How often do you guys get grabbed for car support?

[Dave M]

I adopted a new stance a while back - I now say 'you wont learn unless you do it. I will watch to make sure you dont make a total f...k up of it' . Then if they do turn up its you with the feet up drinking the tea. Its easier than saying outright 'no' and you get a laugh when THEY sheer bolts and get spanner rash

This is the way to go.

A good friend bought a nice e39 touring, got understandably excited, and decided to take care of a bunch of maintenance items. We ordered a water pump, belts, fan clutch, 02 sensors, fuel filter, plugs, coil boots etc and planned to go at it. He says "this shouldn't take more than a couple of hours huh?" I said "well, number one, I've never worked on an e39 and two, you're doing the wrenching, so don't plan on being home for lunch" He's a carpenter, so knows his way around 'tools', but it was funny watching him get the blue shower when he drained the coolant I literally sat there and drank tea while reading the bentley and pointing at tools. He couldn't believe how much time the little things like getting the car in the air and draining fluids can take.

Someone else for a change............

Dave

[Ferret]

I think this is the way to go too, time to be a technical advisor instead!

Trouble is that I actually enjoy working on the cars to the point where it's only after I've fixed it that I realise that I've been taken for a ride!