Car lift - is it worth it when you're old

[Swanny1953]

The black is actually Spiral Gray Metallic, a very dark C5 color. It pops in the sun!!

 

[Lenny99]

69 years old, good health just creaky joints, have a nicely finished 30' x 40' shop. I'm struggling on whether to install a 4 post lift. Life expectancy is maybe 14 more years for males my age. At this age, I start to view expenditures with time frame considerations i.e. how much time do I have left to utilize the item under consideration.

I'd use it for maintenance on my 59 Vette and 2024 Jeep, car building days are behind me, the Vette is 100 % complete, nothing left to do, only 2,400 miles on it. Lift would cost about $4-5K depending if I got the bridge jack. I realize I'll never recoup the "investment" i.e. I can pay someone to perform maintenance and improvements for the next 14 years for less $$$ than the cost of the lift. That said, $$$ is not really a consideration, but I also don't like to spend $$$ foolishly.

Anyone else with struggle with this issue as you age ? If I were younger, I'd more readily take the plunge, and perhaps should have. Paradoxically, a car lift is more valued as we age because crawling underneath a car is increasing difficult, but not needed as much when we're younger and more spry.

I understand that ultimately it's up to me as regards my course of action i.e. do what makes you happy etc., but I'm perched firmly on the proverbial fence.

Any wisdom on this ? Any one else struggling with a decision exactly or similar to this ? How would you / did you resolve it ?

TIA

I would buy the lift if you can afford it. As a fellow Vette owner I like to do the maintenance on my own vehicles as well as rest of my families. I know that it may not pay for itself but I like doing it and it keeps me active. More time in the garage is better than more time doing nothing or watching TV. Even if it took me all day to change the oil I would still be happier in the garage

 

[FTG-05]

I use my Atlas 2 post lift for all sorts of things, some of which are not vehicle related. For example, I've used it to lift my:

- 5kw generator to change the oil, work on it and change the wheels
- work on my Howse 7' bushhog
- "Flip" the axle on my 6'x4' fuel trailer (technically a vehicle I supposed)
- Change the blades and service my Kubota ZTR (ditto)

The only real downside is having to kneel down 4 times (minimum) to position the lift pads under whatever I'm lifting, especially vehicles. At 70, kneeling *****.

 

[UpstateNY]

Pretty much everything ***** at 70, except for naps.

 

[pcmeiners]

"I am 73 and cannot imagine having to think how much time I might have to live in making decisions."

Worrying about dying or making decision based on worry about the inevitable is a waste of your precious time on this earth... personally I refuse to waste my time.

"Pretty much everything ***** at 70, except for naps."

Not for me.

 

[finn]

"I am 73 and cannot imagine having to think how much time I might have to live in making decisions."

Worrying about dying or making decision based on worry about the inevitable is a waste of your precious time on this earth... personally I refuse waste my time.

"Pretty much everything ***** at 70, except for naps."

Not for me.

I’m past 70 and don’t recall the last time I took a nap.

Don’t have time for them.

 

[glentre]

At 75, I was still on my back on the garage floor working on my antiques and beginning to lose interest in the hobby because of how difficult it was from a physical standpoint. The next year, we built a new 3-car garage with two 4-post lifts. That changed my life. The fun of wrenching on old cars was back.

Now at 86, I still enjoy my time in the garage. I'm currently sanding and prepping a Model A roadster which I will be painting myself in a month or so. With the car on a lift, it goes up and down all day long as I stand or sit comfortably working on it. No more crawling on the floor for me.

You are much younger than me........just do it. You will not have any regrets.

Glen

 

[gizardlizard]

At 75, I was still on my back on the garage floor working on my antiques and beginning to lose interest in the hobby because of how difficult it was from a physical standpoint. The next year, we built a new 3-car garage with two 4-post lifts. That changed my life. The fun of wrenching on old cars was back.

Now at 86, I still enjoy my time in the garage. I'm currently sanding and prepping a Model A roadster which I will be painting myself in a month or so. With the car on a lift, it goes up and down all day long as I stand or sit comfortably working on it. No more crawling on the floor for me.

You are much younger than me........just do it. You will not have any regrets.

Glen

I salute you sir. I think that’s great. Keep it up and I hope you enjoy wrenching.

 

[larry4406]

At 75, I was still on my back on the garage floor working on my antiques and beginning to lose interest in the hobby because of how difficult it was from a physical standpoint. The next year, we built a new 3-car garage with two 4-post lifts. That changed my life. The fun of wrenching on old cars was back.

Now at 86, I still enjoy my time in the garage. I'm currently sanding and prepping a Model A roadster which I will be painting myself in a month or so. With the car on a lift, it goes up and down all day long as I stand or sit comfortably working on it. No more crawling on the floor for me.

You are much younger than me........just do it. You will not have any regrets.

Glen

Excellent Glen!

Lets see this Model A roadster some time! One of my favorites.

 

[UpstateNY]

I’m past 70 and don’t recall the last time I took a nap.

Don’t have time for them.

It was a joke, you must be fun at parties.

 

[UpstateNY]

At 75, I was still on my back on the garage floor working on my antiques and beginning to lose interest in the hobby because of how difficult it was from a physical standpoint. The next year, we built a new 3-car garage with two 4-post lifts. That changed my life. The fun of wrenching on old cars was back.

Now at 86, I still enjoy my time in the garage. I'm currently sanding and prepping a Model A roadster which I will be painting myself in a month or so. With the car on a lift, it goes up and down all day long as I stand or sit comfortably working on it. No more crawling on the floor for me.

You are much younger than me........just do it. You will not have any regrets.

Glen

You, sir, are an inspiration ! Lift is installed, making mods recommended on this web site to improve it. Going to the YMCA to work out then spending the day working on the lift and the Vette. Can't wait, it's put a pep in my step.

 

[finn]

It was a joke, you just be fun at parties.

It was a bad joke.

 

[UpstateNY]

Installed a laser to help me get the Vette onto the lift. The hood has 2 lines molded into it, one on driver's side, the other on the passenger side. Worked out ok aiming the laser down the driver's side hood line. But if you even breathe on the laser it moves. Also, laser was only aimed for the Vette, not our other 2 cars plus friend's cars.

Then I recalled I had a spare 1080p outdoor Ring camera lying around, much better solution. I can zoom in on the car on my phone as I'm driving up onto the ramp and it works with all of our cars. Going to replace the outdoor camera pictured with a Ring indoor 1080p version, it's the same price as the laser, but is a much more versatile solution. Also, it does detect movement in the shop and captures the video so when the lift collapses on me the wife will have a video for the lawsuit.

Anyway, posting this in case it helps anyone else.

 

[glentre]

Amazon had some nylon sliders that fit perfectly with no trimming, so the jack tray is all sorted out. Still got to install the lights and the master kill switch.