Ok y'all have been very helpful. What I really want is to find a local mechanic who will do the job WITH me. I have a garage and most of the tools, but would be more than happy to pay a few hundo to a knowledgable guy to teach me to fish here, so that I can do this kind of work from now on on my own and with videos/manuals/tutorials alone. Anyone know a guy in the DC area?
What you're asking for is a time commitment from someone longer than what it would be if you just dropped the vehicle off to them. Teaching somebody takes time and patience. I doubt you'd find a paid mechanic willing to do this for you for a few hundo but you might find an experienced DIY mechanic that might lend you a hand.
Most auto mechanics isn't that hard. Being successful comes down to a few things. First, you need the right information whether that comes from a manual, video, write-up or all of the above. Next, you need the right tools whether you own them, rent them, or Macgyver your own handmade tools. Finally you need the right mindset. With auto mechanics, you will run into problems which will test your problem solving skills, your patience and your temper. Shit goes wrong and you need to stay calm and figure it out.
Hate to be so blunt and you might think I'm a dick for saying it but it sounds like you're asking someone to come over and hold your hand. What the channel that [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and I started together is all about is empowering people to handle their maintenance, repairs and modifications on their own. I can't count how many times we've heard from people that told us one of our videos gave them the confidence to tackle a job they most likely wouldn't have attempted on their own.
I suggest you start with easy jobs and work you way up to the more involved jobs. Try doing your sparks plugs. It's super simple and not complicated. After that, use our video to do your valve cover gaskets. After that, maybe tackle the control arms. By the way, unless your control arms are rusted to shit, you don't need to replace the whole arms. You can replace just the bushings if you have the right tools.
The way that a lot of people, including myself, look at buying necessary tools is they are saving money on the shop labor doing it themselves and investing that in tools they can use for future jobs. Some tools are very specific and might not see much use but others like a Harbor Freight 20 ton press and a press sleeve kit can be used for all kinds of jobs.
Auto mechanics isn't for everyone. For some, their time is more important and they'd rather spend that time with family or whatever else other than hunched over their engine compartment or on their back under their rig. If you really want to be self-sufficient for your automotive mechanic needs, just start doing it. You'll gain confidence as you go.
