When do you know....?

[westend]

When do you know it's time to hang up the wrenches and tools and start seeking repair help?

I started wrenching on motorcycles at age 14. Since then, I've repaired and maintained anything except aircraft. I'll be turning 68 next month and am finding repair, just on my small auto fleet, is getting to be a drag. My travel trailer is a love object so that gets the best of attention.

Did anybody older look back and say "Yeah, when I did X, that was the indicator?"

[jplante4]

I found that things I used to do all day were taking me all day to do. The DW and I have a standing joke; everything takes 20 minutes to do. I would go to change the oil and she asked how long it would take. "Twenty minutes" was my standard reply. If I only did the oil change, that would be about right, but I always found something else to do. And so it is with the motor home. It just takes me longer to do stuff.

And now I'm in a condo where I can't pull the coach up next to the house and do stuff. I expect I'll drive it up to the airport and do my usual spring stuff. I'd like to find a contractor bay to rent for a month closer to home.

[Toolguy5]

I started at a young age and carried over into my work. I still enjoy working on somethings. But mostly I do not like the hassle. So I take majority of my things in for service.

[John_Joey]

At this point in life I have the tools and the knowledge, just not the desire to do that **** anymore. I still do my own work (mostly) but pay for it in aches and pains.

It's hard to let go not only the cash, but also the quality of the job. Too many times when I farm something out the quality of the job is not there when it's done.

I stopped doing oil changes a long time ago on the cars because it wasn't cost effective. Last one I got the guy left the old oil ring on the engine, and it started leaking after 1,000 miles while I was away from home. :S

[LarryJM]

westend wrote:
When do you know it's time to hang up the wrenches and tools and start seeking repair help?

I started wrenching on motorcycles at age 14. Since then, I've repaired and maintained anything except aircraft. I'll be turning 68 next month and am finding repair, just on my small auto fleet, is getting to be a drag. My travel trailer is a love object so that gets the best of attention.

Did anybody older look back and say "Yeah, when I did X, that was the indicator?"

I'm exactly the same age as you (I'll be 69 next month) and done the same repair/maintenance wise for the last 50+ years as you have. There has only been one thing that I have tried to repair/fix that was a failure and that's leaking vehicle radiators:( ). I would bet my repair/fix-it repertoire probably exceeds yours by a large margin, but enough chest beating since that's not important except to emphasis that I've depended on others much less that probably 99% of the people out there) None of my vehicles in that time have ever been to a dealer for either repair or maintenance except when under warranty and then those I can count on one or maybe two hands since I will do warranty repairs if they are simple and not too time consuming or costly for me. Yes it gets harder, but I've learned to work in "spurts" and it can take a whole day to do an oil change now, but I've got the time and you just have to relearn to take projects in "steps" and not try and overdo it all at once. I almost never start and finish even a simple project in one day. I've also started investing is the safer items to help me like the "Little Giant Safety Step Stepladder" and I now limit my ladder climbing and the roof stuff is definitely out now. Biggest thing is to not get in a hurry and think things thre two or three or more times before starting with a bias towards safety and being realistic on what your limitations are now.

Even so you're right at some point I will have to cut back even more and the biggest issue is finding someone or many sources to do what I would have in the past for what I think is a reasonable cost.

It seems now days it all about the $$$ and a prime example I currently ran into is replacing my WH in the S&B home. It's a simple task that I have done in the past, but the first thing the install services you can use from say Lowes or HD is they want to know how much the replacement water heater is since that is a factor in what they will charge. This is IMO a clear indicator of FALSE PRICING since it costs an installer the same to do say a low end water heater or a more expensive one that require the same installation configurations.

Larry

[path1]

I used to take it shop for a lot of things. Now retired with lots of time and the shop wants over $100.00 an hour. I think I've just begun.

[FLY_4_FUN]

I think my vehicles are far too technical for me to work on...so the dealership gets them for all but oil changes. I like new vehicles every 5-6 years so most times little major happens to them.

My rv is about the simplest thing in the world so I do all the work on it and love doing mods like solar, inverter etc.

[sele]

for me when it isn't fun anymore, I plan to keep on doing until I can't. It may take a little longer but being retired I have plenty of time.

[MrWizard]

i'm 69
i don't do any Mechanical drive train, suspension, chassis work on this DP
except check the fluids

i still work on the house stuff, and all the electrical
and i repaired the entry door frame about a yr ago
And I installed the new toilet, house water pump (that was a real chore) hidden behind the water bay access plate

i do wrench on the Scoot, but that takes a lot less effort, and more familiar than diesel engines

[Searching_Ut]

For most of my life, I always fixed my home, cars, appliances, televisions, rv's, and assorted toys myself. Partially because it saved a couple coins, but mostly because I tended to get better quality that way. Now I'm more inclined to pay someone to put in a new fence, or work on the car. Most of the house interior related stuff I still prefer to do myself. I do all my RV work if it isn't warranty, mostly because you really need to upgrade and beef up everything which the shops don't tend to do. We roam all over very desolate parts of the country in our ATV, so I do all the maintenance and upgrades on it myself. I don't trust the shops to do a quality job and most importantly to really look over and fix anything that needs fixing or modifying.

The stuff that's important to me I'll probably keep doing myself until I'm no longer capable.

[shadows4]

I am almost 61. I still have the will and enjoy doing my own maintenence. But my body is not cooperating on somethings. My hands ache from carpal tunnel syndrome and my back doesn't bend as well as it used to.

Despite these limitations I can still get the job done, just not as quickly. I don't see me hanging up my tools ever. They may not get used as much but they will be used.

I think it is a personal decision that each individual has to make at some point in their lives. Good luck, John

[samsontdog]

I am nearly 80 and I own 12 rentals and do nearly all the repair work to keep them in good shape. I change my own oil in my tractors, p ups, RVs. It is harder to do and takes me longer but I don't mind. I am seldom in a rocking chair. I ride my bike 6 to 8 miles a day. Life is good

[westend]

Yeah, there are all kinds of different situations.
When I was employed with a wrench in my hand, my house and yard were beautiful. People actually stopped and asked, neighbors congratulated me.
When I was employed as a remodeler, my house, yard, and cars went downhill, I never wanted to hold a wrench or hammer again.

Fortunately, the glass is still better than half-full and I'm able to schedule and complete a small project with little suffering. Others aren't as fortunate.

For the true bragging rights: My Wife and I shoveled out more than half of our basement. I made a special concrete form that allowed me to excavate 4' under the existing poured foundation. That 6' folding form was hand filled with a Sears cement mixer twisting up 1/3 yd at a time. It marched along under the foundation until done. We also added a center block wall that bears the center weight of the house. Folks thought we were nuts.
Now, that is mostly finished space with a shelved store room, a bedroom, a laundry, and a small office space.

Keep the histories coming and keep the stop/caution light in mind. I'm especially interested in those guys that have ramped down in physical activity. How did you?

[Aridon]

My thoughts are that when I'm unable to do the fairly simple repairs most of the problems require is the day I hang up the RV and go sit in my living and wait to die.

Growing up I've watched people wither away as they convinced themselves they can't do things anymore because they are 65, 75 or 85 whatever age.

I prefer to keep on doing even if it might take a little longer or might be a bit more challenging physically. Sure I might get a little more sore as I age, might take me a little while longer to fiddle and diddle with things but I'm active, it keeps my brain active and my body moving. That really is half the battle right there, just staying active and not withering away listening to my arteries harden as I sit inside watching the boob tube.

[rhagfo]

westend wrote:

I,M 70 and can handle a lot of repairs but theres times my brain says go for it, and my body says O no you don,t

Truer words were never said.

ROTFL!!!!

Well when I was young and not making much money I wrenched to save money.

Nowadays I do my own wrenching as therapy, I do ache a bit more when done, but it goes away quickly and I just like the feeling of a job well done.

[CampbellDaycrui]

When I was younger I used to have to work overtime to afford to pay a mechanic to fix the things I would have done myself if I wasn't working so much overtime.......

Now I don't work.......