Fear of Car Maintenance

I think I am getting over my fear of dealing with car maintenance issues.

Let me explain. It has evolved through necessity and a well-written owner's manual. {how I love good technical writing!}


Necessity is the important impetus here. Plato once said "Necessity...[sic]...is the mother of invention". Maybe necessity is also the seed of motivation. Without an element of necessity, it is easier to just forget a problem exists, or, worse yet, to be lazy about figuring out what to do about it. It is easier to use excuses that involve lack of experience and lack of time. But, if that problem has long range consequences for not being resolved, necessity is created, and from it, motivation.


A little background is in order here. Historically, I have been willing to lump car issues of any kind into my husband's domain. It didn't matter if it had to do with purchasing, selling, insurance, maintainance, repairs. If it was remotely associated with the car(s), it went onto his pile. This is because I lived by the stereotype that men think women know nothing about cars, that they can't and don't want to learn, and therefore will take advantage of any woman. I have been quite successful with the position for many years.


Until recently. Necessity has forced me into taking responsibility for car maintenance. I am fortunate enough to be able to rely on a mechanic who works at a shop that is owned by a man who knows my husband. For the past several years, this relationship has worked out well. I call him whenever I have the slighest problem with one of the cars. He never steers me wrong, explains things so I can understand, gives me the best prices, and, for the most part, never makes me wait for repairs even when I drop by last minute.


But, the relationship with him has been a bit of a crutch for me as well because I use him to answer questions that, out of true necessity and the right tools, I could do on my own.


This is what happened last weekend.


Saturday evening, while I am driving the car that my teenagers share, I noticed the coolant low warning on the console. Then, I found out that one of them actually knew about it over a week ago and forgot to tell me. Great! That's all I need is a cracked engine block or something from overheating.


Saturday evening, no way to get to the shop until Monday. Coolant low is a big problem if it goes too far. I debated waiting until Monday; however, I thought how hard can it be?


Questions came up: what type of coolant do I use and where do I pour it in? I had visions of pouring into the wrong compartment or using the wrong product.


So, there is my necessity: if I don't fix this now, my car is going to break and cost alot of money; my mechanic is at home with his kids and can't come to my rescue. Done.


Enter a well-written owner's manual. It took me all of two minutes to find the engine diagram in the front of the manual, check the index for coolant, turn to that section, and read. Thank you, technical writers of my owner's manual. My hat goes off to you.

Off to AutoZone I go. I have been to this AutoZone before and they are usually helpful. Not really this time. Not only did I have to wait in line for quite awhile, but also had the misfortune of encountering a male who did exactly what I feared. He pointed to the back of the store and told me to pick any one of the products except the silver containers on the bottom shelf because those were formulated for a different type of vehicle. Couldn't he see the despair on my face? The concern in my eyes? I really do want to learn but I'm afraid? Won't you just pretend I'm stupid and take me by the hand and do it for me?


Nope. No such luck.


I saunter back there like I now know what I am doing. The shelf is 10 feet high and holds about 10 different products. I pick out Prestone. Hey, it's a name I know. But there are two types. The pointing guy didn't tell me about this, so I figure any one must be alright. I make a choice and walk up to the cash register, all proud of myself.


The pointing guy is not there, but a woman is. I quickly tell her my story and she asks if I am going to drain the coolant first. What? Drain? You can do that?


"All I want to do is top it off," I say, "because at the next service I will have my mechanic take a look at it."


"Oh, then you can't use this." She walks back, with me at her heels, and exchanges the products out.


Praise the Lord for someone who actually cares. Why did it have to be a woman? I was hoping that the pointing guy would be understanding enough. Maybe he thought that simply because I was in AutoZone that I already knew what I needed. But, didn't he figure it out in the beginning when I asked where the coolant was, and soulfully looked at him with my "please help me" eyes? I guess I was not dramatic enough. Next time I will put more flair into my request, maybe a little more "blond". Do you think a lower cut shirt might work?


That evening, my daughter and I filled the coolant. It was bone dry. No doubt if I had waited there would have been serious problems. The added bonus was that my daughter learned as well and maybe will not grow up with the same sentiments of fear and uncertainty about dealing with cars as I have.


There are still car maintenance issues that I don't know how to do, but should. There are also issues that I know how to do, but have never actually done. At least now I am a few notches higher on the learning curve and hopefully more self-assured.