[Bob Dillon]

I am utterly defeated.


I ordered synthetic oil and a filter for my wife's Fusion last week from Amazon.



It was 102 here Sunday, and I just couldn't handle getting out the ramps, the drain pan, and a jug for the used oil, and crawling under the car.


I sent her to Oil Changers to get it done. $47 if you provide them with the oil and filter.



It's a witch to admit you're getting too old for routine maintenance.

[Don Keefe]

No, Bob you did the right thing. About six years ago, my dad, who was at the time dealing with dementia but was still pretty together, was doing yard work. After mowing the lawn and bagging the clippings, he decided a dead bush in the garden had to come out. By this time, the temperature had jumped to about 95 degrees but he pressed on and in his typical hard-headed, Irish farm boy fashion, he dug it out and disposed of it. At about 5:00 am, he reported to my mother that he was having a heart attack, which he did. It was the start of his rapid decline. No one of any age should be doing outdoor work in that temperature.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Bob Dillon

It's a witch to admit you're getting too old for routine maintenance.

It absolutely is. Especially when it happens when you're "young!" I will say that there is zero shame in getting an oil change shop to handle oil changes on more modern cars. You can barely buy the oil and filter for what they usually charge and then you have to deal with disposing the used oil...

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

No one of any age should be doing outdoor work in that temperature.

My dad still does this every day a week in south Texas and I worry for him, but he's just determined to keep going.

[66sprint6]

There's no shame in becoming fatigued in 102 degree weather. Best to concentrate on your health and stay safe for 47 bucks.

[bird72]

The thrill of working on vehicles has left me. I repaired the tool box on my truck yesterday. Might be it for the year.

[misterp266]

Originally Posted by bird72

The thrill of working on vehicles has left me. . . . . . . . . .

I’m glad I’m not alone in that respect. The enthusiasm is gone but the project still sits in pieces. Seems like I got “old” before I thought I would......

[tom s]

Bob,as im going on 76,when young I had more time than money,now I think I have more money than TIME.Some things like oil changes I just take to the dealer for my everyday cars.Tom

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by Bob Dillon

I am utterly defeated.
It was 102
It's a witch to admit you're getting too old for routine maintenance.

At 57 years, i would have delayed or staged that chore - or sent her to the kwiky-lube.
We have had a miserable July and August here.
Been "delaying/staging" things outside - constantly - for over 2 months.

[Half-Inch Stud]

2021 has been a cold year. However we had some scorching afternoons with surprise high90s. I picked a few of those days to;

Did a new drain ditch, all day. Got over heated finishing the job.
Moved lots of dirt all day. Got over heated finishing the job.
Bend the gutter flashing and re-tar roof repairs. Got way over-heated and thighs schorched by the hot shingles.

Garage activities are met with hot afternoon Sun at the garage doors. Best to work in the garage.

Anyway, seem TV has a good observation.

[vr1967]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

My dad still does this every day a week in south Texas and I worry for him, but he's just determined to keep going.

I fully understand this. We are still cutting trees and trying to get power restored to SW MS and SE LA, yet the news (at least the local news,) would have you think that only south Louisiana took a hit from Ida.

Thankfully we are having a mild day today. Only in the 90s with a 105-106 heat index.

I’m in my 50s, grew up here, and spent most of my 21 years overseas in hot places, I can tell at night the toll it is taking on my body.

[poncho-mike]

I see I'm not the only one with this issue. I bought a bunch of early 70s T/As & Formulas in the 1980s & 1990s with plans to restore them in retirement. My employer at the time offered full retirement pension with insurance benefits after 30 years. Well, a layoff screwed those plans up big time. I'm currently 64 and still working, but will retire very soon. I'm still maintaining my drivers for the most part when I can, but I can tell restoring all of the cars I've squirreled away is never going to happen.

And I'm definitely with you on the heat. I'm looking for a cabin in the mountains with a large garage or pole barn so I can get away from the summer heat.

[RocktimusPryme]

No shame. Being hot sucks. I had a bunch of new parts get here this month, but Im just not going out there when its 90*+ and humid.

I do plenty of wrenching on my cars but I have gotten to the point that I hate doing basic maintenance like like oil changes. If I had a lift maybe it would bother me less. On the Pontiac, the oil filter is directly over the long tubes, its just a built in mess. I just dont like doing dirty jobs.

I also hate pumping gas. Always thought I wouldnt mind living in one of those states where an attendant has to do it. Stupid menial tasks......

I try to look at things from a cost/benefit angle too. If it wasnt my car and someone offered me $50 to go lay under a car in the middle of summer and get dirty, would I do it? Probably not.

[SRR]

Like Clint Eastwood once said: A man's got to know his limitations. I'm 64 and live in Southern California. I drink water constantly and rest often when I work outside. I have an large umbrella on wheels and a "swamp" cooler. Even though I have a lift even changing oil wears me out sometimes. Kneeling down to set the arms was pure torture until I bought one of those kneeling pads. Best 8 bucks spent!

[Sirrotica]

Your mind says "I need to do this", and you did it easily just 5-10 years ago. The body is the hold back that says, "you're now nearly 70, get a young person that hasn't found about about old age yet to do it".

I'm learning that saving that money, by doing it myself isn't as important, or as necessary, as it once was. No shame in it at all........

BTW, the new house and garage will definitely have a lift, as soon as we get the living quarters taken care of, the garage improvements will be next. The only thing I have found problematic so far with hiring someone else to do work for me, is to get them to do work as I would do it myself. I ask a lot of questions before the work starts, and tell them what I expect as far as the quality of the work upon completion, I don't want anything left to chance as far as my expectations before the work ensues.

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by SRR

Like Clint Eastwood once said: A man's got to know his limitations. I'm 64 and live in Southern California. I drink water constantly and rest often when I work outside. I have an large umbrella on wheels and a "swamp" cooler. Even though I have a lift even changing oil wears me out sometimes. Kneeling down to set the arms was pure torture until I bought one of those kneeling pads. Best 8 bucks spent!

I have a lift, and I use a pad to help the old knees myself. On all of my Ford trucks I can use ramps and reach the filters easy, the GM stuff has to go on the lift.

[poncho-mike]

Some of the best money I ever spent was on a large foam pad a guy was selling at Autofair about three years ago. It's not as dense as the small pads you can but at anywhere, and it is much larger (about 2' x 4'). I use it for my knees when I'm working on brakes, and I put my head and shoulders on it when I'm changing oil.

The last time I did a brake job, I hooked my car trailer to the Suburban and drove the car on the trailer. It was much easier to work the brakes with the car on the trailer.

My answer for the heat will be a new heated and cooled garage, in whatever home I buy for retirement.

[Jonsie]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Your mind says "I need to do this", and you did it easily just 5-10 years ago. The body is the hold back that says, "you're now nearly 70, get a young person that hasn't found about about old age yet to do it".

I'm learning that saving that money, by doing it myself isn't as important, or as necessary, as it once was. No shame in it at all........

BTW, the new house and garage will definitely have a lift, as soon as we get the living quarters taken care of, the garage improvements will be next. The only thing I have found problematic so far with hiring someone else to do work for me, is to get them to do work as I would do it myself. I ask a lot of questions before the work starts, and tell them what I expect as far as the quality of the work upon completion, I don't want anything left to chance as far as my expectations before the work ensues.

You'll find the lift will be the best tool in your toolbox

['ol Pinion head]

Dealing w Heat/weather... to get work done, i get my butt up & get after it, its called Beat'n the Heat. Last week on Mon morning after we drove south 800 miles, rear brakes on wife's 4Runner were chirping a little. Its 6:30 AM & its muggy. W/o the benefit of air tools, 52 minutes later the 4Runner had new brake pads on the back, the lug nuts were torqued & wife was ready to be off to town.

Due to Summer heat, by 6:30 AM am typically out in my building. Lately, if by 7:00 AM the speakers aren't blasting song #4 of the Jason Aldean download, the mornin is not off to a good start. As the day goes on, the big barrel fans get turned on. By 4:00 PM it's typically knock'n on a 100 degrees. H=LL it's Summer! What many of our local whiners don't get, around here at least, it's not the miserable Summer of 2014 or 1980. I'd love to wake up to 55 degrees this morning like Bob in Garlic land. Maybe in a month.

Was Hot & muggy here yesterday. I persevered. At the end of the day, was again amused by the national input on the results of the weather. Shame on me, uhhh "climate". Came in last evening after a quick dive in the pool to cool off. Supper is ready & the TV's on. My wife & I catch a snippet of a press conference; some "babbling on" earlier in the day about 170 mph "winds" in NJ. Winds... uh, yeah, is that what educated people call the phenomena? Had to turn it off, a total false narrative being presented/ not very well by an old fool & several of his supporters. Not able to suck it up & admit the reality. For one thing, TORNADO's have been reported over the years in every state in the lower 48. Also, days of storms typically follow Hurricanes. Sometimes, those storms produce Tornados & heavy rains. Hmm. Nothin earth shattering new, nothing changing. Of course, can't quote or learn from real history, can only "reinvent" it.

[bird72]

Knee Pads are my friend, they used to be for wusses, ha.

I get lots of breaks though, as somehow as tools age, they learn to hide better.

[ramairthreegto]

That’s ok.

I just got the mid mount mower on the tractor hung up, broke off the mount, was working on fixing it, can’t fix it, bang my head so hard getting up on the bucket I knocked myself over, face covers in blood, damn near knocked out, finally got it to stop bleeding after half an hour or more of ice and pressure, and a couple of staples.