What is it that is so satisfying about fixing things.
I know sometimes I expend more personal energy and waste more time then it worth but ???

Our popcorn popper, the cord rotted out inside the plug at the unit.
Drill out the rivet, cut back the wire, solder and put a small bolt in there.

A Shop-Vac rescued from a neighbors garbage, looked almost new.
Motor froze up, take it apart, break it loose, it works.
Take it completely apart, clean, grease the motor including redoing the brushes and contacts.
Works great, they even threw it out with the filter and main hose, no attachments though Darn.

Wheelbarrow, low end homeowners style again garbage picked. Tried patching the tube didn't help, 7 bucks with tax at Farm and Fleet for a new tube. 30 or 40 buck LIKE NEW wheelbarrow, the wife loves it, I have an old contractor wheelbarrow (oops garbage picked).

Light fixture, garbage picked, looks like new (I can tell it was not more than a couple of months old). Ended up replacing both sockets, 5 bucks total.
Even better when I brought it in, the wife goes I've been looking for a lamp that style for our bedroom.

My lawn tractor, bought it new almost 20 years ago. A few years ago the dealer, who I generally trust, said to trash it.
Well a new starter got it going pretty good, a new battery (no cost long story), a carb and a magneto (I learned how to put in a magneto !!!, and how they work) now it runs great.
Dumps some oil, mostly at startup, doesn't seem as strong as it was, but I use my neighbors 20hp from time to time so my 12hp isn't gonna have the guts.
But I have the snowblower (will not fit any new tractors), spreader, plugger, thatcher (also only for this tractor) and sweeper (rescued from the garbage).
Oh and I had to fix the snowblower after it ate a newspaper hidden in the snow.

The glass doors in our shower, very difficult to move. Removed the glass had the wife clean them good, we have fairly hard water.
I took the wheels, while watching TV, cleaned them, worked some heavy grease into them, put it all back together.
Almost broke the darn thing the first time I opened them. Used to take serious effort, now feather touch moves them like crazy.

...

I could go on and on.

This is on top of the constant weekend warrior projects.

Many of these things, no one showed me how.
Many times I figured well I can't make it worse.
I do hate to waste things, and keep things out of landfills. I even strip things down to their individual recycable pieces when I can't fix it.

I just feel so good when I make something work that wasn't, usually at little or no cost. Although sometimes with more effort than it's worth, but it feels good.

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KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

I think its got to do with problem-solving. Some of us get immense joy from it; others can't understand.
My wife is a person who wants the job ( whatever it is to be "done"). I enjoy the process of doing it. Being "done" simply means I need another project.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

In the past, I took great satisfaction in repairing anything related to the houses (the rentals) or the cars, or any of the purchased devices.

However, the incessant need to fix far too much "stuff" has changed my feelings on the issue. The effort to find all the tools, source and get the parts, and finally finish the job a week or two later is just not satisfying anymore. I find that I do fewer projects and they all take quite a bit longer than they should. The skill is there.........the desire isn't.

I now understand why folks toss it out and buy a new one.

Fixing "stuff" can consume your entire life.

Man 'o man, can I ever associate with all the comments on this one. I love fixing things, even those things not worthy of being fixed. BUT, I sure can enjoy throwing out something and getting a new one immediately. For me, I think it mostly depends on whether I want the thing to work RIGHT NOW, or if it has intrinsic valve beyond its worth, either case, I will fix it! Otherwise, it could end up so far down on the list of "things to do", that I may be happier deep sixing it, just so I don't have to trip over the SOB every time I turn around...

Guess if all us here at peachparts didn't suffer a common affliction of wanting to fix things, we wouldn't own these old cars... Oops, this is OD, not diesel discussion....nevermind

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

My lawn mower, it's been mine for 15 years, came from a garbage pile on the street. Tune-up, new blade, and new wheel and it's still working!

The computers in the kid's rooms came from University of Dayton dumpsters. One needed a new power cord, and another needed a new HD. Both with more than enough computing power for kids.

I better stop now, or I'll be here all night explaining the stuff I've picked up and fixed over the years.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I agree that a lot of it is a typical guy "problem solving" trait. That is taught into a lot of us whether we know it or not. Some guys solve problems by buying shares of VW on the sly (reference other OD thread) and others fix things by taking them apart.

I enjoy fixing things - makes me feel valuble. I don't do it for the environment or trying to save the earth or anything (although it can be a nice side benefit...) so if something doesnt go my way, it finds the garbage. Sorry Al Gore =)

As I see it, the more I take apart and fix them (or not) the better I get at fixing things overall. I'm pretty sure of this.

I guess I just wish for a day when the airplane I'm riding on starts getting into trouble and the captain comes over the speaker "is there anyone here who can fix ... ?" I stroll up, find the problem, fix it with the leatherman that you arent allowed to have on planes, save the day and am a hero.

<- thats kinda egotisitical and farfetched, but hey, we all got dreams =)

and furthermore, I already have a wife and 2 sons who think I'm a hero, so I really just need to give up while I'm ahead =)

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Just last week, I fixed my clothes dryer. Second busted belt in 17 years.
Having the lint screen in the front, apparently makes for a more time consuming repair, but since I had done it once before, it wasn't so bad the second time around.

I could've spend $ on a service call, and an hour labor. Instead, I spend $20 for the belt.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

.........the GE dryers are terrific........you have to pull the entire machine apart to remove the drum to change the GD belt.........

..........sure, I do it........but, there's no satisfaction...........and to get it all done in one hour is pushing it...........usually it's 90 minutes.

Tackling a job on some piece of machinery that you had no part in building...and fixing it better than "new" or when you first got it (curb-side or diving) makes you feel better than those that decided THEY couldn't handle the job...it's like volunteering without the responsibility...heck, if the repair doesn't hold, no love lost on the defeat...right?

Besides, like "tomorrow" and "free beer" - "done" and "finished" never come for the handyman of the house...

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

This area of activity especially has been superficially examined by people like us with no concrete resolution. At least none I have ever read or heard of. I can instantly think of many reasons though that we might even share in common.

I suspect when an area becomes just too familiar to us it transforms mentally just into work. Many have reached this point with some items as well as myself I imagine.

So one factor has to be the unknown as a drawing card initially. Could express that as a puzzle as well to solve. Combine this with the challenge itself and diversion.

Or even escape as it is hard to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. That usually goes a long way just in itself as relaxation. The sense of accomplishment is a subconcious need for many reasons again for this type of personality I possibly share with many.

At age sixty seven as of last week and allowing my health remains sound I still do not see an end to it. Actually have had sixty years of it now as I started by building a sailboat at age seven and really never stopped doing what the majority of society did not. Basically at least superficially examining anything and everything I could.

All the accumulated knowledge today means my time still is in very high demand. I have to try to balance this with normal family life and other demands to keep a balance.

Funny I do not seem to have aged as fast as my peers.. Perhaps it is a combination thing again with never really having to disconect with my earlier childhood totally.

What is really interesting to me is the special charactaristics that have emerged with time. I have no awareness of how these skills jumped over to dealing with troubled adolecents.

This with all the inherent difficulties I deal with may be why my perspectives are not typical. I suspect it again was the challenge again that drove me into this area. To say it bridges the generation gap is an understatement.

There are probably hundreds of reasons why we do what we do. I suspect our abstract IQ is different than the majority as well. Like any addiction or aquired habit keep at it long enough and it is almost impossible to break.

I too enjoy fixing things......though it does get a bit stressful if there is too much at once.....like having a couple computer issues or projects backed up on top of a couple broken vehicles....then it begins to become not fun. This coming week I will be pulling the entire engine/trans from my car, swapping, and reinstalling, then I get to do the upper control arms on the 300D.....then I get to replace the timing chain on my dad's 300SD.....then I get to replace the front struts on the 300E......I could go on. However, I'd rather do it now than in the winter.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Another factor in the enjoyment quotient (EQ) is the quality of the time for the repair.
If there is a high expectation that the repair be finished ASAP, that added stress diminishes the EQ.
I find the projects with the highest EQ to be those which have no definite, or at least no immediate deadlines.
Rescuing my '64 Falcon Sprint Convertible from the crusher was one such project. It took years of available, free time. There was no rush, or demand to be "done". I was able to work when I chose to, and walk away when I wanted to do that.
I just finished (almost) a small addition to my house. Very high EQ overall--except when I get pressure from she-who-must-be-obeyed for some finishing detail that cannot be done at this point. This makes for stress for both of us.
This probably explain why I do not make my living doing car repairs. I can do it; I have the tools, skill and knowledge. I could probably even make more money doing car repairs than what I do to support myself. However, the pressure of constant deadlines of people waiting for their cars would probably make for a miserable work day.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

It depends what I'm fixing. If its something worth keeping like a nice Penn reel I'll order the parts and repair it. Or the lawn mower is silly simple to keep going, thats worth fixing.


If its something thats past its time like the 10 year old dryer my dad tried to save for a couple of months when the timer broke, well chuck it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Agreed!

And if I ever win big in the lottery, I'm getting a hauler and tossing out everything and anything that isn't 100%...then either buying "new" or not replacing whatever was tossed off!

Next, sell current home and downsize...can't hoard junk if you don't have the room for it.

I think we acquire too much crap as a rule anyway...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car