Every Girl's Guide to Basic Car Care

I was born into an all-male family. My mother and I were the only chicks in the company of roosters. The level of testosterone flowing in our home was dangerously high at any given time, and I learned to combat it with everything female – makeup, clothes (including unmentionables), feminine products (worked every time) and any gossip about the Hollywood scene.

My dad, realizing that someday I would eventually be married off to some eligible guy (properly vetted, of course), saw a gap in my current skill set. Dads do this; they make sure their daughters have good straight teeth and some useful life skills. One particular life skill I lacked (one of many, I’m afraid) was how to take care of the basics in a car.

We had 2 cars at any given time growing up. One my mom drove, a big, burgundy Impala; and one my dad drove. The latter was strictly for my dad as it lacked the proper floor panel under the driver’s seat and in the constantly inclement weather of Buffalo, NY, no one wanted to step into a garbage bag before getting in the car. This car was beyond hope, and my parents had a standing Do Not Resuscitate order in the medical chart of the vehicle. Every day it started and made it to its destination was a good day.

The big, burgundy Impala was another story. While I looked rather sharp behind the wheel of that beast, my parents felt I should understand how to complete a basic maintenance regimen. I did learn and am trying to pass this valuable knowledge to my own 2 daughters, now driving (God help us), and can hopefully understand the first 5 minutes of any conversation involving cars.

All daughters, heading out on their own, need to know the basics about a car. Car mechanics can spot that glazed look in a woman’s eyes, and I’ll be darned if I have to hear one ask for my husband again before discussing the car I drive every day. (Honestly, my husband knows just as much as I do, but can play along more efficiently by nodding and saying, “Mm-Hmm, Mm-Hmm.” Reminds me of our conversations)

Here are the basics every woman needs to know before getting behind the wheel.