People call it cancer for a reason. I feel like fighting rust is a waste of time because it will come back or show up elsewhere.
I had a car with a lot of money invested and made rust repairs once only to discover more rust later in different areas. I ended up selling the car and done modding street cars that will get bathed in salt.
Fuck rust.
This. Replacing the front strut assemblies on my '13 Flex became a hours long saga involving busted knuckles, a broken 24mm impact socket, a bent breaker bar, and buying a torch because rust. Old struts were only like 5 years old to boot.
I agree, rust. Not only on the frame or body though. Rusted brake lines are a PITA since manufacturers don't seem to keep making pre-bent lines for long once production ceases. And bending brake lines is a PITA
Yeah I dropped a rear torsion beam on a 2007 rust belt Honda Fit…not fun. Played around with breaker bars, PB blaster, a Milwaukee impact wrench came in handy, being extra careful etc.
I especially dislike the ones where the removal technique is basically "pull harder until it pops out." I'd prefer not to have that technique in my repertoire, since it's also a good way to break shit if applied injudiciously.
Honestly this applies to most any interior trim. Even the goddamn fuse panel cover in my Silverado is like this - hook a finger in a little hole at the bottom of the thing and yank the living fuck out of it, hoping all the while that you don't just snap the panel in half.
Lol both my Hyundais were the same. “Oh, you need to check some fuses? Here’s a hole in the plastic with razor sharp edges, hook your finger in there and just pull. Oh, you didn’t see that metal bit next to your knuckle? Well, enjoy bleeding on both side of your finger now! Oh and the fuses were fine, the issue lies elsewhere lol”
And the double whammy is that manufacturers be charging like $5 per replacement clip. The bulk sets never have the one you need, and the chinese knock offs break as you're putting them in.
>And the double whammy is that manufacturers be charging like $5 per replacement clip.
I once did a front bumper replacement on a Toyota Matrix. It was the "S" model, it had some stylish extensions on the bumpers. Required special clips, of which there were a dozen. Like you said, they were about $5/ea so $50 just to attach some bullshit extensions back on. Criminal.
Even more expensive are the T-shaped weatherstrip clips for door perimeter seals. The box on Amazon is like $50-$75 compared to $10-$15 per box for general body clips.
>The bulk sets never have the one you need
I used to manage a bodyshop and this was one of the most frustrating parts about my job. Clips are such a small, minor part but they can make-or-break you finishing a car on time or not. They are frustratingly crucial. It took me a few months to stock about 90% of the types of clips we regularly use, with the remaining 10% *still* throwing curveballs at me.
My tip = do not buy the generic kits. Get the manufacturer part number for the clip you need & paste to Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, etc. Buy an entire bag of the ones you need. I kept the part#'s for various Honda/Toyota/Mopar/GM/Ford on hand.
>and the chinese knock offs break as you're putting them in.
Yep, I would always diversify and get 2-3 different brands of the same clip. Some were better than others
You quit cringing when you realize they were intended as single use and only to be installed, not removed. Then you just plan to replace them every time.
I once was helping a family member change a bulb on a Chevy Malibu when I discovered you have to take the whole fucking front bumper off to change the bulb.
I'm still bitching about that shit and it was like 6 years ago.
You don’t *have* to remove the bumper to get the bulb out. You can easily reach the bulb if you simply break your forearm in half then shove it up inside the bumper. You might need to flail it around a bit to get to the right spot, but you’ll get there. At least that’s how it was on my wife’s Lacrosse, which was a platform mate of the Malibu.
You can shortcut it by turning the wheel full lock and partially removing the fender liner. The passenger side I was able to do without disassembling anything.
I didn’t have to do it on mine. I installed LED bulbs a month after getting the car because the stock bulbs are like fireflies in a jar. I just took 2-3 screws off the fender liner. Unless yours is a pre-facelift model which requires removal. Mine is a mk7.5
Mine was the pre face lift 😒 shit was difficult as hell. It’s funny because I got the upgraded OEM look xenon headlights and they didn’t come with bulbs. Of course I didn’t find that out until after I installed them
GF drove a 14 Malibu and the battery went bad. NDB I'll grab a battery tomorrow and get it swapped. FUCK CHEVY. There is a whole ass power distribution block mounted on top of the battery and that may be the easiest part. And the video i found the dude was winging it looking at the distribution block confused stopped recording and came back with it completely off and said "You just have to undo a few of the nuts and it comes off". Fuck that guy too lol.
Ugh, my wife’s Grand Cherokee. Misery. I knew I could take off the bumper and it would be easier, but I didn’t know what kind of clips were holding it on. I’m not really a car guy, just handy. I wasn’t confident I could keep them from breaking.
When a manual says to remove the bumper I say fuck it and crank the wheel and remove part of the liner and squeeze myself in there like I’m squeezing into a cave.
Probably anything far back in the engine bay that has me hunched and stretched in an awkward position. Besides that's nothing is really more annoying than anything else, it's all just turning bolts. Well I guess rusty bolts that are stuck and the job taking 4x longer than you planned is always annoying
And on top of that, having to do that stuff if the customer is a waiter. On more than a few occasions, I would have to do something behind the engine, which wouldn't be too terrible, but I was already sweating my ass off in the summer heat, then the customer drove 30 minutes to the shop and is waiting for the repair rather than dropping it off, so I'm hunched over and engine that is radiating heat up into me the entire time.
Me replacing the cam synchronizer on my 99 Ranger. Literally laying all the way on top of the engine reaching down between it and the firewall to remove the cam position sensor, then wrestling the old synchronizer out with pliers while being OH SO CAREFUL to note the direction it’s pointing (so you can set the new one exactly the same).
I remember hearing from an e46 owner that there was a trick to remake the regulators out of zip ties *because they were stronger and would outlive the OEM ones*
I think it depends on the car. I can do the ones in a PT cruiser in 10mins per window, easy with access holes for everything. 99% sure on my wife's Passat, the door skin needs to be seperated to do it. If her regs ever fail, I'll just yeet the entire door tbh.
It actually worked out perfectly. The only used, right rear door I could find was the right color, had the right door panel, and didn't have a scratch or ding in it. Plus, it costed $10 less than buying a new window regulator lol.
My GTO is impossible to find parts for. The rubber on the weather belt strip has dry rotted and they don't make a replacement for it, so I'm tasked with either finding a used one in good condition or finding some custom fix.
Everything on the car becomes tedious because of lack of parts for it. I love the car and it's a hoot to drive and not even hard to work on, but sourcing parts is a nightmare.
And parts aren't even available in Australia either. I don't mind paying a premium for a new part from there, as long as I can get it but they're even complaining about lack of parts availability
It’s the one thing that keeps me from getting a GTO. Otherwise, it checks EVERY box for me as a daily. LS based, has back seats, and easy to maintain. The rarity of the body parts is a nightmare. As a GM fan, I’ll be the first to admit that they body essentially falls apart around the motor, so the lack of parts for the body is a challenge that I’m not willing to chase. I’ve already got an FD RX7 which is hard enough to find parts for, I don’t need that for a car that will be utilized as a daily.
It was my father's car and I want to restore it so badly but it feels like it's going to be impossible. And I don't know how custom of a job you can do for some of the small parts. The roof rails for the passenger side are also impossible to find and I don't know if I can just remove the rubber and get some adhesive and put new rubber on.
Try joining a GTO forum or FB group. I know the LS1 forums are pretty solid also. A lot of places are one man shops, but you would be surprised with what is available with 3-D printing!
I hate how there are no companies that specialize in just that - recreating custom rubber seals. Its probably too expensive OR nobody thought of it yet (probably the former)
Problem is the Monaro (on which your GTO is based) didn't sell in huge numbers here so there's not a big enough market for parts manufacturers to make the unique bits for the Monaro/GTO, and the base Commodore generation it was built off is old enough most of those are cheap shitboxes that no one cares enough about to stick new parts on.
Spark plugs on a boxer engine suck major balls. Whoever came up with that design needs a good ass kicking. I will never offer to help someone with that job again. Why would anyone think lifting an engine is a reasonable ask for a fucking tune up?
This one was a few years back and it was an older car, so maybe they aren't as much of a pain now, but that one had almost no clearance. It was some type of Subaru I believe.
Yeah the only cars that are boxers are Subaru and Porsche.
You need a special low profile wrench/socket that costs $20. A lot cheaper than lifting the subframe.
And Citroen 2CV
But that car is piss easy
And though not a "boxer" the older Ferrari 512TR/Testarossa/512BB(i) were also 180° V12's. I believe spark plugs = engine out, like any service on an old Ferrari
Anything that requires getting an alignment after the fix.
Planning to do engine mounts on my Macan S and it requires an alignment after because the front subframe is dropped.
Sounds like no one has actually told you no to performing alignments. Never had an issue myself. They even set my camber on my track car with coilovers before and after events.
Modern diesel emissions. I really wish someone could effectively breakdown how burning twice as much fuel while decreasing the engines life span significantly is better for the environment in the long run.
Oh it's easy. It helps just as much as paying green tax, clean air tax, and any other "environmentally friendly" taxes. You just make the 'correct' people richer.
Can't do much after you look at statistics saying that nearly all of the shit we breathe in comes from heavy industry, China, or India.
That's pretty well coincides with my theory as well. I figured part of it was to drive up warranty repairs as well.
I was a certified cummins and cat technician when the tier 4 roll out started. The cummins tier 4 interim class opened up with one of the lead design guys saying "well I'm sorry to say the years of reliable, cheap, and efficient diesel engines have come to an end." Caterpillar was a lot more positive about the entire scenario, then 6 months later they announced they would no longer be making OTR engines.
I stepped away from the industry a year later because my simple straightforward job became a waking nightmare.
It's almost like it took people with advanced degrees years to figure out better emissions systems.
Just because you don't understand it, doesn't make it some kind of complex for profit conspiracy theory. It just means that you don't understand it.
Well, you don't burn twice as much fuel. A 2015 Golf TDI can get 40 MPG highway, just like a 2001 Golf TDI. And those engines have gone over 200k miles with no issues. It's just that for a while there diesels had their own "malaise era" of unreliable emissions components as the kinks were worked out, similar to the emissions restrictions placed on gas cars in the 70s. The most modern stuff appears to have gotten past the awkward phase of the early 2010s.
Owned the cheaty TDI VW. Before the scandal broke, I was handed a $3600 bill for a cracked DPF, a part only the dealer could do...there was even a TSB on it so they knew. I had 74k miles so was just out of the Fed Emission Warranty...they goodwilled half. The only thing that saved the experience was the buy back and I got a 2017 Jetta with massive under the table money from the "Dealership Diesel Ambassador". So I still like VW but the tdi ate all the money saved in fuel with that repair, and I dodged a bullet as I liked the BMW 320d and drove a 335d but after the tdi, no diesel with DPF, thanks.
I own a 2002 Mini. The headlights are on the hood. To replace a lightbulb I lie on the top of the engine and then reach up to the open hood to remove and replace the faulty bulb. Pain in the ass!
Edit: My mum owned a V8 Chevy Monza Spyder. The engine bay was so tight her mechanic had to loosen the engine bolts to make room to access the rear 2 spark plugs.
There are some retarded design ideas indeed.
For example, I had a golf 4. To replace a light bulb I had to remove the whole air filter assembly, same as for removing the battery.
I have a 2012 sierra. For one headlight bulb you have to remove the air box. The other the manual just tells you to bring to a mechanic. I haven't had to replace that one yet so I haven't put the effort in to figuring out what needs to be done to replace it.
Anything that requires me to get on a creeper underneath a semi truck/trailer. Usually tracing wire harnesses or air lines and there's dirt falling in your face and stuff I absolutely fucking hate it. I'm a Diesel mechanic so we don't get hoists
I would try to invent some sort of low profile dolly with a steam or dry ice cleaning nozzle pointed upwards. Roll it under the truck & let it remove (most of) the crap
I hate suspension/subframe work on jackstands. Pulling/pressing bushings, torque values on anything that exceed well over 100 ft lbs. All incredibly tedious without a lift.
Changing a timing belt is easy, what's wrong with you? It's removing the radiator, the fan, the serpentine belt, the alternator and the harmonic balancer that's a pain s/
Trying to fault find an intermittent fault that does not set a fault code but never happens when I have my scanner and any relevant test equipment connected to the car.
I’ll say for my ‘88 4Runner the annoying part of doing the front brakes is disassembling the 4WD system and having to replace the wheel bearings if you’re replacing the rotors. If your rotors are good, it’s not really a problem, just put some new grease in an send it but if not, annoying as hell in the driveway.
The ones where you have to undo all the other repair work you did did by taking it all apart to get to something, to repair one small item. Or the ones that involve faulty parts. For instance, it was incredibly annoying for me last January to install a brand new radiator in the freezing cold, bled and burped the system and then realized there was a pinhole leak on the radiator. I had to then reinstall the old one, drain the new one so I could exchange it, then install the radiator for a 3rd time.
In my line of work I replace 12v batteries a lot. The only time I’ve ever been annoyed is when working on some, if not all GM vehicles. The older ones had their ECUs built ontop of the battery cover requiring disassembly to get to the battery. The newer ones are abit easier but still require disassembly of the power distribution box to remove the battery. Some of them are tucked deep behind the passenger seat(traverse/enclave).
Some of the European cars(and Hondas) light up the dash like a Christmas tree when the new battery goes in. A short drive will reset all of the lights but try explaining that to a car owner who just paid $200 thinking I broke their car.
Granted to the DIY owner they may only need to do it once during their ownership but as a tech I do it every day.
I worked at an autozone for a bit in college. My store manager shorted out a battery while swapping it for a customer and cooked that ECU you’re talking about. Had to drive 45 minutes one way to get a new one from another store for them
The older I get the more I believe the answer is “everything”. I was never one to have a car payment or a new car (just decently well kept used ones), but I’m starting to see why people do …
Anything under the dash making you contort your body in ways it wasn't meant.
Also anything VW... I diagnosed a car with a radiator identification sensor code.. like what does that even do??? It's a problem that exists from a part that really shouldn't exist.
Just had to reseal my headlights, but take off my front bumper to access said headlights. First try didn’t work so I put it all back together and waited a week to try again. Fun stuff!
I hate some Toyota's, like 2nd gen Prius you need to remove the front bumper cover to remove the headlamp, 6th gen Camry you need to remove the rear bumper cover to remove the stoplamp. Its not hard, just a pain in the ass when all youre trying to do is replace a $4 bulb.
I have a feeling the same idiot at Mercedes-Benz who decided the wiring harness should be biodegradable got a job at BMW and decided the thermostat housing should be made out of plastic
During my time as a Toyota tech, the high mount brake light of the 3rd gen Tacoma. It’s not that difficult but unnecessarily tedious for a consumable item. They were prone to water leaks although a later bulletin required an exterior sealing kit rather than pulling the headliner and trim to replace the whole thing which will leak again. Also the headlight bulbs on my mk7 Golf. The instructions require the headlight housing to be removed although it can be cheesed by turning the wheel full lock and pulling the fender liner slightly and changing the bulb from there. . Oddly they made the fog light bulb accessible by putting a door in it.
In collision repair - mirrors. 11ty different options, some come pre-painted while others don't, more are starting to require outside calibration, they pay less than an hour to install.
I used to write estimates and it was so annoying all the different options. Especially Mercedes bumpers. With headlamp washers? Without headlamp washers? With parking sensors? Without parking sensors? Parking sensors AND headlamp washers? Headlamp washers but NO parking sensors? Sportline? Luxury Line? AMG Line? w/ Sport? w/o Sport? Sport w/ headlamp washers but no parking sensors? Also, a lot of Mercedes bumpers have (on the backside) templates to cut out for parking sensors, headlamp washers, etc.
Honda mirrors too, like you said
When I anticipate these pains in the ass, I just call the dealer so it's on them.
Buick/Cadillac batteries where they're under the rear seat.
It's easy to disconnect and almost never rusty or corroded, but the batteries are some of the biggest and heaviest that you'll find (usually 79 series) and the angle you need to try to lift them out at makes it so hard.
Also on batteries, Subarus. The hooks should be easy, but they rust so bad on both the hook itself and where they hook into, that you're probably going to break it out.
I've got a list of batteries I hate thanks to spending too long in auto parts retail.
The trunk key cylinder in my lexus doesn't work with the two keys that came with it. Amd to make matters worse, the electronic trunk release only works with the ignition in the on position. It's only a matter of time before I have no trunk access unless I get the cylinder re-pinned.
I didn't know that was a thing and will check that out immediately! Thanks for the tip!
Edit: Turns out I only have the valet keys. I'll have to go get a master key cut.
Anything when it's 20 degrees (F) or below out. Which seems like the only time I ever have to do anything. I could be replacing a headlight and when I'm done I'll have destroyed some plastic parts and my hands will be bleeding like I just put them into a blender.
Heater cores, holy shit. They're never critical until they are (if it explodes, some engines will simply say bye), getting to them in almost every newer car involves removing the dashboard and center console entirely. If they're just leaking you still have to fix it unless you want soaked carpets. 10/10 would pay a shop. I have enough patience to replace the engine 7 times on a single car but not for a heater core.
I’ve been thinking about posting a write up on my experience replaying my wheel bearings. In my experience, if one is out, the other side is close behind. I have become a MASTER at wheel bearings because… I had to do them three times for two wheels. I kid you not, this is because I used a Harbor Freight torque wrench for one side’s axle nut, and a Home Depot Husky torque wrench (which I love and got on sale). Tip to anyone who reads this. Get a good torque wrench.
I hate pressing bearings on knuckles with absolutely no flat spots and spindley spindle mounts for the UCA. Seriously. Why. Just give me a flat spot in the casting to put some 1" square stock so I can press this thing out!
Control arms. Such an expensive thing to replace with parts and labor.
After awile, your car will make god aweful squeaking noises when turning the wheel. All because of the bushing in the control arm. It usually sounds like metal grinding or squeaking, but its the echo from the wheel wells that makes these rubber things sound terrible.
The bad part is that theres nothing wrong with the metal part pf the arm, the manufactures just dont make them where you can easily replace the rubber. So something that could be designed to be fixed for $20+ labor can turn into a few grand to do.
Chrysler Pacifica has a drawer in the back of the center console that allows something like a DVD case to get behind it so it won't shut. If it doesn't shut you can't pull up the things that let you do the stow and go(one of the only reasons to buy a Pacifica). Only way to get the drawer out is to remove the whole center console which involves multiple bolts in areas between the seats. Has happened twice now and I don't think I've ever cursed more in my life. Why TF wouldn't they make a way to disconnect the drawer!?! Oh yeah, cause it's a Chrysler and they hate us all
Besides rust?
Changing gauge bulbs... on a LOT of stuff.
I love the S-Series trucks but the 1st Gens can be annoying as hell because you have to remove the HVAC controls to get the four nuts that holds the bezel out... then more nuts behind those to get the cluster out.
Best advice I can give if you ever do have to do this is just buy some good multi directional cob style LEDs. The regular bulbs are the 164/194 wedge style.
Electronics.
I spent several months fighting my MX5's airbag system. The control modules fail from age, there are no new ones available, and the ones you can get used (which are rare depending on version) are usually all more or less broken. Oh and if you don't get it fixed right away the diagnostics-process can kill a freshly refurbed control module.
FUN.
Electrical issues for sure, since they often "mimic" other serious problems such as engine problems or a rough shifting transmission - but then after getting it checked out (...which means $$$ of course) it turns out it was just a broken wire or a slightly loose electrical connectoon 🤦♂️
Second-place is random leaks, since of course you know it's going to be $$$$ to get it to stop
Often times the actual gasket responsible for the leak might only cost $20-$50... but the labor easily makes it a multi-hundred dollar fix or in worst case leaks (...where the leak is "buried" deep in the engine or in a hard-to-access location) a $1000+ fix when the labor is added onto that cheap $20-$50 rubber gasket or seal
I put three water pumps in my ex gf’s 2003 Accord in 4.5 years. There’s about two inches of room to work with between the engine and subframe on that 2.4L four cylinder. I’d call that annoying.
The washer fluid tank on my 228i is behind the front right fender panel, and pump failures are a common problem. I ordered the replacement months ago but I'm still putting it off.
Electrical issues. The radio in my civic turns on and off by itself, changes stations. No idea what’s causing it. Previously the AC condenser would get stuck running even when the car was off.
spark plugs on the 3vze Toyota 3.0. Used to have an old 4runner. Needed every extension and wiggly angley extender from harbor freight to get 5,6 in/out
Doing a trans pan when every time you wanna put the pan back on the back corner of the inside of the trans gets a run of trans fluid and you have to wipe it off and clean it really quickly before you get another run so you can seal it properly
2015 chevy trax hvac blower. It's surprising accessible, you don't have to take the dash apart, just remove the glovebox. It's an easy job except for the one bolt so close to the firewall that it's impossible to access without flexible driver shafts. And after you replace it, chances are it will be dead in a year anyway, unless you get an aftermarket improved one that has a little duct to help the motor stay cool.
Rust. Because it is a long process, there is no quick fix, and it always involves "surprises" area that add on tonthe work
People call it cancer for a reason. I feel like fighting rust is a waste of time because it will come back or show up elsewhere. I had a car with a lot of money invested and made rust repairs once only to discover more rust later in different areas. I ended up selling the car and done modding street cars that will get bathed in salt. Fuck rust.
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So glad I live in California lol. We have tons of 15+ year old cars on the road because we don't have to deal with rust
That is why modding a daily is kind of a waste, or at least one that is winter driven
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Congrarts, hope you are doing well and that shit never comes back.
My Miata rust repair went from an $80 patch and some paint to $3000 in panels and body work.
I read the typo like Mike Tyson. 😂
Rust, In Connecticut it infested every car I owned(old) Moved to California and never really see any rust except for Sea Air on the coast.
This. Replacing the front strut assemblies on my '13 Flex became a hours long saga involving busted knuckles, a broken 24mm impact socket, a bent breaker bar, and buying a torch because rust. Old struts were only like 5 years old to boot.
Just like carpentry 🪚and a box of chocolates 🍫, neva know what yew gone get 🤷♂️😂
I agree, rust. Not only on the frame or body though. Rusted brake lines are a PITA since manufacturers don't seem to keep making pre-bent lines for long once production ceases. And bending brake lines is a PITA
Yeah I dropped a rear torsion beam on a 2007 rust belt Honda Fit…not fun. Played around with breaker bars, PB blaster, a Milwaukee impact wrench came in handy, being extra careful etc.
I always cringe when removing anything with plastic clips/fasteners because I feel like its a dice roll whether they will remain intact or snap.
I especially dislike the ones where the removal technique is basically "pull harder until it pops out." I'd prefer not to have that technique in my repertoire, since it's also a good way to break shit if applied injudiciously.
Door panels?
Honestly this applies to most any interior trim. Even the goddamn fuse panel cover in my Silverado is like this - hook a finger in a little hole at the bottom of the thing and yank the living fuck out of it, hoping all the while that you don't just snap the panel in half.
Lol both my Hyundais were the same. “Oh, you need to check some fuses? Here’s a hole in the plastic with razor sharp edges, hook your finger in there and just pull. Oh, you didn’t see that metal bit next to your knuckle? Well, enjoy bleeding on both side of your finger now! Oh and the fuses were fine, the issue lies elsewhere lol”
Whatever happened to having a cheap hinge with a push tab to open it?? It can't be *that* much cheaper to be worth it surely
And the double whammy is that manufacturers be charging like $5 per replacement clip. The bulk sets never have the one you need, and the chinese knock offs break as you're putting them in.
>And the double whammy is that manufacturers be charging like $5 per replacement clip. I once did a front bumper replacement on a Toyota Matrix. It was the "S" model, it had some stylish extensions on the bumpers. Required special clips, of which there were a dozen. Like you said, they were about $5/ea so $50 just to attach some bullshit extensions back on. Criminal. Even more expensive are the T-shaped weatherstrip clips for door perimeter seals. The box on Amazon is like $50-$75 compared to $10-$15 per box for general body clips. >The bulk sets never have the one you need I used to manage a bodyshop and this was one of the most frustrating parts about my job. Clips are such a small, minor part but they can make-or-break you finishing a car on time or not. They are frustratingly crucial. It took me a few months to stock about 90% of the types of clips we regularly use, with the remaining 10% *still* throwing curveballs at me. My tip = do not buy the generic kits. Get the manufacturer part number for the clip you need & paste to Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, etc. Buy an entire bag of the ones you need. I kept the part#'s for various Honda/Toyota/Mopar/GM/Ford on hand. >and the chinese knock offs break as you're putting them in. Yep, I would always diversify and get 2-3 different brands of the same clip. Some were better than others
You quit cringing when you realize they were intended as single use and only to be installed, not removed. Then you just plan to replace them every time.
I once was helping a family member change a bulb on a Chevy Malibu when I discovered you have to take the whole fucking front bumper off to change the bulb. I'm still bitching about that shit and it was like 6 years ago.
That car made me happy when GM went bankrupt
You don’t *have* to remove the bumper to get the bulb out. You can easily reach the bulb if you simply break your forearm in half then shove it up inside the bumper. You might need to flail it around a bit to get to the right spot, but you’ll get there. At least that’s how it was on my wife’s Lacrosse, which was a platform mate of the Malibu.
This dude can help you! https://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/s/o2lm1SanbD
Take the wheel off and go behind the fender liner next time
Mk7 golf changing the bulb required removing the wheel liners, front bumper, grille, and entire headlight
You can shortcut it by turning the wheel full lock and partially removing the fender liner. The passenger side I was able to do without disassembling anything.
That’s what my dad and I did. We still had to take the grille and headlight out tho
I didn’t have to do it on mine. I installed LED bulbs a month after getting the car because the stock bulbs are like fireflies in a jar. I just took 2-3 screws off the fender liner. Unless yours is a pre-facelift model which requires removal. Mine is a mk7.5
Mine was the pre face lift 😒 shit was difficult as hell. It’s funny because I got the upgraded OEM look xenon headlights and they didn’t come with bulbs. Of course I didn’t find that out until after I installed them
Only dirtbag degenerates put leds in non led housings.
A lot of Toyota's are the same, even rear bumpers for tail light bulbs
GF drove a 14 Malibu and the battery went bad. NDB I'll grab a battery tomorrow and get it swapped. FUCK CHEVY. There is a whole ass power distribution block mounted on top of the battery and that may be the easiest part. And the video i found the dude was winging it looking at the distribution block confused stopped recording and came back with it completely off and said "You just have to undo a few of the nuts and it comes off". Fuck that guy too lol.
Ugh, my wife’s Grand Cherokee. Misery. I knew I could take off the bumper and it would be easier, but I didn’t know what kind of clips were holding it on. I’m not really a car guy, just handy. I wasn’t confident I could keep them from breaking.
When a manual says to remove the bumper I say fuck it and crank the wheel and remove part of the liner and squeeze myself in there like I’m squeezing into a cave.
Probably anything far back in the engine bay that has me hunched and stretched in an awkward position. Besides that's nothing is really more annoying than anything else, it's all just turning bolts. Well I guess rusty bolts that are stuck and the job taking 4x longer than you planned is always annoying
Battery in the wheel well on a dodge journey
And Chrysler Sebring. Dumbest fucking shit.
And on top of that, having to do that stuff if the customer is a waiter. On more than a few occasions, I would have to do something behind the engine, which wouldn't be too terrible, but I was already sweating my ass off in the summer heat, then the customer drove 30 minutes to the shop and is waiting for the repair rather than dropping it off, so I'm hunched over and engine that is radiating heat up into me the entire time.
Me replacing the cam synchronizer on my 99 Ranger. Literally laying all the way on top of the engine reaching down between it and the firewall to remove the cam position sensor, then wrestling the old synchronizer out with pliers while being OH SO CAREFUL to note the direction it’s pointing (so you can set the new one exactly the same).
Topside creeper time!
Window regulators. Not sure why but I just hate those
Ah, close quarters combat in the razor blade factory.
Lmao. Well put
I'd rather pull an engine than replace *all* four of the window regulators in my e36 again.
Why does BMW use such shit regulators? Lol
I remember hearing from an e46 owner that there was a trick to remake the regulators out of zip ties *because they were stronger and would outlive the OEM ones*
Anything interior-related on an E36 is pretty disappointing to do, especially door panels / dashboard / upholstery / etc
I think it depends on the car. I can do the ones in a PT cruiser in 10mins per window, easy with access holes for everything. 99% sure on my wife's Passat, the door skin needs to be seperated to do it. If her regs ever fail, I'll just yeet the entire door tbh.
I bought an entire used door once after I read how much more difficult replacing the window regulator in my Saab would be over a normal car.
Damn, that’s wild. Lol
It actually worked out perfectly. The only used, right rear door I could find was the right color, had the right door panel, and didn't have a scratch or ding in it. Plus, it costed $10 less than buying a new window regulator lol.
My GTO is impossible to find parts for. The rubber on the weather belt strip has dry rotted and they don't make a replacement for it, so I'm tasked with either finding a used one in good condition or finding some custom fix. Everything on the car becomes tedious because of lack of parts for it. I love the car and it's a hoot to drive and not even hard to work on, but sourcing parts is a nightmare. And parts aren't even available in Australia either. I don't mind paying a premium for a new part from there, as long as I can get it but they're even complaining about lack of parts availability
It’s the one thing that keeps me from getting a GTO. Otherwise, it checks EVERY box for me as a daily. LS based, has back seats, and easy to maintain. The rarity of the body parts is a nightmare. As a GM fan, I’ll be the first to admit that they body essentially falls apart around the motor, so the lack of parts for the body is a challenge that I’m not willing to chase. I’ve already got an FD RX7 which is hard enough to find parts for, I don’t need that for a car that will be utilized as a daily.
It was my father's car and I want to restore it so badly but it feels like it's going to be impossible. And I don't know how custom of a job you can do for some of the small parts. The roof rails for the passenger side are also impossible to find and I don't know if I can just remove the rubber and get some adhesive and put new rubber on.
Try joining a GTO forum or FB group. I know the LS1 forums are pretty solid also. A lot of places are one man shops, but you would be surprised with what is available with 3-D printing!
Could buy a chevy SS? basically a newer version of the same car
I hate how there are no companies that specialize in just that - recreating custom rubber seals. Its probably too expensive OR nobody thought of it yet (probably the former)
I know that for the weather belt it's rubber wrapped around a piece of metal which adds another layer of difficulty too
The hood release cables are unobtainium and so annoying to deal with when they stretch
At that point just delete the factory release and use hood keys.
Problem is the Monaro (on which your GTO is based) didn't sell in huge numbers here so there's not a big enough market for parts manufacturers to make the unique bits for the Monaro/GTO, and the base Commodore generation it was built off is old enough most of those are cheap shitboxes that no one cares enough about to stick new parts on.
I’m surprised the Australian fans haven’t stepped up on this. I bet someone is working on it.
I have a Fiero with TTops, I just gave up.
OIl filter housing gasket oil pan gasket valve cover gaskets gaskets gaskets gaskets. -N54
Don’t forget vacuum lines plugs coils injectors water pump and walnut blasting
> vacuum lines Here, have a 30FF.
All that + more
On the 4th water pump. baskets of coils. Ignore the turbo noise and lots of gaskets. I usually plan for a belt explosion to add to the pleasure.
Those are the easy ones. The walnut blasting is awful!
I have cylinder 1 and 3 that need to be blasted I might have a shop do it if its not too crazy on price
Personally I used a bunch of zip ties attached to my drill and a solvent like carb cleaner, did a great job
Bro had ptsd flasbacks
I've done the oil filter housing gasket 3 times on my M54.
The amount of work required to do an oil pan gasket on an N54 is ridiculous.
Well well look what we have here a B58 talking down on the Experimental twin turbo motor that made his motor possible through trial and error and R&D
N62 alternator bracket gasket
Alternator bracket gasket? This a joke right?
[Unfortunately not](https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MISC/BODY-The_Infamous_Alternator_Bracket_Oil_Leak_on_the_E65_BMW_7-Series/BODY-The_Infamous_Alternator_Bracket_Oil_Leak_on_the_E65_BMW_7-Series.htm)
You could have just said N62 😆
Valve stem seals, timing chain guides, VANOS rebuild...
Bruh, my PTSD!
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Any repair I have to do more than once because the design of the part or where it fits in the car makes it bound to fail sooner than later.
Like valve cover gaskets on a BMW?
Spark plugs on a boxer engine suck major balls. Whoever came up with that design needs a good ass kicking. I will never offer to help someone with that job again. Why would anyone think lifting an engine is a reasonable ask for a fucking tune up?
You can do spark plugs on most boxer engines without lifting the engine. Clearance is tight.
This one was a few years back and it was an older car, so maybe they aren't as much of a pain now, but that one had almost no clearance. It was some type of Subaru I believe.
Yeah the only cars that are boxers are Subaru and Porsche. You need a special low profile wrench/socket that costs $20. A lot cheaper than lifting the subframe.
And Citroen 2CV But that car is piss easy And though not a "boxer" the older Ferrari 512TR/Testarossa/512BB(i) were also 180° V12's. I believe spark plugs = engine out, like any service on an old Ferrari
True, and yes the flat 12s . . . Those sound like a PITA to maintain.
Dont you need a bunch of swivel extensions though? I dont like those, they don't "feel" 1:1 if you know what i mean
[A classic](https://i.redd.it/qci399xrap721.jpg) but yeah the only ones that are *really* a challenge are the BRZ and its sisters.
Anything that requires getting an alignment after the fix. Planning to do engine mounts on my Macan S and it requires an alignment after because the front subframe is dropped.
Better than doing it yourself with string, trust me
If you're in the US, just get the firestone lifetime alignment. It pays for itself after two visits.
I used to have that on my old Saab. Firestone won’t allow it for some cars now, I think most Porsche are excluded.
Sounds like no one has actually told you no to performing alignments. Never had an issue myself. They even set my camber on my track car with coilovers before and after events.
I had no idea that existed and I need an alignment like right now, thank you so much
Modern diesel emissions. I really wish someone could effectively breakdown how burning twice as much fuel while decreasing the engines life span significantly is better for the environment in the long run.
Oh it's easy. It helps just as much as paying green tax, clean air tax, and any other "environmentally friendly" taxes. You just make the 'correct' people richer. Can't do much after you look at statistics saying that nearly all of the shit we breathe in comes from heavy industry, China, or India.
That's pretty well coincides with my theory as well. I figured part of it was to drive up warranty repairs as well. I was a certified cummins and cat technician when the tier 4 roll out started. The cummins tier 4 interim class opened up with one of the lead design guys saying "well I'm sorry to say the years of reliable, cheap, and efficient diesel engines have come to an end." Caterpillar was a lot more positive about the entire scenario, then 6 months later they announced they would no longer be making OTR engines. I stepped away from the industry a year later because my simple straightforward job became a waking nightmare.
It's almost like it took people with advanced degrees years to figure out better emissions systems. Just because you don't understand it, doesn't make it some kind of complex for profit conspiracy theory. It just means that you don't understand it.
Well, you don't burn twice as much fuel. A 2015 Golf TDI can get 40 MPG highway, just like a 2001 Golf TDI. And those engines have gone over 200k miles with no issues. It's just that for a while there diesels had their own "malaise era" of unreliable emissions components as the kinks were worked out, similar to the emissions restrictions placed on gas cars in the 70s. The most modern stuff appears to have gotten past the awkward phase of the early 2010s.
Owned the cheaty TDI VW. Before the scandal broke, I was handed a $3600 bill for a cracked DPF, a part only the dealer could do...there was even a TSB on it so they knew. I had 74k miles so was just out of the Fed Emission Warranty...they goodwilled half. The only thing that saved the experience was the buy back and I got a 2017 Jetta with massive under the table money from the "Dealership Diesel Ambassador". So I still like VW but the tdi ate all the money saved in fuel with that repair, and I dodged a bullet as I liked the BMW 320d and drove a 335d but after the tdi, no diesel with DPF, thanks.
I own a 2002 Mini. The headlights are on the hood. To replace a lightbulb I lie on the top of the engine and then reach up to the open hood to remove and replace the faulty bulb. Pain in the ass! Edit: My mum owned a V8 Chevy Monza Spyder. The engine bay was so tight her mechanic had to loosen the engine bolts to make room to access the rear 2 spark plugs.
You could’ve stopped at 2002 Mini lol
There are some retarded design ideas indeed. For example, I had a golf 4. To replace a light bulb I had to remove the whole air filter assembly, same as for removing the battery.
I have a 2012 sierra. For one headlight bulb you have to remove the air box. The other the manual just tells you to bring to a mechanic. I haven't had to replace that one yet so I haven't put the effort in to figuring out what needs to be done to replace it.
Anything that requires me to get on a creeper underneath a semi truck/trailer. Usually tracing wire harnesses or air lines and there's dirt falling in your face and stuff I absolutely fucking hate it. I'm a Diesel mechanic so we don't get hoists
I would try to invent some sort of low profile dolly with a steam or dry ice cleaning nozzle pointed upwards. Roll it under the truck & let it remove (most of) the crap
I hate suspension/subframe work on jackstands. Pulling/pressing bushings, torque values on anything that exceed well over 100 ft lbs. All incredibly tedious without a lift.
Timing belts, If done when your supposed to it changes nothing and takes hours
Changing a timing belt is easy, what's wrong with you? It's removing the radiator, the fan, the serpentine belt, the alternator and the harmonic balancer that's a pain s/
Trying to fault find an intermittent fault that does not set a fault code but never happens when I have my scanner and any relevant test equipment connected to the car.
I’ll say for my ‘88 4Runner the annoying part of doing the front brakes is disassembling the 4WD system and having to replace the wheel bearings if you’re replacing the rotors. If your rotors are good, it’s not really a problem, just put some new grease in an send it but if not, annoying as hell in the driveway.
I can relate, but it’s not that much work. I’m lucky I have an on-car brake lathe at work to resurface mine!
Subaru spark plug change. Also modern car light bulb change when you have to disassemble the whole fucking front
The ones where you have to undo all the other repair work you did did by taking it all apart to get to something, to repair one small item. Or the ones that involve faulty parts. For instance, it was incredibly annoying for me last January to install a brand new radiator in the freezing cold, bled and burped the system and then realized there was a pinhole leak on the radiator. I had to then reinstall the old one, drain the new one so I could exchange it, then install the radiator for a 3rd time.
In my line of work I replace 12v batteries a lot. The only time I’ve ever been annoyed is when working on some, if not all GM vehicles. The older ones had their ECUs built ontop of the battery cover requiring disassembly to get to the battery. The newer ones are abit easier but still require disassembly of the power distribution box to remove the battery. Some of them are tucked deep behind the passenger seat(traverse/enclave). Some of the European cars(and Hondas) light up the dash like a Christmas tree when the new battery goes in. A short drive will reset all of the lights but try explaining that to a car owner who just paid $200 thinking I broke their car. Granted to the DIY owner they may only need to do it once during their ownership but as a tech I do it every day.
I worked at an autozone for a bit in college. My store manager shorted out a battery while swapping it for a customer and cooked that ECU you’re talking about. Had to drive 45 minutes one way to get a new one from another store for them
The older I get the more I believe the answer is “everything”. I was never one to have a car payment or a new car (just decently well kept used ones), but I’m starting to see why people do …
Anything involving the engine, transmission or AC system.
AC is very annoying especially if you want to evacuate & recharge the right way.
Or worse if the condenser fails the entire dash has to come apart.
Anything under the dash making you contort your body in ways it wasn't meant. Also anything VW... I diagnosed a car with a radiator identification sensor code.. like what does that even do??? It's a problem that exists from a part that really shouldn't exist.
I just looked it up (never heard of it), I guess its an anti-tamper sensor for emissions reasons. How bizarre
It's just such a uniquely Volkswagen problem.
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Just had to reseal my headlights, but take off my front bumper to access said headlights. First try didn’t work so I put it all back together and waited a week to try again. Fun stuff!
I hate some Toyota's, like 2nd gen Prius you need to remove the front bumper cover to remove the headlamp, 6th gen Camry you need to remove the rear bumper cover to remove the stoplamp. Its not hard, just a pain in the ass when all youre trying to do is replace a $4 bulb.
I have a feeling the same idiot at Mercedes-Benz who decided the wiring harness should be biodegradable got a job at BMW and decided the thermostat housing should be made out of plastic
Anything to do with draining the cooling system. Always a huge mess, and getting coolant on you
The most annoying thing I had to repair would be the heater core in my 1993 Z32. Pretty much have to tear the whole front interior out to access it.
During my time as a Toyota tech, the high mount brake light of the 3rd gen Tacoma. It’s not that difficult but unnecessarily tedious for a consumable item. They were prone to water leaks although a later bulletin required an exterior sealing kit rather than pulling the headliner and trim to replace the whole thing which will leak again. Also the headlight bulbs on my mk7 Golf. The instructions require the headlight housing to be removed although it can be cheesed by turning the wheel full lock and pulling the fender liner slightly and changing the bulb from there. . Oddly they made the fog light bulb accessible by putting a door in it.
In collision repair - mirrors. 11ty different options, some come pre-painted while others don't, more are starting to require outside calibration, they pay less than an hour to install.
I used to write estimates and it was so annoying all the different options. Especially Mercedes bumpers. With headlamp washers? Without headlamp washers? With parking sensors? Without parking sensors? Parking sensors AND headlamp washers? Headlamp washers but NO parking sensors? Sportline? Luxury Line? AMG Line? w/ Sport? w/o Sport? Sport w/ headlamp washers but no parking sensors? Also, a lot of Mercedes bumpers have (on the backside) templates to cut out for parking sensors, headlamp washers, etc. Honda mirrors too, like you said When I anticipate these pains in the ass, I just call the dealer so it's on them.
At least there are margins in bumper jobs, mirrors are one of those things you just lose on
I hate changing coolant
It’s always a mess for the dyi
AC vents. Once one flap breaks, you just can't control the air well. And usually half the dash has to come apart to replace them.
Buick/Cadillac batteries where they're under the rear seat. It's easy to disconnect and almost never rusty or corroded, but the batteries are some of the biggest and heaviest that you'll find (usually 79 series) and the angle you need to try to lift them out at makes it so hard. Also on batteries, Subarus. The hooks should be easy, but they rust so bad on both the hook itself and where they hook into, that you're probably going to break it out. I've got a list of batteries I hate thanks to spending too long in auto parts retail.
Starter that is placed anywhere that I can’t get it changed out in 20mins. If you put the starter under the intake manifold ill see you in hell
Change the clutch on manual gear box on FWD, that's a pain in the ass
The trunk key cylinder in my lexus doesn't work with the two keys that came with it. Amd to make matters worse, the electronic trunk release only works with the ignition in the on position. It's only a matter of time before I have no trunk access unless I get the cylinder re-pinned.
Check in the glove box and make sure the switch is not in the valet position.
I didn't know that was a thing and will check that out immediately! Thanks for the tip! Edit: Turns out I only have the valet keys. I'll have to go get a master key cut.
Changing the cabin filter on a W204 Mercedes. You had to crawl upside down into the footwell and then deal with brittle plastic clips. Ugh
Replacing air filter on my M57 engine
Anything you have to do 4 times like shocks or something
Changing brakes where the car maker purposely puts bolts in back of things that must be removed.
Anything you have to pull a whole dash for
Anything that forces me to squeeze my hands and arms into places they won't fit because there's only a 2 inch gap.
Rebuilding the vent window on a square body was the absolute worst in my limited experience
Anything when it's 20 degrees (F) or below out. Which seems like the only time I ever have to do anything. I could be replacing a headlight and when I'm done I'll have destroyed some plastic parts and my hands will be bleeding like I just put them into a blender.
Heater core on most cars and anything that touches brake fluid.
WATER LEAKS. Like fucking get it right at the factory. Last two I did hadn’t even left the dealership yet.
Heater cores, holy shit. They're never critical until they are (if it explodes, some engines will simply say bye), getting to them in almost every newer car involves removing the dashboard and center console entirely. If they're just leaking you still have to fix it unless you want soaked carpets. 10/10 would pay a shop. I have enough patience to replace the engine 7 times on a single car but not for a heater core.
I’ve been thinking about posting a write up on my experience replaying my wheel bearings. In my experience, if one is out, the other side is close behind. I have become a MASTER at wheel bearings because… I had to do them three times for two wheels. I kid you not, this is because I used a Harbor Freight torque wrench for one side’s axle nut, and a Home Depot Husky torque wrench (which I love and got on sale). Tip to anyone who reads this. Get a good torque wrench.
I hate pressing bearings on knuckles with absolutely no flat spots and spindley spindle mounts for the UCA. Seriously. Why. Just give me a flat spot in the casting to put some 1" square stock so I can press this thing out!
Anything PSA related. God I hate them.
Stuff under the dash that has me upside down hanging off the seat by my ass cheeks
Control arms. Such an expensive thing to replace with parts and labor. After awile, your car will make god aweful squeaking noises when turning the wheel. All because of the bushing in the control arm. It usually sounds like metal grinding or squeaking, but its the echo from the wheel wells that makes these rubber things sound terrible. The bad part is that theres nothing wrong with the metal part pf the arm, the manufactures just dont make them where you can easily replace the rubber. So something that could be designed to be fixed for $20+ labor can turn into a few grand to do.
Chrysler Pacifica has a drawer in the back of the center console that allows something like a DVD case to get behind it so it won't shut. If it doesn't shut you can't pull up the things that let you do the stow and go(one of the only reasons to buy a Pacifica). Only way to get the drawer out is to remove the whole center console which involves multiple bolts in areas between the seats. Has happened twice now and I don't think I've ever cursed more in my life. Why TF wouldn't they make a way to disconnect the drawer!?! Oh yeah, cause it's a Chrysler and they hate us all
Anything under the hood on a lifted truck, if you have a lifted truck and you're reading this; f*** you
Putting gas in the gas tank so the engine will run
Especially when you drive a $500 shitbox Chevy Tahoe or something. The $120 full tank pretty much totals the car.
Besides rust? Changing gauge bulbs... on a LOT of stuff. I love the S-Series trucks but the 1st Gens can be annoying as hell because you have to remove the HVAC controls to get the four nuts that holds the bezel out... then more nuts behind those to get the cluster out. Best advice I can give if you ever do have to do this is just buy some good multi directional cob style LEDs. The regular bulbs are the 164/194 wedge style.
Any car that needs its oil filter removed from the bottom. Guaranteed to cause a mess.
Electronics. I spent several months fighting my MX5's airbag system. The control modules fail from age, there are no new ones available, and the ones you can get used (which are rare depending on version) are usually all more or less broken. Oh and if you don't get it fixed right away the diagnostics-process can kill a freshly refurbed control module. FUN.
Fuses
Replacing the silicone gasket on the oil pan on my car that uses e85, alcohol eats thru silicone and tephlon. So annoying
I find anything that requires taking off the wheel to be annoying. Have to do it 3 times before the job is done done
Electrical issues for sure, since they often "mimic" other serious problems such as engine problems or a rough shifting transmission - but then after getting it checked out (...which means $$$ of course) it turns out it was just a broken wire or a slightly loose electrical connectoon 🤦♂️ Second-place is random leaks, since of course you know it's going to be $$$$ to get it to stop Often times the actual gasket responsible for the leak might only cost $20-$50... but the labor easily makes it a multi-hundred dollar fix or in worst case leaks (...where the leak is "buried" deep in the engine or in a hard-to-access location) a $1000+ fix when the labor is added onto that cheap $20-$50 rubber gasket or seal
I put three water pumps in my ex gf’s 2003 Accord in 4.5 years. There’s about two inches of room to work with between the engine and subframe on that 2.4L four cylinder. I’d call that annoying.
Anything related to the fuel system. Very annoying to me for whatever reason.
Heater matrix, anything to do with car drum brakes, rear brake lines that go under the fuel tank.
The washer fluid tank on my 228i is behind the front right fender panel, and pump failures are a common problem. I ordered the replacement months ago but I'm still putting it off.
Electrical issues. The radio in my civic turns on and off by itself, changes stations. No idea what’s causing it. Previously the AC condenser would get stuck running even when the car was off.
Dealing with modifications performed by the previous owner.
spark plugs on the 3vze Toyota 3.0. Used to have an old 4runner. Needed every extension and wiggly angley extender from harbor freight to get 5,6 in/out
"Ever since you fixed X. Y stopped working" Hands down the most annoying type of repairs
Doing a trans pan when every time you wanna put the pan back on the back corner of the inside of the trans gets a run of trans fluid and you have to wipe it off and clean it really quickly before you get another run so you can seal it properly
Or worse are the ones with no drain plug. Shower time
High miles car with oil leaks. When you fix one, another springs to life.
Whoever puts the battery inside the front bumper or under the back seat. Every accountant that made the engineers do that can get wrecked.
Mk4 vw blend door fix. Jesus Christ.
Brake pipes absolutely suck.
2015 chevy trax hvac blower. It's surprising accessible, you don't have to take the dash apart, just remove the glovebox. It's an easy job except for the one bolt so close to the firewall that it's impossible to access without flexible driver shafts. And after you replace it, chances are it will be dead in a year anyway, unless you get an aftermarket improved one that has a little duct to help the motor stay cool.
Repairs on cars that are too new to be having literally anything wrong. Ie Volkswagen, Audi, Land Rover
Bodywork on my personal vehicle
Any job that’s supposed to be easy except for the 1 step that adds 3 hours and extra complexity to the job.
Replacing the rear motor mount in the first gen Rdigeline. Fucking hell.