I fought the car and I won.

Fuel filter: $20.
Heated downstream O2 sensor: $50.
Beating the hell out of the car while swearing like a drunken sailor on leave: priceless.

This past weekend was an adventure in automotive repair. Armed with tools and replacement parts, my wife and I set out to replace an O2 sensor and a fuel filter in the Hyundai.

Mind you, we started with all the best intentions. But - as with all car repair - stuck bolts and ill-fitting components caused a brief flareup of tempers. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and we managed to get the fuel filter replaced. The O2 sensor was pre-empted by a massive thunderstorm which dropped hail, of all things.

The next day, I returned to the scene and resumed beating the hell out of working on the car. After a good two hours of sweating, swearing, grunting, general malaise, and copious quantities of bolt loosener, I finally managed to get the O2 sensor out, and put the new one in. Pictures to come, including some of the war wounds.

I highly endorse people working on their own cars whenever possible. Self-sufficiency is nifty. I'm not suggesting that your average suburban dweller attempt to replace their exhaust system, but something as simple as changing out the plugs or replacing an alternator can be done with a minimum of difficulty. Besides, you'll save a couple hundred dollars in labour by doing it yourself.

Just remember:

1. You'll need elbow grease. Lots of it. Metal likes to stick to itself.

2. Sparks + gas/oil/other car fluids = BAD IDEA. Your car is flammable. If you're too close to it, so are you.

3. Wear old clothes. Oil and grease are magnetically attracted to whatever you're wearing. Don't start whining when that $50 shirt you got from Abercrombie and Fitch gets ruined by 10W40.

4. Swearing can and will happen. It's normal. I'm fairly certain Mother Teresa dropped a couple of f-bombs while changing a fan belt.

Finally, when you're all done and everything's put back together and the car runs, nothin' beats a nice hot shower and an ice-cold beer (or three).