Corner Wrench: Consider renting hoist time in a DIY shop

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Let’s face it: the average home garage was never designed to accommodate vehicle repairs. Low ceilings, poor (if any) heat or ventilation, cramped quarters, and often-suboptimal lighting. They might be fine for small tasks like bulb replacements, but these cramped quarters can easily extend the time needed for most other work, not to mention the risks of injuries and damage. But unless you’ve got a buddy who owns their own professional shop and is willing to let you use it, what else can you do?

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DIY auto repair garages aren’t plentiful, but most large urban centres have at least one. They’re equipped with hoists, are heated and ventilated, and some even include basic tools as well as compressed air equipment in their fees. Costs can range from $20 per hour for a bay without a hoist up to $100 per hour for a hoist bay. Supervision can range from a licenced tech for advice and the odd helping hand to just someone to make sure you don’t drop a transmission on your head. Most usually offer deals for multi-day jobs with the option of leaving the vehicle inside (at a reasonable cost), or of pushing it outside for overnight parking (often a free option). And yes, there are often tire-changing and -balancing machines available.

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Some may offer very cheap used-vehicle inspections — a valuable perk when you’re considering purchasing a pre-owned ride.

Welding or cutting-torch use may be banned at these facilities for obvious safety or insurance reasons. Even if your vehicle has no flammables in the area requiring flame, there can often be other autos in the same space with fuel vapours or other issues that may cause an explosion. Other than that, it’s usually a small list of common-sense rules to keep everyone safe and sane.

If your project involves anything underneath the ride such as exhaust, driveline work, or suspension repairs, being able to rent such a space with a hoist isn’t just a manner of convenience — it can mean getting the job done safely and properly without wasting a ton of time. Just search for ‘DIY auto repair bay rental’ online to find out if your town has one.