Los Angeles (and apartment renters in general)! How do you work on your vehicle?

[Longhorn425]

Hey guys, just moved from Houston where I rented my own garage at my complex. Allowed me to shut the door and work on my car without hassle.

People who have tandem parking with no house or limited places to work on your car, how do you fix your 4runner?

Really need to do the steering wheel welding tack mod and need rotors badly. Would hate to have to pay someone to do that simple job.

 

[octanejunkie]

Friend's houses

 

[ZionXIX]

Walmart parking lot

 

[eazyboy]

if you live in a nice quite street i work on my truck out on the street no one bothers you
also get natural lighting from the sun bit of advantage

 

[Hepar]

if you live in a nice quite street i work on my truck out on the street no one bothers you
also get natural lighting from the sun bit of advantage

That works well for us in Washington too. Unfortunately that means you have to get all of your work done between August 3rd and August 14th if you want to stay dry.

 

[phattyduck]

That works well for us in Washington too. Unfortunately that means you have to get all of your work done between August 3rd and August 14th if you want to stay dry.

Only on alternate years. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Junuary

I was lucky enough to have an attached garage in my apartment. Since then, I have rented/owned houses.

Actually, that's a good point - find a few house mates and rent a house! You can usually get a 2 car garage for all car-related activities!

-Charlie

 

[spartacus]

I 've actually done a head gasket job in an apartment parking lot where I lived cause I couldn't afford to pay the garage also out east in Brooklyn where I grew up working on cars in the street was common.

 

[I_bRAD]

Before I had a garage I did it in the street. And it sucked. Nothing like packing up all your stuff just so you can go grab a drink or go to the bathroom.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Hey guys, just moved from Houston where I rented my own garage at my complex. Allowed me to shut the door and work on my car without hassle.

People who have tandem parking with no house or limited places to work on your car, how do you fix your 4runner?

Really need to do the steering wheel welding tack mod and need rotors badly. Would hate to have to pay someone to do that simple job.

When I rented an apt I just did it in the back of the parking lot on the weekends when the manager wasn't around. I was sure not to drip any oil or fluids and put cardboard underneath to keep things clean.

I would see people also do it out on the main street since it was a dead end road. I didn't like the idea of being that far from my apt since I always ended up needing some odd item I'd have to walk back home for.

 

[AntleredRuin]

Walmart parking lot

I actually do a lot of my work during my lunch break in my office parking lot. I just plan ahead and bring the proper tools, already have the skid plates off, etc.

Spark plugs, tranny flushes, O2 Sensors, oil changes, belt changes, etc.
Pretty much anything that can be done under an hour.

I'd rather knock stuff out during my 'government-forced-sit-on-my-ass-time-when-I'd-rather-just-work-through-lunch-and-leave-an-hour-early' than waste extra time on the weekends doing menial tasks like these when my time is already limited.

I always have tools in the truck for doing any any of these small maintenance jobs, plus for a lot more.

 

[Lamer]

apartment parking garage works great for me. no cars ever park up there and I have all the space in the world.

 

[Longhorn425]

So update. I had to get the rotors and brakes changed ASAP with no time on my hands. Dropped it off at the dealership and $900 later have new rotors, brake fluid and pads. Mehhh

Wanted to do the TBU but that's going to have to wait now

 

[m0ist]

So update. I had to get the rotors and brakes changed ASAP with no time on my hands. Dropped it off at the dealership and $900 later have new rotors, brake fluid and pads. Mehhh

Wanted to do the TBU but that's going to have to wait now

That's a shame man. Something like that would cake to do in the street.

 

[AntleredRuin]

$900 later have new rotors, brake fluid and pads.

Shiite.....and that right there is why it's worth it for a house

 

[octanejunkie]

So update. I had to get the rotors and brakes changed ASAP with no time on my hands. Dropped it off at the dealership and $900 later have new rotors, brake fluid and pads. Mehhh

Wanted to do the TBU but that's going to have to wait now

If you want to do this on a weekend, let me know

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[thegipper]

So update. I had to get the rotors and brakes changed ASAP with no time on my hands. Dropped it off at the dealership and $900 later have new rotors, brake fluid and pads. Mehhh

Wanted to do the TBU but that's going to have to wait now

900 dollars for rotors, pads and new fluid?

Good lord...

Hopefully you can find a place to wrench moving forward.

 

[ltsr]

So update. I had to get the rotors and brakes changed ASAP with no time on my hands. Dropped it off at the dealership and $900 later have new rotors, brake fluid and pads. Mehhh

Wanted to do the TBU but that's going to have to wait now

Next time go to an Independent shop for half that price. I don't want to make you feel bad about it but it's a lesson learned.

I think I saw you post you are in the SFV area. Give these guys a call: Contact Us ? KT Motoring Inc.

I'm from the LA/SFV area, will vouch for the guys there.

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

I have a small storage unit where I "sneak" in my repairs, to a certain point. Luckily I've never gotten stranded with a problem that snowballed out of control, but at one time I had my WJ on 4 jack stands w/ the wheels off frantically replacing calipers and rotors/pads.

The next day, I had my door rolled up and was using the battery drill on a piece of wood when the property manager and district manager caught me; I was told that I was stealing "their" electricity and violating my rental agreement which forbids any type of work to be done. I just laughed inside...

 

[thenightman]

I am lucky that my apartment is only 7 miles from my parents. 7 miles is 15-30 minutes, depending on day and time. They are very cool and let me work on my cars there, in their 2 car garage. I get to spend time with the family and get stuff done, win/win. Most of my automotive tools, my welder, fab stuff, etc, is all there. Median home price in my county is 875,800 so it will be a while untiI can buy my own place.

 

[Kimosobey]

That works well for us in Washington too. Unfortunately that means you have to get all of your work done between August 3rd and August 14th if you want to stay dry.

This is so true. Not from Washington but visit frequently. On the bright side its greener than most places in the U.S.