why oh why do i help people fix their car!

[steve bain]

so i helped fix my missus friends blokes car as a favour for the missus. I have a rule generally not to help people as it always ends badly, but i agreed. We replaced both front brake hoses, tie rod end and thermostat, bled the brakes etc. Off he goes happy as larry. Today i get a phone call, brake fluid is coming out of the new hose we fitted around the joint were it connects to the brake caliper. His mate suggested that i overtightened it and have cracked the caliper and that is why its leaking. I think it is most likely a bit of dirt under the washer that i missed when cleaning it and it needs doing again ( i defo did not overtighten or cross thread it, that i am sure of), however i cannot do it as i am at work and he's working tonight. He's a bit annoyed at me and rightly so, as it is ultimately my fault, but i helped him in good faith and he will have to pay a garage a few quid to get it looked at today before work, its still saved him a lot of money in comparisson....and breathe.

Anyway, i am reverting back to my original idea...i do not work on others cars. I now feel really guilty after spending an evening on someone elses car and not working on mine. makes no sense.

[james butler]

Yeah I've been there too.
I helped someone I know with a flat tyre on an old fiesta. Week after he still had a the spare on he noticed a knocking noise.
Turns out two of the wheel studs had sheared.
Of course it had to be my fault.
Like yourself I seldom help unless I'm feeling in the mood and desperate for cash Or it's a rocco.

[unknownmale]

Yeah, that's the main issue. A brief thanks...but then down the road you're getting all the blame for anything that might come after. I no longer work on other peoples cars. I'll help close mates out who already know what they're doing, but the bottom line is that i am not a garage! Also had experience of accidentally breaking parts when they're being particularly stubborn which of course you feel obliged to pay for, so the result is a lost Sunday evening and a few quid.

[Tim_R]

It's the same in the IT work world as well, don't do favors or fix home PCs, it sets a precedent and either becomes expected or something becomes "your fault because you touched it last" to clean off all the malware and search engine toolbars 3 months before. The fact a laptop has been dropped several times and had coffee spilt over can't possibly be the reason it's died.

Generally favors when trying to help out someone who's not family or close friends tends to come back and bite in my experience. I've had neighbors and locals in my village ask if I'll do work on their cars and I have to politely refuse. Mostly because I enjoy working on my own cars (most of the time) and get satisfaction from sorting the problems when I'm next driving it.

[Rusty dan]

I do feel your pain Steve and understandably the frustration of those you help that then call a problem with the work done!
Same as you Tim, hate sorting IT stuff for family and friends especially if the niggle is something that cant go away without a proper hardware fix that they dont want to pay for!
As for the cars, I dont sort helping anyone out but it amazes me the amount of randoms at work ask me for car advice for a problem they have when I am just the IT guy. Who told these people I play with cars!?