2022 Cadillac Escalade blown engine!

[Polo08816]

Agree, it’s nice to have a choice on if I want to do it myself or not. Plus I know exactly what it takes to do pretty much anything so when someone tries to feed me some bullsh*t I can call them out on it. The last time wasn’t long ago when I was having my main breaker box replaced in my house. I have actually done one myself. So when they started telling me there was only one way to do it, I let them know I knew better. There’s always multiple ways to do things like that, just depends on how much effort you’re putting into it. They ended up putting more effort in it than they were planning. After they did the main box, I replaced my sub panel myself.

+1.

I want to know how to do it myself. Then I can pay someone to do it (and potentially die) the next time around lol.

 

[Rocket Man]

+1.

I want to know how to do it myself. Then I can pay someone to do it (and potentially die) the next time around lol.

Lol. You just pull the meter off, that’s disconnecting the entire house from power. At that point it’s just routing wires. No lectricity involved. I used to have to wire stuff hot when I was a kid and my dad had me wire radio transmitter buildings. He couldn’t turn off the power to the other part so I’d wire everything up we were adding and then connect the main feed at the end of the job, while it was hot. That was sketchy.

 

[Stbentoak]

Yep and that’s why they’re going to be in trouble later in life. If all you know to do as far as fixing your own stuff you’ll always be at the mercy of someone else who will take advantage of you. I grew up learning how to fix everything myself- cars, homes, etc. I believe there will come a time when people won’t be able to find people to even build their homes, much less fix what’s inside it or fix what they drive. All the young people seem to think the only life skill they need can be accomplished on a keyboard. But like I said, I was talking about the members of this forum, not the general population. Now if you want to say that most of us here can’t change a switch plate cover, better put your dukes up. That might be the case for you guys that only buy the new vehicles but I still say the majority of the forum members are pretty decent at repairing things. As for myself, I could build my own house or completely disassemble and reassemble any of my vehicles. Appliances are easy. I know of nobody in my life that just buys new appliances when they break down. I guess I’m in a completely different world than you. I like to rely on myself and not some joker that says they’re too busy for me. F that.

While I try to fix my own things too and mostly agree with you, I can tell you, you are a part of the dying “I’ll do it myself” generation. I guess I am too…It ain’t gonna be replicated.
if you are under 40 today, you are tech savvy, TikTok savvy, and maybe mow your own yard with an EV mower if you don’t pay someone to do it. The next generation just isn’t into “fixing things” or investigating how they are built or made…
How do I know? Believe me after many kids and grandkids, I have “fixed” many of the things they say they don’t have time or patience to deal with…..

 

[repairman54]

I've done 2 Generac installs myself with a hot box. Then again diagnosing / probing 240v appliances for years has trained me LOL. A little shock therapy now and then has kept me ''normal''.

 

[Rocket Man]

While I try to fix my own things too and mostly agree with you, I can tell you, you are a part of the dying “I’ll do it myself” generation. I guess I am too…It ain’t gonna be replicated.
if you are under 40 today, you are tech savvy, TikTok savvy, and maybe mow your own yard with an EV mower if you don’t pay someone to do it. The next generation just isn’t into “fixing things” or investigating how they are built or made…
How do I know? Believe me after many kids and grandkids, I have “fixed” many of the things they say they don’t have time or patience to deal with…..

Oh yeah believe me I know. That’s why I say they’re gonna be in trouble once the older generations die. We will take all our repair knowledge with us, putting further strain on the repair industries. Once dad or gramps are no longer available to fix their stuff they’ll be at the mercy of an industry that is stretched thin.

Most of the construction trades ( which I was a part of most of my life) have been having a harder and harder time finding new recruits for the last 10-15 years. And when they do find them, they can’t use their hands to do anything other than text or play games. I was in the glazing industry as a journeyman and our apprentices for years have left a lot to be desired. My daughters BF decided he wanted to apply for an apprenticeship once he found out he could get paid to learn the trade for 4 years instead of go to college and be in debt, and then earn more than his peers with a degree. He wasn’t selected for the program due to zero experience using tools of any kind. I tried teaching him to do a few things on his car but it was so awkward watching him try to use a wrench that it was actually painful on my brain. Good luck to all of todays kids, they’re gonna need it.

 

[Brand0n]

Oh yeah believe me I know. That’s why I say they’re gonna be in trouble once the older generations die. We will take all our repair knowledge with us, putting further strain on the repair industries. Once dad or gramps are no longer available to fix their stuff they’ll be at the mercy of an industry that is stretched thin.

Most of the construction trades ( which I was a part of most of my life) have been having a harder and harder time finding new recruits for the last 10-15 years. And when they do find them, they can’t use their hands to do anything other than text or play games. I was in the glazing industry as a journeyman and our apprentices for years have left a lot to be desired. My daughters BF decided he wanted to apply for an apprenticeship once he found out he could get paid to learn the trade for 4 years instead of go to college and be in debt, and then earn more than his peers with a degree. He wasn’t selected for the program due to zero experience using tools of any kind. I tried teaching him to do a few things on his car but it was so awkward watching him try to use a wrench that it was actually painful on my brain. Good luck to all of todays kids, they’re gonna need it.

That’s because for the past few decades the older generations pounded “go to college or be a loser” into millennial’s / gen-z’s heads. I can assure you many millennials are part of the “fix it yourself” club (especially auto enthusiasts) which is often enabled by their use of technology and the internet.

OP - sorry to hear about about the Escalade.

 

[Rocket Man]

That’s because for the past few decades the older generations pounded “go to college or be a loser” into millennial’s / gen-z’s heads. I can assure you many millennials are part of the “fix it yourself” club (especially auto enthusiasts) which is often enabled by their use of technology and the internet.

OP - sorry to hear about about the Escalade.

Since when did kids start listening to their parents or the older generations? I get your point but I don’t think that accounts for a big percentage of the problem. Kids have been getting less and less physically active for as long as I remember and imo it has a lot to do with electronic devices and social media and partly to to do with the fact they choose to go to college for 4 years after high school as opposed to deciding to work on a career by getting an entry level job because one is easier than the other. And sure, there is still a percentage that work on their cars and that leads to working on other stuff but then again more and more are choosing to not even get a driver license much less think about buying a car or working on one. That was unheard of a generation or two ago- driving has always meant freedom to me, to not rely on someone else to get me around. Of course, all this is the thoughts of an old fart that has something to do with the way things used to be and not much to do with how things will be in the future. I did my best with my daughter but she went to college anyway which was a waste because who can decide what they want to do the rest of their lives when they’re 16? So her career path changed after 3 1/2 years of college. She has a big loan to pay off as a reminder so I don’t feel the need to mention it. When I was in HS I recall them ( admins) trying to inquire if we had thought about careers and most of us not really listening to anything they said. I don’t see that being any different now- kids don’t listen to their elders. So to say that it’s being pounded into their heads to go to college or be a loser, I don’t buy it. In my daughters case at least, it was because she couldn’t decide what to “be”. Maybe they’re just not being offered enough alternatives IDK.

 

[Rocket Man]

Sorry for all the off topic ramblings people. I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

 

[Fless]

And the high schools offered trade classes: auto, wood, metal shop; accounting; clerical (typing & shorthand); cooking; homemaking, etc. I know that some of that sounds like suburban old-school "careers" but the point is that some of us didn't need to go to college to find an interest in a trade, or working with our hands.

 

[Brand0n]

And the high schools offered trade classes: auto, wood, metal shop; accounting; clerical (typing & shorthand); cooking; homemaking, etc. I know that some of that sounds like suburban old-school "careers" but the point is that some of us didn't need to go to college to find an interest in a trade, or working with our hands.

Exactly my point - high schools for the past few decades (ran by the ‘older’ generations) have been solely focused on being a pathway to colleges. Countless HS graduation ceremonies I’ve been to and they all loved to brag about the percentage of the class going away to 4 year universities and that was the only focus throughout students HS careers. Mine included. I come from a family filled with various tradesmen, all of which pushed for their kids to go to college instead. Anecdotal I know.

I work in an industry considered ‘critical infrastructure’ and the percentage of the craft/trade workforce who could retire today is terrifying. It’s a shame and hopefully we start to see a reversal with the number of useless college degrees the higher ed industry pumps out.

Sorry for the off topic rant as well. Generalizations/stereotypes of groups of people (generations in this case) always spawn good discussion. Happy new year all!