The "working on the pavement" point is spot on. If you've ever tried to do anything more than a simple job on a car without a good set of tools and a car lift,

The "working on the pavement" point is spot on. If you've ever tried to do anything more than a simple job on a car without a good set of tools and a car lift, then you'll be completely aware of how horrible it can be. For small jobs (change the brake pads, change the oil), this might make sense (but they're not the kind of job you tend to get ripped off on). For large jobs (change the clutch without good access?) it would simply be horrible for the mechanic. There's a reason everyone who works on their own cars desires a pit or car lift.