DIY Car Repairs in London

When I was just a lad, weekends were usually taken up with keeping my car on the road. Cars in the ’70s were a full time job – none of this ‘reliability’ stuff we have now. Hardly a week went by that I wasn’t covered in oil from head to foot (I know, I was probably doing something wrong!) and, more often than not, soaked to the skin. Because in those days, as a cash-strapped teenager with a penchant for cars I couldn’t afford, car repairs were carried out in the great outdoors, on the drive if you were lucky, on the roadside if not. And being the UK it always rained at the weekends.

In those days I would have given anything to have access to a warm, dry garage, with hoists and tools, where I could turn up, fix what had to be fixed, and stay dry in the process. Well, the days of laying prostrate under a car in the freezing cold are long gone for me, but for many, especially in these difficult financial times, DIY car repairs are a necessity. So there should be a bit of a cheer going up in London today as what are believed to be the first DIY garage facilities in Europe open for business in Acton, North London.

Pits Start offer bays for hire – with or without a hoist – and access, free of charge, to basic tools for £10 an hour (£20 with hoist). They supply oils and lubricants; will get you spares you order in an hour and even have a directory of mechanics to help you out when you get stuck. What’s more, and this should appeal to younger drivers, you can even turn up at 4am and start work. Yep, they’re open 24 hours a day.

The young these days. Spoilt rotten. Fancy being able to fix your car and stay dry. Luxury!

Source: Pit Start Garage