7 Years 120 days - The Mechanic7 Years 120 days - The Mechanic
I'm Quitting Alcohol
Comedian David Boyle talks through his latest step in becoming a DIY mechanic, from spark plugs to damaged brakes, while venting about car loans and second-hand prices. The episode gives a brief, sweary look at everyday problems and practical goals alongside his ongoing sobriety journey.
6:52•12 Sept 2026
From Booze to Brake Pads: Boyle’s DIY Mechanic Mission
Episode Overview
- Boyle describes step-by-step how he has moved from simple fixes like a broken door handle to more advanced jobs such as changing spark plugs and assessing damaged rotors.
- He highlights the financial benefit of learning DIY car maintenance, estimating he has already saved a significant amount on repairs.
- The episode breaks down his frustration with a high-interest car loan and how much of his monthly payment goes to interest rather than reducing the balance.
- He explains his preference for petrol cars he can work on himself and his reluctance to own hybrids or battery-heavy vehicles.
- Boyle shares his plan to seek a reliable, older second-hand car with low kilometres, even if it means travelling to less corrosive regions to find one.
“I don't want anything to do with Elon Musk sitting at his fucking computer naked and taking control of my vehicle and ramming me into a fucking post.”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? In this quick-fire instalment of "I'm Quitting Alcohol", Australian comedian David Boyle sidesteps heavy recovery talk and instead chats through his latest obsession: turning himself into a backyard mechanic. You’ll hear him break down, in his trademark raw style, how he’s slowly upgraded his car-fixing skills: from a broken door handle, to air filters, tyre changes, and now the big one – spark plugs and mangled brakes.
He laughs about the learning curve, describing the old plugs as "pretty much rusty, they were brown as fuck" and proudly reports that after fitting "brand spankers" the car’s "purring like a kitten". The episode centres on his plan to tackle badly damaged rotors and metal-on-metal brake pads, despite lacking a proper flat surface or garage.
Boyle talks through the practical headaches, the temptation to put the job off, and the satisfaction of saving "a couple of thousand dollars easily" by doing it himself. It’s less workshop manual, more a mate ranting about life while covered in grease. Money stress and long-term thinking creep in as he breaks down his car loan repayments and grumbles about paying "13 percent interest or something".
He weighs up buying a second petrol car he can maintain himself, ranting hilariously about hybrids, batteries and the idea of "Elon Musk sitting at his fucking computer naked and taking control of my vehicle". For fans of recovery stories, this short episode offers a snapshot of the everyday reality behind long-term sobriety: practical problems, new skills, and a mind that now worries about brakes and interest instead of booze.
If you like honest, sweary, five-minute slices of life from someone staying sober one day at a time, this mechanic chapter of Boyle’s journey might be right up your alley. What everyday challenges are you turning into milestones on your own path?
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