Independent Women: Things Every Woman Should Know About Fixing Her Car

How many times have you felt that you need a man to do things for you? It’s nice having someone you can rely on, but what happens when he is no longer around? A great thing about being independent is gaining self-confidence and learning how to do things on your own. Learning how to take care of your car not only saves you money, but gives you experience to handle all kinds of unforeseen situations on the road. Let’s look at a few things every woman needs to know about her car.

Replace windshield wipers

After a year or two of regular use, your windshield wipers start losing their flexibility, fail to provide an even sweep and even squeak when used. Replacing your wipers is pretty easy and straightforward. The hardest part is actually determining the size and type of your windshield wiper. Online stores usually have search tabs where you select the make, model and version of your car, and they list the wipers in stock. Don’t fall for generous offers at your maintenance shop. They always try to convince you to let them replace your wipers while at it. By shopping and installing them yourself, you can spend the difference on nicer stuff.

Handle a tire rupture

Inconvenience is the word here, as these things always seem to happen at the most inconvenient moments. Yes, you can always wave down a knight in white shining SUV to come to your rescue, but you’d save time and feel better about yourself if you knew how to change it yourself. The worst thing that can happen is that you’d get a bit dirty. Remember, though that a spare tire is only good until you reach the nearest repair shop or buy a new one. Pull at the roadside, jack your car up. Removing the lug nuts may require some dexterity and practice, but that’s pretty much it.

Use a tire repair kit

Recently, car manufacturers have begun replacing spare tires with tire repair kits, especially in subcompact car models, justifying it with space and weight benefits. Repairing a tire this way is even easier. Fit the compressor nozzle onto the tire valve and let the latex sealant under pressure plug the rupture, allowing you to get home or to the nearest repair service stop. According to manufacturers, this operation lets you drive for 250-300 miles, without having to mess around with a jack and the lug nut wrench. Looking for another kind of repair kit? Roberts Paint care offers high-quality auto body kits and touch up paint.

Find an honest mechanic

Still, there are many car-related problems that, whether you’re a guy or a girl, only a skilled and experienced mechanic can solve. One way to make sure your not getting scammed is by letting them know you can tell the water pump from the air flow meter and that you mean business. However, some car repair services have raised the customer-mechanic relation on a higher level of trust. Vastly popular in Australia, businesses like this mobile mechanic in Perth can service and repair your car right on your driveway. This way you save time and inconvenience of driving to and from the garage, or worse having your car towed. These mechanics operate on owner-operator basis, so you always speak directly to the person who is going to look into your car, with no phone operator involved.

Change burned headlights

Anyone can do it, and having small and delicate hands is even a bonus. Depending on the car model, you need to pull back the lining of your car engine compartment or unscrew the headlight back cover. Reach in for the bulb carrier and either pulling it up and backwards or rotating it sideways will release it. Your car owner’s manual is you best friend here. If you’re not sure which bulb to buy, just take the old one into a store and they’ll take care of you. Having a spare bulb kit in your glove compartment always helps.

To conclude, here’s an extra tip. There’s absolutely no shame in letting a man deal with the mechanics. Cars and bikes have always been men’s territory and that’s just the way it is. Men tend to listen better to men, so letting your boyfriend, husband, brother, or colleague handle the talk is a harmless way for some of “good old boys’ mentality” to kick in, perhaps even saving you some time and money.

About the author: Mike Johnston is a home improvement blogger, DIY enthusiast and sustainability buff from Sydney. He is a regular writer at Smooth Decorator and contributor on several interior design, real estate and eco blogs, always on the lookout for new ideas and the latest trends in these fields.