Car work Do it yourself/take it to the shop?

[Condor]

I take it to the shop now. I just don't have time to learn all the little things on a modern car, and try to debug stuff. I mean big things. I still do my own tuneup, oilchange, alternator, brakes, etc. But for anything that requires more work than that, say CV axels, I take it to the shop.
I've done all the bodywork and paint myself though.
I learned because a friend that had a paint business showed me how.
I rebuilt 2 MGs when I was a lot younger, everything: engine, suspension, body, etc. I learned by doing and I had 3 books including a real service manual. I just dont have the time/space/energy to do something like that again. I also don't have time to debug my own fixes lol. I take it to the shop and hope they fix it right the first go.
Although this has bitten me: a cocaine sniffing mechanic that was highly recommended at work ruined my engine. The guy I paid to change the engine jacked it up on the plastic, not the frame, and broke both doors, both sides, and both fenders. Thats what I'm working on now.
I fell asleep and hit a parked car 3 years ago and took out the headlight, fender, nose and hood. I had to cut the corner frame off another car and weld it on. I did that myself. That I learned from watching car shows hahahahaha

So I guess like most people its a mix of things, what I am better at, and what is very, very expensive like paint I still do. Debugging or serious repair I take to the shop. Gladly, I found a decent one now.

[sofast]

If you have the right tools available and some knoledge of mechanics I think you should do it yourself. I personaly Like the feeling of doing it myself. If it something I cant do I have a friend come over and tell me how to do it.