A Thing for Cars

Walk into the car repair shop with your manual in hand. It can be uncomfortable for a woman walking into a car repair shop and wondering if you are being taken advantage of. You shouldn’t feel stupid and you shouldn’t tolerate being made to feel that way. You might be inexperienced but you aren’t stupid. Taking the time to throughly read your car manual is the first step. You will learn the graphics to your controls and information on driving and maintaining your car, plus what to do in emergencies. Now pop the hood and follow along with the manual.

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Reread the information on how to check the fluid, what kind of fluid to use, and how to add them. Keep reading and check the optimal octane rating for your car. Check your bake and clutch fluid, engine coolant, power steering fluid, engine oil, and washer fluid level each time you gas up. Now stock up on the fluids, and it will only take you minutes once you get the hang of it.

Keep an eye on your gages during your commute. They are designed to ward off emergencies. Check the manual about every gage and keep the manual handy in your dash. Is your car running out of gas or overheating? What does that gage mean? You will know the answer if you familiarize yourself and check the manual’s description of every gage. Understand what it means when any of them light up, and make a note of what to do. Scan your dash regularly while driving. Know what to do when you see red.

Driving with under or over inflated tires is dangerous so trust your manual not what’s written on the tire or what the gas attendant tells you. Post it on the inside of your car window. Buy one of those little pen like tire gages and check all your tires when they are cold.

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Check to see if your windshield wiper blades are worn or cracked. You can clean them with water and mild detergent. Clean or replace your windshield wipers as needed.

Keep these in your car, you will need . flares, flashlight, a gallon of water, a couple quarts of oil, first aid kit, tire changing equipment. Its also a good idea to sign up for roadside assistance through your cell phone or auto insurance company.