I just don't know!

Frapp · 03-09-04, 04:01

Today my friend comes up to me in the lunchroom at school. His car died, and he needs to see if he can jump-start it back to life. We proceed to go to to Sears to pick up some new jumper cables (after using his cheap-o $5 kind once too many). We return to school, connect all the cables, and revive his car successfuly.

I learned how to jump start a car...

After 3 years of owning one.

It hit me today that I really don't know any of the basic survival skills about automobiles. I kind-of know how to install my spare if need be, but beyond that, I'm essentially screwed.

Are there any good websites or books out there that can give me a general idea of what I need to know and how to do it? Anyone on this forum that can give me a few things to know? I know with cars it's the hands-on approach that will really teach me, but the only person I know well enough who knows his stuff about cars..we're rather on each other's s**t lists right now

Thanks a lot!
Frapp

medic · 03-09-04, 05:12

do these steps:
1) get a chilton's maual for your car
2) check out sites like edmunds.com and mobil1.com - they have information and instruction on how-to stuff.
3) start doing some simple things for your car...actually replace a tire (better to do this in your driveway instead of on a freeway at night in the rain), change the oil, check the fluids...all this information will be in the chilton's manual
4)if you have time, take a autos 101 course from your local community college

niteriyder · 03-09-04, 11:05

Three letters man...AAA (triple A) =)

Frapp · 03-10-04, 02:40

I do have AAA, I made sure to get that. Never leave home without it.

Thanks for the tips, medic. I flipped through that Chilton's manual at a bookstore once, and it went over my head. Maybe I'll give it a second shot. As for those websites, I think I'll check it out now.

Thanks!

medic · 03-11-04, 10:58

A lot of the chilton's stuff is father then you need to go into as a weekend mechanic, but it's nice to have as a reference so when you take your car to the mechanic and they say you need a new thingamajig, you can look it up and see if it something you can do on your own. You'll save the $15 bucks in two oil changes by doing it yourself.