Five Minutes with Lauren Fix

The motor maven talks garage essentials, and why some consumers should leave repairs to the professionals

You started out working in your dad’s brake shop as a teenager. Which job did you avoid at all costs?
Breaking down brake calipers. It was a thankless job. I didn’t mind the grease. I just always seemed to wind up with a stuck piston and had to use the slide hammer to get it out.

Which shop jobs did you most enjoy?
I loved working on the CNC machines. We had a mill and a lathe. I liked designing and testing disc brake conversion kits and brake systems too.

As co-host of DIY Network’s Talk2DIY Automotive, what was your most challenging experience hosting the show?
During one of our shows, we had just five minutes to demonstrate replacing a crankshaft. A bit absurd — you can’t show the whole thing on television because in real life, the job takes hours.

What made you realize you’d be a great advocate for vehicle maintenance?
When one of my girlfriends called me in the late 1980s and said she’d been quoted $2,000 for a brake job. I knew there were lots of people who had questions. This was my calling.

Besides your vehicles, what essentials are in your garage?
Air conditioning, heat, a floor drain, a television and a refrigerator. There are tools in there, too, of course. I like my garage to be part of the house. Guess I’m a little spoiled.

Why should some consumers leave vehicle repairs to trained professionals?
When I was working in my dad’s shop, a customer purchased a brake conversion kit I’d designed for ’65–’67 Mustangs. He later called the shop and told me he was missing the bleeder screws for the rotors. I thought to myself, “The tool police should come and take away your tools.” I told him there were no bleeder screws on the rotors and encouraged him to consider taking it to a professional. Thank goodness he did. Some jobs should be left to professionals!