Self Auto Repair (apartment complexes, rental, townhome)

[Shnoz]

Just before leaving Detroit - a very car-centric area, obvs - I started getting more into cars. By that I mean doing some of my own work: oil changes, tune-ups, very light work. I could do this as I had friends who either still lived at home or my parents who also own their home. Pull into their garage or driveway and get to work.

Now that I've moved down here to NOVA, I have no friends or contacts that live in a home. I've also been told by a few different people that working on cars in apartment parking lots is illegal. While I can't imagine it's not more than a misdemeanor and a couple bucks, I'd rather not go through that bother.

So, am I pretty much SOL for doing minor tinkering or is there some sort of "self repair garage" business that allows you to work on your own car in their bay/ports? I know I can't be the only person who's run in into this situation around here.

[pcity]

It's not illegal to work on cars in a parking lot, but it may be against the apartment's policies.

All the complexes I've lived in have had that rule, but there may be some that don't.

[Zack]

If you know anybody that can get you on a military base, they have auto hobby shops that charge $5-$6/hr for a lift. I've used both Ft Myers and Bolling AFB and both have pretty good facilities.

[bangorme]

LOL, the people here don't even wash their own cars, never mind repair them themselves! But, it's Northern Virginia and most of it I really like.

[z28lt1]

I can't help you with the apartment thing, as I don't know. Depending upon what type of car you have, you may be able to find a local car club for your make or model. I belong to a few of them, and many have "shop nights" were they all meet up at a dealership or garage and get to use the lifts and such for free to do their own work on the cars.

And yes I, and many of my friends work on our own cars.

[DvlsAdvc8]

I've never had a problem with doing my own brakes and oil changes etc in apartment complexes in NoVA, but almost every one of them has a rule against it. But hey, they have a rule against having a flat tire too. lol

I think with anything that doesn't take very long, you're good to go. They just don't want to see disabled cars up on jackstands/blocks for days.

[Mr.Cat]

It all depends on your relationship with the apartment mgr. I did a complete head job and other things to my car and didn't get bothered. I made sure NO OIL SPILLS occurred.

[caper0101]

I have a fully furnished (Meaning almost any tool you could want) garage that I'd let you use for a small rental price. I live in Ashburn, Va for another 2 months. My new place should also be around Ashburn and should have a garage.

[gaborn73]

I live in Ashburn and am always forced to work in my townhome parking spaces. Would you email me @ [email]gaborn73@gmail.com[/email]?

[Shnoz]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Yeah, I only know one guy in the military but he's down in NC. As far as car clubs go, that's a good idea, I never thought about it. I'll have to check with the rest of the Altimas around here and see if they run anything like that.

Mr. Cat, yeah, my oil changes never go that smoothly, there's always a few drips or spills so I'd rather not do it on the top of the parking deck they have attached to the apartment.

caper, I'll have to get back at you in regards to the offer. Other than an oil change in 2,000 miles, my next upcoming project is going to be replacing the exhaust from headers on back - something I have no experience with.

bangorme, funny you should mention washing your car. I had to scour the internet just to find a do-it-yourself wash and vacuum bay. Back home in SE Michigan, you couldn't drive five miles without seeing one. Places want to charge me $10 for a cheap wash? Forget that, I got the time, I'll do it myself dammit.