You're Not Allowed To Work On Your Own Vehicle

Status
Not open for further replies.
It looks to me that-as is often the case-the intent of the law may be good(no unlicensed shops in residential areas, no yards full of junkers) but the implementation is problematic.

I think about a few years ago when I did a transmission swap(and clutch job) on the MG at a friends house, and would have 100% been in violation of the law had Cincinatti had something similar. I drove the car to his house and spent 3 nights there, with the car inoperable for about a day and a half. We were in a garage attached to his house, and with a mix of the door open and closed(open both for temperature control and to keep from killing ourselves with CO when running the engine). An engine hoist is probably the glaring "tool not found in a normal home", but there were also plenty of other things we used like torque wrenches(every shade tree mechanic SHOULD have at least one, but how many do most have?) or even the special purpose-made clutch alignment tool for this car. While we're at it, how many homes in the US will have a set of Whitworth wrenches in their toolbox?

I see the 24 hour rule as a big problem also. For one thing, it completely eliminates having a "winter project" or any other sort of long-term project, although the other rules take care of that pretty well. Even on the list of jobs specifically allowed, how many of you have ever pulled your brake pads and decided you wanted to either replace the rotors/drums or have them machined, and it was too late to go to a parts store or machine shop? How many of you have taken your rear brakes apart and realized you didn't have exactly the correct tool to retract the piston, or maybe broke a spring or sent it flying on the drums and had to go the next day to buy a replacement? What about finding an issue with one of the calipers and-again-having to wait until the next day to go get a replacement? I've had all of those happen to me, and I know I'm not the only one. At the same time, if the car is parked in my enclosed garage, who is snooping around to even find out?
 
Originally Posted by oldhp
1. This is why I will never be in a HOA residence.
2. If I had to live in a HOA home it would have a enclosed attached garage.
3. I would have AC in my garage and do whatever the heck I wanted to in my garage door closed garage.
cheers3.gif


These are not HOA rules, these are Sacramento County California Zoning rules.

Curious if these are newly enacted rules or if they've been on the books for years? OK, checked the code, the applicable section was amended 4-7-16 likely meaning some form of it existed before that date. This is old news but certainly cause for some righteous indignation.

Been a week or two since the last HOA bash, time to spool up another one. 14 months ago we moved into a new house in an HOA, read the rules and are Ok with them. Simplest thing in the world, don't like the rules don't buy a house there. Sure is fun to rant though.
 
Originally Posted by dishdude
Sounds totally reasonable to me.

Why are you on this forum? This is for guys that fix their own cars, not someone who just writes checks.
Nearest shop that I would trust is 100 miles away. Do you think it's reasonable to flatbed it every time it needs
repairs not approved???
 
If it's not a hyper-predictable HOA bash....it's a Kalifornia HOA bash by people who didn't read what was posted but are ready to do "internet indignation" as best they can. Know your HOA's by-laws and CC&Rs and either live there or don't...might be the same with County ordinances involving a hobby you use your garage for...not exactly quantum physics....well, except here. Actually, just buy a 1.2M median priced home and then act surprised that your neighbors don't want you running a muffler shop with welding torches from your garage.

My elderly folks lost their garage in 2005 to fire and smoke damage because of one of these idiots who was restoring a car in the attached garage next door without proper ventilation and it sparked some rags. They were out of power for two weeks and it was a real hardship on them all because of a d-bag who probably posts about "freedom" here.
 
Yeah, we got a fine for feeding birds in the 3-foot by 12-foot ? section of our front yard. Technically a warning that could turn into a fine. Lovly HOA compliance vehicle did that one. But. Guess what, I work on my car in the garage anyway.... Nosy neighbors are quite over the top and the police stopped by once. Apparently, having your car with its hood up is a suspicious vehicle! *expletives* the HOA, and they, are quite something.

However, not one thing is said that every American flag displayed on the outside of the home does not have a light on the bottom of the pole. There are dozens around here, maybe the HOA is being selective. Or has no clue. Or is just being HOA. I have not seen one lighted flagpole.[/quote]
=========================================================================================
This has sidetracked to HOA - but I think what the judgmental folks coming out on these things don't always realize is that - yes, you sign something - but there is also a "supreme court" meeting every month where they just have to add something to the agenda - and send you a letter with the new cost (HOA and city hall both).
 
My parents lived in Western VA in a major turkey processing town. It appears a common practice was to have 10-15 people living in an apartment with two bedrooms; the town clamped down and created residency rules (i.e. only X number of people unrelated can live in a given property) so yes

Viriginia is telling you who you can and can't live with (That is the analogous misrepresentation of the situation)
 
I am a HOA board member, and I would like to add a bit of perspective here.

A little background on me, first. I lived in a totally unrestricted very rural area for most of my life. Like everywhere else, it had TRADE OFFS. I built a fine brick home on an acre lot with beautiful landscaping and had a 150 ft. paved driveway. I knew the street was modest and mixed before I bought the lot and built. Next to my home, I had neighbors that lived in a ramshackle small wood house that didn't give a flip about anything. Their yard was strewn with garbage and junk cars and boats were parked in the their yard. I didn't like it, but I ACCEPTED IT because I chose to knowingly build where I did.

Later, I moved 35 miles away to a HOA subdivision to get closer to my work after my youngest child graduated high school and we had an empty nest. I knowingly moved there with the HOA restrictions in mind. Some other people move into the neighborhood then they are upset when reasonable rules are enforced. They come to the meetings enraged, and it befuddles them why they can't just trash their yard or park junk cars or let their grass grow 2ft. tall or open a welding shop or park a junk RV on the streets. SERIOUSLY???

I very politely ask them if they were aware of the subdivision restrictions BEFORE they bought and moved in. "BUT, BUT, BUT we always had that RV!!!" I calmly suggest another option, simply park it in a storage lot somewhere. "BUT, BUT, BUT we always had that RV at our home!!!". And so on. It amazes me, but there will always be a few that just don't get the fact they openly CHOSE to live in a restricted area. No one forced them to move there. Point is, do your research and your due diligence BEFORE CHOOSING to live in an HOA subdivision. Don't blame the HOA for enforcing existing restrictions. Thats our job. Know that there are trade offs anywhere before you choose to move in!
 
NO ONE mentioned the worst part...


It costs $700 to protest a $430 fine


What communist municipality CHARGES a fee to complain??

It is **NOT** supposed to be: "Guilty until proven innocent".....
 
We don't charge anyone to protest anything. I doubt the vast majority of HOA's do either. Of course there will always be some kind of "runaway" HOA in CA or something, but that's the exception.
 
Simple answer: don't live under HOAs in the first place. If anyone tells me I can't work on my car in my garage on my property (regardless of what part I'm changing), they'll quickly wish they didn't. I still don't understand why people choose to pay these clowns to strip their freedoms.
 
Originally Posted by oldhp
1. This is why I will never be in a HOA residence.
2. If I had to live in a HOA home it would have a enclosed attached garage.
3. I would have AC in my garage and do whatever the heck I wanted to in my garage door closed garage.
cheers3.gif

Fixed.
01.gif
 
Originally Posted by tony1679
Simple answer: don't live under HOAs in the first place. If anyone tells me I can't work on my car in my garage on my property (regardless of what part I'm changing), they'll quickly wish they didn't. I still don't understand why people choose to pay these clowns to strip their freedoms.


Well, this "clown" is about as freedom loving as you would ever find. Limited government is what I believe in 100%. With that said, our HOA is definitely not about "taking away freedom" from any one. Its all about preservation of property values, and respect for ones close neighbors. Would you feel "free" living in a blighted, run down neighborhood, while your home investment value is decreased by 50% or more? Again NO ONE is forcing you or anyone else to move into an HOA subdivision. If you want to run a junkyard in your front yard, have at it! Just don't try to do it in an area that has preexisting clear and reasonable restrictions. Easy to understand!
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
If you don't want these restrictions, don't buy a residence with restrictive covenants. Pretty straightforward. Complaining about rules after agreeing to them sounds.........


Yeah, but the people that live in this county want to have all the benefits of owning cars without the stigma of "poor" people keeping them running themselves. They should "have to" be more tolerant. Just like if someone has a handicapped family member-- they should be integrated into society, not hidden in a back room (like used to happen).

This smacks of one of those rules meant to keep the economy going-- like having to hire an electrician to change a light switch, or having to pay worker's comp insurance on that 13 year old babysitter you pay under the table. It takes away the ability for the do-it-yourselfer to embetter himself.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino

Yeah, but the people that live in this county want to have all the benefits of owning cars without the stigma of "poor" people keeping them running themselves. They should "have to" be more tolerant. .


Completely missing the point. Wrench it all day long! Please just don't do it in the few areas not designed for it! Plenty, plenty of other places to choose from!
 
Originally Posted by oldhp
1. This is why I will never be in a HOA residence.
2. If I had to live in a HOA home it would have a enclosed attached garage.
3. I would have AC in my garage and do whatever the heck I wanted to in my garage door closed garage.
cheers3.gif



People either love or hate a strict HOA. As a former Real Estate Broker selling property in Sacramento for 20+ years, I can tell you, without hesitation, that strict HOA's will help maintain property values WAY better that properties that are not part of a HOA.

We have some HOA's in Sacramento that prohibit parking any vehicle (yours or a guest, etc.) in your own driveway overnight, etc., etc., etc. Consequently, these HOAs are neat, orderly, and have historically held their value much better than their non-HOA counterparts.

Ed
 
Sounds like pretty standard stuff for a suburban area and for those who read the entire article.

No where does it state that you can not work on your own vehicle, granted limitations on large scale projects.
and ... blows my mind that some people turn this into an HOA conversation when it has NOTHING to do with HOA's.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by tony1679
I still don't understand why people choose to pay these clowns to strip their freedoms.


I can explain that. So clowns won't park their landscaping trucks and trailers and Bobcats in the driveway every night(next door), or other clowns won't have 7 cars and a boat in various states of disassembly in the front yard ( few houses up) or start a group home for damaged adults (few houses down), or be hoarders with the garage, front porch, back yard stuffed full of "valuable stuff", or be running a scrap metal business in the back yard (one street over), or have barking dogs 24/7. We discovered that moving to a higher value neighborhood without an HOA doesn't automatically eliminate these property uses so here we are and happy for it. My freedom to quiet enjoyment of my home wasn't stripped, it's being protected. All in your perspective.
 
Originally Posted by AZjeff
Originally Posted by tony1679
I still don't understand why people choose to pay these clowns to strip their freedoms.


I can explain that. So clowns won't park their landscaping trucks and trailers and Bobcats in the driveway every night(next door), or other clowns won't have 7 cars and a boat in various states of disassembly in the front yard ( few houses up) or start a group home for damaged adults (few houses down), or be hoarders with the garage, front porch, back yard stuffed full of "valuable stuff", or be running a scrap metal business in the back yard (one street over), or have barking dogs 24/7. We discovered that moving to a higher value neighborhood without an HOA doesn't automatically eliminate these property uses so here we are and happy for it. My freedom to quiet enjoyment of my home wasn't stripped, it's being protected. All in your perspective.


^^^^^AMEN^^^^^
I would never buy a house in a community without an HOA.
 
Based on previous experience, my guess is that Sac County fining this gentlemen $430 would probably indicate there's more of a back story there and he was more of an "egregious" violator to the point that there was increased traffic, blockage, complaints, etc. than someone that County personnel suddenly came upon and decided to fine. I think it's pretty straightforward to the extent that the code says you can do basic repairs and something bigger is going to demand you get on the down low.

This is probably where the intersection of County code and HOA might happen when people who have a hard time grasping the concept don't do the appropriate things to keep it under wraps with the requisite safety that's needed. Common sense would tell me that there are different requirements and scrutinies involving attached garages in a complex and single family homes with a quarter acre around them. If "freedom" to you is the ability to leave oily rags in a bin to combust ( and they do ) then you're probably your own best argument for an ordinance like this one.
 
Laws are written so that officials will have leverage against people, if they need it.
Police are not going around looking for people changing oil in their Civic...

The sky is not falling folks...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top