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[Shackeng]

After reading Terry's post about his Grandson declaring that 'Grandpa would mend it.' I got to wondering, how many of you have offspring that turn their hand to car repairs or DIY generally? My son is very good with cars and DIY.  Daughter is capable but earns too much so pays others.

[STEMO]

My son wouldn’t know his widget from his sprocket.

[Mister Rog]

My son wouldn’t know his widget from his sprocket.

Well, actually I don't know my widget from my sprocket

[BazaJT]

Quite simple really, a widget is fixed in the bottom of a beer can and a sprocket isn't

[YZ250]

.....
My son is very good with cars and DIY......

My son is the same, he does all of the work on his truck and can turn his hand, to a very good standard, on most things around the house and garden. Whilst I know he is more than capable, he nearly always runs his plans past me as a confidence booster to himself.
My daughter is very artistic and creates designs for her website, on top of her full time job, and also does the decorating in her house. She will happily build flat-pack furniture herself and put up shelves/curtain rails etc. She's confident and will certainly give something a go if she believes it to be within her capabilities. She doesn't work on her cars though, that's good old Dads job. 
They are both very fussy regarding the finished result, as am I. 
I am extremely proud of how they have both turned out, I really must tell them that more often. 

[ronnyd]

.....
My son is very good with cars and DIY......

My son is the same, he does all of the work on his truck and can turn his hand, to a very good standard, on most things around the house and garden. Whilst I know he is more than capable, he nearly always runs his plans past me as a confidence booster to himself.
My daughter is very artistic and creates designs for her website, on top of her full time job, and also does the decorating in her house. She will happily build flat-pack furniture herself and put up shelves/curtain rails etc. She's confident and will certainly give something a go if she believes it to be within her capabilities. She doesn't work on her cars though, that's good old Dads job. 
They are both very fussy regarding the finished result, as am I. 
I am extremely proud of how they have both turned out, I really must tell them that more often. 

Sounds a lot like my daughter too. When she had her first car,Chavette, she used to get under it to fix it. Her hubby is friggin hopeless.  She does all the DIY in their place.

[redelitev6]

  Chocolate and fireguard with my lot 

[Shackeng]

I wonder whether it is nurture or nature? Probably a bit of both. 

[Andy B]

Both mine consult Google &/or YouTube first

.........  and then get me to do it   

[Viral_Jim]

For my part (and I’m guessing I sit in between you lot and your children, as an early millennial  ) it was both nature and nurture.

I can see and “spin” 3D models in my head based on drawings, which is really helpful when looking at explodes diagrams etc, but working on my own cars is totally as a result of spending hours in the garage pit watching my dad work on first his Opel manta and then Sierra xr4i.

Happy days

[Mister Rog]

In my youth and after leaving home, I had no choice but to do my own work. Nothing too complex, but used to bite the bullet with a Hayes manual.

I hated it. I hated it then and I hate it now. It was sheer joy when I got my first job that provided a company car. Not for the kudos or whatever of a decent car, just not having to fix and maintain the thing myself.  I remember having an Austin Westminster with a blowing exhaust. I went out and bought a whole new one. It was Winter and working outside but under cover. I just could not get it to fit. I was convinced it was the wrong part. Removed it all, took it all back to the shop, explained, and the guy just bent the flexible part that fitted onto the manifold. Grrrrrrrr

Nope. I do as little as possible beyond checking fluids and tyres, if I must, and coming back to the topic, my offspring are the same.



 

[Rods2]

I've always been very practical and can do most DIY jobs to a very high standard. With building work I can do everything except plastering. Started by rebuilding bicycles from 10 onwards, started building 'bitsa' bikes from my early teen, moved onto repairing and rebuilding motorbikes and cars

My eldest daughter is also very practical and will tackle basic DIY and is very good at painting and decorating where she did this professionally for about a year. Cars are something you throw into a garage to get fixed.

My youngest daughter has drawn ever since she picked up a pencil at one and is getting better and better as she grows up and is going through a portrait drawing phase at the moment and also makes lots of imaginative craft things. She is taking more interest in computer graphics where I've told her that's where the money is.

[YZ250]

.........
Started by rebuilding bicycles from 10 onwards, started building 'bitsa' bikes from my early teen, moved onto repairing and rebuilding motorbikes and cars
.....................

I honestly believe that this is an early sign that shows whether a young boy is mechanically minded/interested or not. Talking of 'Bitsa' bikes, the first scrambler we built was a Villiers 197cc engine, fitted in to a Triumph Tiger Cub frame, with Renthall handlebars and Preston Petty mudguards. Can't get much more bitsa than that. 

[Bigron]

I started with Meccano - who didn't? Great product, pity it is no more. 

Ron.

[aaronjb]

Meccano is still made - you can even buy new sets in Tesco and Wilkos..

Though I think the older Meccano seems more inviting somehow: