New Law for Amateur Car Mechanics in California

Do you sometimes see different cars always parked in your neighbor's garage? Are there parked vehicles and car parts in their driveway, lawn or in front of their house? Or is your neighbor really just into cars and is always tinkering to upgrade or repair his own vehicle?

For many neighborhoods, this is a common sight when there is an amateur mechanic. People come and go to have their cars fixed, get a change oil and other things for a cheaper price. Or there could be a hobbyist who is so much into cars that he is always doing something with his car during his spare time.

Neighbors get used to it because they know the neighbor is making a living, and they just mind their own business. At times, perhaps, they have their own cars fixed by this mechanic. That makes things easier and convenient for everyone then. But there are some people who consider this quite annoying. They consider this as an eyesore already. Cars have their hoods open for hours, oily parts lying on the grass, oil stains on the neighbor's driveway.

Some residents of Sunnyvale in California have started to complain about this concern. This issue was in the news very recently, showing residents starting to feel quite bothered. But the move for the councils to review their existing laws actually came about when the residents complained that the men who were supposed to be working on the cars had a beer drinking session in the driveway, while their work lay idle.

The Mercury News reported that city council voted 4 - 3 in favor of the new rules to be followed. Many major repairs are banned, and the mechanic cannot work on more than two vehicles at the same time in his driveway. Some major repairs like engine overhaul, axle installation and bodywork are allowed inside the garage, and out of the public view. There is a limit of three months for the completion of repairs like this.

Minor repairs can be done in their driveways and should be done from 7 in the morning to 10 in the evening. These repairs include lubrication, battery replacement, tire repair, brake servicing, engine tune-ups and radio replacement. Falling under this category also are small part changes, touch-up painting and cleaning. These kind of services should be done in 72 hours.

Another important part of the new law is that all cars being worked on must be registered to a resident of the home or an immediate family member. The new law therefore poses a problem to mechanics who offer services to many other people, other than themselves and family members. Some car owners who intend to save a few bucks really go to these amateur mechanics. The mechanics may complain that this job is really their bread and butter also.

Different reactions surfaced when this news came out. Some hobbyists feel that the new law is too broad. They tinker on their collections, and do not do this for a living. Others disagree and feel that it is already invading freedom, although they feel that certain rules could be impose if the mechanics are posing a hazard to the neighbors. Other residents were happy feeling that eyesores would be removed.

The mercurynews.com received various comments about the news as well. One was very familiar with Lakewood, the exact area being complained. The person commented that it was becoming like a ghetto with unkept houses and all the cars parked everywhere. The person just moved out of the place.

One person commented that doing such things in your own place was something he also did when he was younger. It helped him learn a lot about cars, somethng iwhich he said he did not learn in high school. With his hands-on experience, he was able to start an automotive career.