is it a good idea to fix your kids' cars for them?

Even though my father was a really nice guy, he was about the most un-mechanically-inclined person who ever existed. Therefore, I had to either learn to work on my own cars when I was a teenager, or ride my bicycle or walk instead. So I learned to work on cars.

That was one of the best things I ever learned because when I was younger I didn't have enough money to pay a mechanic to work on my cars. However, by working on them myself I was able to afford a pretty decent car and to keep it in good running condition. Moreover, it made it possible for me to engage in the resto/repair hobby that I really enjoy as a retired person.

I doubt that I would have learned to work on cars if my father had been a really good mechanic and had been willing to fix my cars for me. Plus, had my father been willing to fix them for me, I probably would have avoided working on my cars because I would have felt too insecure and like too much of a mechanical dummy compared to him.

So I ask: are we really doing our kids any favors by fixing their cars for them, or are we actually hurting them in the long run because they won't be able to fix their own cars when we're no longer around?

I look forward to hearing your opinions on this issue.