Vehicle Maintenance Habits -- Yours. (Please Help!!)

[falconguard]

My ex-husband used to call my vehicle "an extended handbag". :s:s

Exactly!!! What is the point of the purse?

 

[AllWeatherGal]

gonaads ... my BF is a tech, as well, whose father retired from NASA. BFW (Boy Friend Wrench) has a t-shirt that says "Even Doctors Come to Us" ... and when I read your post to him, he said "yep ... I wouldn't want my dad to touch a car".

However, to your point that men and women are the same ... that's not what my brief survey showed (before the last couple of folks chimed in) ... more men did their checks than women, who left it up to "the guy who changes the oil".

My survey wasn't scientifically dispersed and may represent mostly working, horse-owning women in their 30s and 40s.

Anyway, this isn't a good candidate for training because it turns out that people don't do the preventive checks just because they don't know how. At the root of the issue is they don't care, or want to do them. Since I don't want to get stuck doing attitudinal training for my project, I have to find something else.

But it's been a fun conversation anyway

 

[AllWeatherGal]

Exactly!!! What is the point of the purse?

Seriously? To carry everything I need, or might need, to have with me wherever my car has gotten me at any given moment.

• Riding / barn clothing (including boots).
• Gym/workout gear.
• Stuff I'm taking to work or bringing home.
• Tools, emergency medical kit, warm blanket, handwarmers, waterproof anorak.
• Umbrella. Ice scraper (yes, I have to park outside, and there IS ice on windows in the winter).
• Food bars.
• Plug-in cord for cellphone.
• Adapter for mp3 player.

 

[falconguard]

..and what you can't cram in a purse gets left in teh car, along with wrappers, cups, surgical equipment (just in case we have to perform that emergency tracheotomy) hose clamps and a hacksaw.


Me: I have a 2 gig flash drive and an extra set of belts in crammed in the with the spare tools.

 

[gonaads]

gonaads ... my BF is a tech, as well, whose father retired from NASA. BFW (Boy Friend Wrench) has a t-shirt that says "Even Doctors Come to Us" ... and when I read your post to him, he said "yep ... I wouldn't want my dad to touch a car".

However, to your point that men and women are the same ... that's not what my brief survey showed (before the last couple of folks chimed in) ... more men did their checks than women, who left it up to "the guy who changes the oil".

My survey wasn't scientifically dispersed and may represent mostly working, horse-owning women in their 30s and 40s.

Anyway, this isn't a good candidate for training because it turns out that people don't do the preventive checks just because they don't know how. At the root of the issue is they don't care, or want to do them. Since I don't want to get stuck doing attitudinal training for my project, I have to find something else.

But it's been a fun conversation anyway

Heh, true to a point. Most people with vehicles these days are younger-ish working types who, due to a faster life style don't have the time nor the "want" to deal with anything that is above the bare basic minimum on an automobile. Where do I put the gas and where is Starbucks? Funny thing is more and more women are trying to learn the basic things that have to do with maintaining their cars/trucks due to not wanting to be "needy" or to better explain, not having to depend on others for the simple stuff. More are independent and want to stay that way. Some because of the stereotypical roles that many have placed them in over time. I bet that if you did your survey on only women (single women) with cars, over 70% would know where the oil goes, where the coolant goes and what they do, and what would happen if these things weren't checked periodically.

I in a sense help to this end. Every time a customer comes to us for service repair or whatever I tend to talk with them in such a way as to find out what it is they know about their automobile. And their general knowledge about cars. When the repairs or maintenance has been done and they pick up their cars (or SUVs ) I explain what was done and why. Now some people just don't have the brain pan to absorb what is told to them and I explain it in very easy terms. No air fuel mixture ratios or suspension load variables or other geeky things like that. And no, no baby talk either. Just plain words and plain talk. You would be surprised as to how many will just chat with you and ask more questions about things on their cars. I send them on their way with knowledge and ammunition for real world situations when it comes to their cars. Now I have come across that minority few that just will not listen to anything. We had a customer once that was just useless as to listening to anything and this included when we were explaining the bill and the itemized repair order. She... oh did I mention that this person was a she? She was a school teacher, go fig. :s Anyway, she only cared that her car was working again and how much. Didn't even listen to what was done, just "Oh, it's all fine now? Thank you". Talk about going through life in a daze. And she was a teacher. Oh I said that.

 

[X-Istence]

I paid $1000 for my car, and sure there are still some issues to be solved on it, it runs great now. Only because I took the time to learn about it, and make sure it got to a nice working state. And all it cost me was money in parts, no need for money for paying a mechanic.

 

[AllWeatherGal]

..and what you can't cram in a purse gets left in teh car, along with wrappers, cups, surgical equipment (just in case we have to perform that emergency tracheotomy) hose clamps and a hacksaw.


Me: I have a 2 gig flash drive and an extra set of belts in crammed in the with the spare tools.

I forgot the fire extinguisher!

 

[AllWeatherGal]

Every time a customer comes to us for service repair or whatever I tend to talk with them in such a way as to find out what it is they know about their automobile.

What kind of shop do you work in? BFW rarely gets to talk to customers except when he accompanies them on drives or the service writer can't explain. And to tell the truth, he does nearly all the diagnostics but mostly only the driveability repair work.

Anyway ... I'm trying a new topic for my training.

 

[AllWeatherGal]

I paid $1000 for my car, and sure there are still some issues to be solved on it, it runs great now. Only because I took the time to learn about it, and make sure it got to a nice working state. And all it cost me was money in parts, no need for money for paying a mechanic.

That's a true techhie ... and I bet you built your own PC, huh?

 

[gonaads]

What kind of shop do you work in? BFW rarely gets to talk to customers except when he accompanies them on drives or the service writer can't explain. And to tell the truth, he does nearly all the diagnostics but mostly only the driveability repair work.

Anyway ... I'm trying a new topic for my training.

Independent garage (Specializing in Volvo and Saab, but pretty much all Imports. And Domestics, when we're bored), we are small only three of us (including the owner/boss). So we are more personable with everyone.

That's a true techhie ... and I bet you built your own PC, huh?

Don't get him started.

 

[Eagle710]

I have a question how can i tell how many lbs my tire has to be. Im not really sure .... ill bring the specs later like company and PSI number but is their a calculation to do this???? I cant find the specs on the internet.

 

[ShepsCrook]

Your tires should say the PSI needed.

Yes / Occassionally
-
Yes - (Bought both myself)
Yes - Both manuals are located in their respective cars glove compartments.

I do a little work on my car here and there. Nothing major. I would prefer someone that is more knowledgeable perform the tasks that I don't know. I can change my oil, tires and whatnot, but I have AAA for my tires, and I don't see a problem with taking my car to have the oil changed by a business.

 

[gonaads]

Your tires should say the PSI needed.

No! Never follow what is on the tire. The pressure listed on the sidewall of the tire is max pressure at a certain max load (weight) not what is recommended for your type of car/truck.

Tire pressure is always listed on the Vehicle. Be it on the door (any of the doors, along the edge), the door jam, glove compartment, trunk lid, and sometimes on the gas filler door, in the form of a sticker. It gives you recommended tire pressures for front and rear tires of a particular size for your model car/truck.

Tire pressures should be checked cold (vehicle has not been driven for a couple of hours or more).

Here is a link that explains tire pressures and such.

http://autopedia.com/TireSchool/pressure.html

Attached is a sample tire pressure sticker for a truck. I have highlighted the things I pointed out (tire size, front or rear and recommended pressure) in red.

 

[Sazar]

I just follow my TPM's guidance

And I agree with the comment above about NOT following what is on the wheel-well. It'll probably get you killed. Go by the guidance within the car or on the manual. That is what you should stick to for MANUFACTURER specs, not tire max points.

I try to maintain 33 on the front and 34 on the rear and I usually re-fill with air as needed about once a month or every two months

Cold weather made the psi in the front drop below 29 this morning and my TPM sensor went off. Was back to normal after I added about 2 psi to both front tires and 1 to the rear to balance everything out.

 

[Eagle710]

My card thing inside the door says PSI 255 so when i go fill it up i fill it until 255 ???? or i am still confused

 

[gonaads]

My card thing inside the door says PSI 255 so when i go fill it up i fill it until 255 ???? or i am still confused

That doesn't sound right. Can you take a picture of the door card thingy and post it?

 

[Sazar]

If you do, I expect you'll be in hospital with tire bits sticking out of your face

 

[Steevo]

1. Yes.
2. -
3. I purchased my truck and my wifes' Camry
4. Yes - both are in the glove box of each vehicle.

I am a fanatic on changing oil every 3,000 miles and doing all the routine maintenance. I also throw in injector cleaning, radiator flushes and transmission servicing. I figure it's all money well spent to have a fine running and reliable vehicle.

Waaaaghghghg.



5,000-7,500 miles. 3,000 is a number thrown out there by oil companies as the owners manuals say "If driven hard or in dusty conditions change at 3,000 miles" And then it is only to prevent oil filter plugging in the very worst case scenarios.



Mebey if you are using a cheap filter, or cheap oil, then I would do 3,000 miles. I go 12,000 miles or a year and some on synthetic 0W40 and fleetguard filters.

 

[Steevo]

Perhaps 25.5 PSI.


They also make little stickys that you can drive over that shows your tire patch, and you can adjust your air pressure according to what you are looking for. But they are only used by hardcore types. A friend had some he used with his charger.

 

[Eagle710]

Here is what i think was important from inside the truck.

P255/7OR16SL P255/&OR16SL
16X7.OJ RIMS 16X7.OJ
241/35 COLD 241/35


So what does this mean when i go check the air i put that little thing in my tire and the other sides comes out saying (eg. 25) i have to fill it to what?
IF u still want a picture ill try and get one.