My ex and I once took my car in for a problem. He said “Okay, let me do the talking, these guys don’t think women know anything about cars.” So he walks up to the mechanic and says with all authority:
“It’s making a funny noise.”
Well great, now he knows neither of us knows anything about cars.
In retrospect, I should have remembered that my ex literally didn’t even know how to change a flat tire. He jacked the car up before loosening the lug nuts and then tried to wrap his coat around the wheel to stop it from spinning.
I’ve been guilty of that strategy. Back in the day, I brought my ex car-shopping with me. The salesman tended to focus on him, while I asked the occasional question and consulted my trusty Consumer Reports car issue. It seemed to work pretty well. Because yeah, I tend to attract the “Little Lady Treatment” with car dealers, and mechanics, et cetera. And it’s a pain in the butt.
I’m not totally ignorant-- my first car was a 1991 Buick Regal that gave me all kinds of lessons in the many things that can go wrong-- but I’m no expert either. I’ve made my mechanic uncle laugh when I try to describe the noises my car made. >shrug<
@manybellsdown: I know the theory of how to change a tire. I watch when it’s done. My problem is, whenever I get service on the tires, the mechanics use the air wrenches on the lug nuts. They crank them on so tightly, I can’t manage to muscle them free. But that’s what my road service is for.
FWIW, much of my early education in auto maintenance was from my aunt who also taught me how to cook. It’s not that my dad didn’t know or wouldn’t have taught me had I asked; it’s just that my aunt and I had already bonded over strawberry crepe recipes.
I plan to pass the knowledge on to my niece and nephew when they get closer to driving age. It takes a village!
Also, there’s no guilt in engineering the sexist stupidity of many salesmen. That’s just savvy shopping IMHO.
Oh, sure, I’ve had that problem too. I used to weigh barely 100lbs, even STANDING on the tire iron I couldn’t budge them. But being physically unable to is a different animal.
Only one for me, in 2012 Cash for Clunkers had messed with the used market so badly and financing was so cheap it would have been stupid not to get a new Kia Soul with a 10 year warranty. Great car!
Agreed. Those tire change kits that come with cars are often woefully inadequate for removing lug nuts (the jacks are typically fine - just make sure you use the correct points on the car to lift it!).
Those air guns should be dialed to a specific torque setting so there should be no over-tightening. That doesn’t mean they aren’t, or that things like dirt, or natural expansion won’t make it exceedingly difficult for a typical human to remove.
I second the recommendation to get a decent quality breaker bar - the longer the better. It should be able to losen any lug nuts. Also don’t forget: lefty loosey, righty tighty. Finally, hand thread the lug nuts before tightening with a wrench.
You don’t want them to look like this when you’re done:
I am bothered by that insurance commercial that shows a mother standing by her strapping teenage son, and telling everyone about how they saved him when he had a flat tire. Teach your kids about the vehicles they are driving. Not knowing how to change a tire means you don’t know the first thing about your car.
As for the sexist car salesmen issue, I once went with my wife as she was car shopping. I mean “went with” in the sense I went for the ride, and a reason to get out of the house. She knew the car she wanted, and what she wanted to pay. At one car dealership the salesman kept trying to talk to me. I twice told him I had nothing to do with this purchase, and he would be wise to talk to her. When he did it a third time, she got up and walked out. I looked at him and said “she’s my ride”.
I once pulled the dipstick on a car I was planning to buy. Just, y’know, to see where it was located and how easy it was to get at, so I could check my oil. The salesman said “I’ve never seen a girl do that before!”
I still bought the car. Big fucking mistake. I should have walked.
Next time I buy a car I plan to pretend I have no sense of humor whatsoever, and also my dad’s tactic of just getting up and leaving if they’re not giving me what I want. He’d often have salesmen chasing after him across the lot.
Be female for a while, with an unreliable car, who lives, works, and attends school in sketchy areas, and does all of the above in a deeply hostile climate. A reliable car is not a luxury. It’s survival.
And why should a mechanic of my choice tell me the truth during an inspection? They have an incentive to say it’s good and hope I bring it in six months later when something breaks. Again, this is a visible female tax.
I do in fact know how to fix my own cars - my grandfather wouldn’t have let me drive it if I didn’t know how to fix it - but I didn’t always have a spare thermostat, alternator, water pump, oil sending unit or timing chain in the trunk. Trying to replace one of those in the middle of a desert summer afternoon, when I couldn’t afford a tow truck… Yeah, no.
Going to make the point that it’s also pretty ableist to insist that someone be able to fix a car just because they’re capable of driving it. Sufficient leverage from a wheelchair to break a lug nut is unlikely to happen; being physically frail does not mean being too frail to drive. Then there’s orthopedic injuries, pregnancy, asthma (and the awful air quality along the side of the road)… I can go on.
Certainly. I didn’t mean to impugn your preference in any way. I’m not qualified to know what works for you. I was merely saying that’s why I prefer used.
Again, was only saying that’s what I do. Sometimes that mechanic has been a family member, 13 years it’s been a close friend. I totally get not everyone has a mechanic in their circle, and finding trustworthy ones isn’t trivial as this video demonstrates.
Wouldn’t assume otherwise. Sincere apology if I offended. Didn’t mean to criticize your choice, merely point out why it’s not my choice. And obviously, I couldn’t buy used cars if someone else didn’t buy them new.
I’m sorry if I offended you. I really didn’t mean to!
You’re right-- not every person has the physical ability and/or knowledge to fix their own cars. It’s good if you can do it. But not everybody can, or should be expected to. I’m very grateful for road service, and trustworthy mechanics, and even my uncle who answers questions or jumps my battery if I need it. I know I couldn’t deal with all my car’s issues by myself.
And it’s a pain in the butt.
