Here’s why working on a family member’s car can be dicey

[Bryan]

My first book includes five chapters under the section title, “Why I Don’t Fix Cars For Other People, Part XXX.” It’s something of a running joke, since, in each, I describe doing a favor for someone only to have the repair go wrong, cost them more money than either of us expected, and leave me with the feeling that no good deed goes unpunished. The fact that I give five examples shows that either I’m a ridiculously good guy or I’m someone who’s really slow to learn a lesson.

Read the full article on Hagerty.com:

https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/heres-why-working-on-a-family-members-car-can-be-dicey/

[spoom]

Enjoyable read, thx. (and we've all been there ☺ )

[gpsuya]

Totally agree with you Rob. I really think the phrase "Murphys Law" ..ie what can go wrong will, came about from those of us working on friend & family's stuff! 

[southernyankee]

Great story.  Thanks for sharing it!

[Tim]

There are 1,000 parts under the hood, but the only ones that fail are in the most miserable places. 

[Jeff66m]

great story, I feel the same way!

[F360Spider]

When you repair a friend/relative/coworker's car, you own it forever. If anything goes wrong with the car, even unrelated to the repair, it will be your fault and you'll get the blame. People are lunkheads.

[JBaguley]

Rob - you're a good Dad, certainly you saved your son a $1000 repair, wrote a sweet essay and taught me what a back probe pin is to boot. Well done and thanks !!

[Opposite-Lock]

Great story!  And great kid!  That access, by the firewall, looks nightmarish.  But know I know what "back-probe pins" are, and I'm ordering some, for the "just-in-case"--i.e., just-in-case I'm smart enough to know when, and how, to use them!  LOL  Love your work and I have one of your books.

[JuanOrtega]

Excellent story I’m  62 yrs old and have been doing the same exact thing since I was in my teens. I know exactly how you feel after doing someone a favor without even  be asked to help. It’s a kind of high you experience that hard to explain when everything goes as planned, but it also bring very stressful situations when things go bad. Cant understand why we put ourselves in those situations! And at no charge !

Must be the good people like you and I that get themselves jammed up while trying to help others.  Ur a great father n a great friend to have.