The Satisfaction of Learning how to Repair a Car

I began really learning how to work on a car when I owned a Volvo xc90. I thought that I had diagnosed a clogged or incorrectly operating throttle actuator and set about replacing it. I had never done any work on a car prior to that, and I was excited to slowly remove one pipe after another bent over my trunk. Months went by and I made tiny eforts every few days to get a little deeper into the car. It didn't end well. Ultimately, I couldn't access the part I needed, nowhere close (damn you Volvo for putting the part in such a weird place!) and I went to a mechanic and confidently told them that I needed to replace it. They recommended against it and ultimately they were right. The transmission had failed, causing my limp mode symptom and replacing the throttle actuator did basically nothing. I was out $500 and had to scrap the car but I learned a few important lessons: 1) repairing a vehicle was something I enjoyed learning about and doing and 2) don't tell a mechanic what they should do, let them recommend the repair.

Working on my cars (I've had four junkers that I get rid of like a hermit crab once a year, except for my most recent vehicle) has been a rewarding experience, and I love the feeling of diagnosing and exploring potential issues with them. It has instilled a confidence in handywork in me that has allowed me to feel okay attempting different kinds of work without professional supervision. It is truly a satisfying feeling to be able to figure out an issue and repair it yourself, knowing at the end of the day you saved yourself some money, learned something, and can use your vehicle with more confidence and less anxiety