move.

That why I kept renting when I could have possibly reached for a loan on a condo 9 years ago. Bad move in retrospect, but I felt the experience would be just like renting (others setting rules for you and your property and charging you for it), except you got to fix the interior.
 
In working-class neighborhoods, I've seen people doing all sorts of repairs in AZ and AAP parking lots.
 
Originally Posted by Tahoe4Life
Not if you live in a HOA. The condo commandos are always blundering around 24/7 watching your every move.


Here we go. Don't like the rules, don't live there. Problem solved.

If you see other people are doing car stuff in the parking lot then feel free. If not then you take your chances.
 
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