Mazda RX8 Chapters

An Introduction to Tools Used in Maintaining the MAZDA RX8 Evolve

The picture of the tools above were purchased over a three year period to maintain all of my vehicles past and current, information on each of the items can be found within the vehicle publications based on the job in hand and dates of purchase and maintenance if at the time they were applicable.
For each publication new tools maybe added, based on the requirements for maintaining the vehicle in question and are listed individually within each of the relevant publications, some items maybe duplicated based on the repairs carried out on any of the vehicles.

Now, here is the picture or a scenario, you leave school, learn to drive and you decide to become an instant genius on all subjects including car mechanics, or one should perhaps suggest parts fitter. During the advancing years, one picks up the odd tool from here and there, maybe some wisdom, along the way, (in more ways that one...I digress) a parent, brothers, the butch sister, possible friends, works toolbox and occasionally, one may consider buying one from a shop, sounds familiar? It happens.....

One day it gets to the point one starts to scramble around looking for tools you know you had somewhere within a familiar place, like your toolbox in the garage, so you can do a particular job as you have done on other occasions. The tool evades you, as much as it can and memory plays tricks on your competence. The garage or shed is turned upside down and inside out and nothing! Deep in one's heart you know there is only one of two ways out of the 5x23 space. Normally, you know there is no need for others to borrow your tools because you are the main maintenance man of the house however, once familiy start adding cars to the drive, or the odd neighbour and your kid's friend pops in, or the wife's friend decides to knock a nail in the wall and hasn't got a hammer, well! It becomes another story...Your valuable precious tools becomes the world's resource, tensions rise and after many heated discussions, security is having to be beefed up, sounds familiar?

This is one journey in replacing the tools lost, unfortunately it does not replace the setimentality, the memories a tool can trigger, a passed event, a milestone in ones life and this loss is normally dismissed by the offender(s). Each tool holds a memory in time that one cannot recapture in a new replacement tool. Women have photos, men have their tools.

Based on ones income and inclination to attempt general DIY maintenance relies on tools of a reasonable quality.The quality and use of a tool is really down to personal skills and experience, some tools can cost silly money, (very expensive) for example a basic hammer can cost over £100 and one only needs to knock in a few nails, hell! A brick can do that! And it's free!....A £100 hammer can be disppointing in performance, (one could also try visiting a gym) and then there is the shallow pocket. It is best not to purchase a tool based on just good looks, even ugly looking alternatives at a cheaper price can just be as good or even better and last a lifetime, (as long as no-one walks off with it), giving a good faithful worthy service and a cheap one at that.. (there is a moral here somewhere....). Rule of thumb, search out British quality tools first, aim at a reasonable price to suit the pocket and job at hand.
Now there is 'The quantity of tools!' This really depends on a personal understanding and courage to tackle a particular job that presents itself, it may require a specialist tool and will eventually allow one to amass a large collection of tools, (to your live-in partner's/wife's dismay and ear bending). The logic here is, if you are capable of doing the job to a reasonable standard, it saves money long term by not having to employ others to do the jobs, saving money for those luxury items.....like the restaurant or flowers for your loved one. (Yes right! Or those new set of chromed wheels and exhaust, oh! And now being single again, just a thought, Where are those girls that like cars that you see in the pictures or on TV?).....

Then there is 'security'! As you are aware, tools are expensive, you only have to look at the prices of the Imperial offset ring spanners over the past few years, they have become like rocking horse droppings, the price has risen from an average of around £20 for a decent set of 12 and now they can cost £175 for a set, rediculous! However, that is the way it is, so security is important. Family or if in the trade colleagues, can be the worst, when it comes to borrowing and walking off with tools, it is convenient and cheap for them to do this and sadly without remorse. The sign above 'Tool Rules', (pause here and have a look above, I can wait as it is important) is the key to keeping you tools safe and suggests what to do to keep them, saving you cost in the future. Without security, The loss can paint a hard and in some cases a painful lesson.

Within this section, I look at the 'economy buy', for those with a low income if any, without sacrificing the serviceability or quality of work. My personal observation or comments, are basic common sense although not p.c., (as you have probably guessed) does accompany most of the work and items purchased or discussed, and is usually associated with maintaining currently, my new project: 'The Mazda RX8 Evolve', a great car in my book, reviews are good, but there can still be problems or traits to keep them from being serviceable and on the road to Vosa Standards or even beyond their standards. I try to address this where and when possible by DIY. Welcome! You are considered along for the ride..... or you can just look at the pictures, I did choose them carefully to emphasise the sleekness and streamlines of the design.

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