I replaced the front brake pads in my car this weekend. Someone (Hi, Mom!) along the way asked why I was doing this, rather than paying someone else to make my problems go away. My glib answer was that labor costs being what they are in Massachusetts, I didn't feel like paying how much it would cost, or spending the time explaining that I didn't want the disks turned, the pistons replaced, or the dooflatchie reframulized.
A better glib answer is that I want to retain my Morlock (Stephenson 1999, Wells 1895) cred, and this leads to a better non-glib answer: by repairing (preventative maintenancing?) the machine that carries me around, I reassert control over my environment, and reassure myself that I can adjust the aspects of my world that most people take for granted.
(The correct answer, of course, is that taking things apart, getting your hands dirty, and putting them back together, is fun.)
Now, now....the only reason I asked was because you sounded kind of stressed out about it. :-)
Drat. That reminds me that I have to go pay someone to replace my brakes. :P
But it was an interesting question!
Thank you for putting so eloquently a sentiment I've so often failed to articulate. And drive safe.