| Remember the good old days when if you needed | | | | remember when my wife had to call me at work |
| something done you could hire someone to do | | | | because the car didn't start. She felt really |
| it? You didn't have to worry about anything | | | | bad when I showed up and all that had to be |
| like where to find a part or how to repair | | | | done was to jiggle the gear shift into park. |
| anything. You used to be able to pull up to a | | | | Her face was so red!I remember that she made |
| gas station, where someone would actually | | | | me a nice dinner to try and make up for it |
| come out and pump the gas for you, check your | | | | and we talked about how she could learn more |
| oil and clean your windshield. All you had to | | | | about cars so this type of thing would not |
| do was pay for the gas and be on your way. | | | | happen any more. We started a little weekend |
| Now we have entered the "do it yourself era". | | | | training program. I really don't know that |
| You pump your own gas and check out your own | | | | much about cars, but I was able to teach her |
| groceries. There's a book on how "dummies" | | | | all the basics.We sort of worked through it |
| can learn to do anything by just reading a | | | | all together. I was learning a lot at the |
| few pages and applying the lessons | | | | same time as she was. We changed the oil in |
| learned.One of the few things left that you | | | | the car and played around with the spark |
| can still opt to have a professional do is | | | | plugs. We also practiced changing a tire so |
| maintenance on your car. You can go through | | | | she would know how to do that in case she was |
| one of the many drive thrus that offer oil | | | | ever stuck. After we had practiced some of |
| changes and engine maintenance. With the way | | | | the basic maintenance things with the car I |
| things are going, it might be better to start | | | | actually caught my wife reading a book on how |
| to learn how to do these tasks yourself, not | | | | to keep your Chevy maintained.It was really |
| just to save money, but who knows how long | | | | cool to see her working so hard to be |
| you will be able to rely on someone else to | | | | independent. Now my wife doesn't mind taking |
| change things like your oil filter.Women in | | | | the car to the shop because she feels |
| particular are now starting to learn how to | | | | comfortable that she will know what they are |
| do things that were usually left to men, such | | | | talking about when they discuss the cars |
| as changing the tires or oil, and checking | | | | problems.Gregg Hall is an author living in |
| the different fluid levels in the engine. I | | | | Navarre Florida. |