As a woman, taking the car in for maintenance or service can be very frustrating. This week the car needed maintenance, oil change, filters changed, tire rotation and new tires. There was a time when I would complete the maintenance myself. It was kind of fun tearing the car apart and putting it back together. Now that I am older, and cars are more complicated I have it serviced at the car dealer.

I took the car for regular maintenance on Wednesday. I don’t access the back seat of my car often. A few days later I went to get something out of the back seat and found an extra car part. I am thinking the bumper piece does not belong on my car.

The item is a piece of a bumper, or that is what it looks like to me. I should go back to the dealer to confirm it is not mine. This is the smart thing to do even if it is an inconvenience.  This is not the first mistake they have made over the years. It is probably time to find a new mechanic.

There was a time would routinely make major repairs to my car, such as replacing the starter. The guys at San Pablo Automotive Supply were always so patient with me. I didn’t know the names of the items, usually I would explain to them what I was trying to fix. They would draw me picture if necessary and explain in great detail how to do the repair.

I had to take my new car into the dealer because the engine was smoking. I was glad for some knowledge about how cars work because the mechanic told me I broke the car. The head (the top part of the motor) had a crack, he said it had to be caused by someone. Once he realized I knew my way around a car engine he found it was a factory defect.

Are you aware of the regular maintenance needs to keep a car in good running order? I highly recommend everyone should know how to complete the basic maintenance on the car. It can save money to do the work yourself. However, if you prefer to have someone else do the work, it is good to have some basic knowledge.  

Most mechanics can figure out what the problem is with just the location and a description of the problem.

Do you have any funny car maintenance stories?

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