A Girl’s Guide to Car Care

I sat down with Yussie, who gave me a rundown on what women — and men! — should know about car maintenance
Like any proper woman, I made my husband do all the car maintenance/mechanic related stuff. But then our schedules changed and switching cars to do a simple oil change was getting ridiculous. I told myself, “Grow up, woman!” My husband gave our mechanic a kind heads-up before I brought the car in the next time so I wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable.
Turns out my mechanic, Yussie Becker of Titan Service Center, is a really nice guy who has patience for all my hand-wringing questions and uncertainties, so now going to the mechanic is as easy as rolling my eyes (I do that a lot). But since most people aren’t as privileged as me, I sat down with Yussie, who gave me a rundown on what women — and men! — should know about car maintenance.
Tires - Do’s and Don’ts
- Do properly inflate your tires (aka tire pressure)
- Do make sure they’re properly aligned
- Do make sure they have good tread
- Do rotate them every five to nine thousand miles (depending on the car)
- Don’t buy used tires
Brakes stop the wheels, but friction stops the car, and the friction you need depends on your tires. Don’t dwell on that too long because it might scare you when you realize how little you know about tires.
Tires — The Good Inflation
Proper inflation will ensure that your car gets both the best MPG (miles per gallon) and the most mileage out of your tires. Also, that you don’t have a blowout, and that your car rides smoothly (nothing glamorous like heated seats, but almost as important). In order for a tire to be properly inflated it needs to have the right amount of air, measured in PSI (Pounds per Square Inch). To find out how much PSI your car needs, you’ll find the information on either the bottom of the driver’s door, or inside the door frame of the driver’s seat. (The number is usually between 30–35.) There’s a system in most newer cars that will turn on a dashboard light if the pressure is too low.
No Pressure? Bad News
There are many reasons why a tire may lose pressure (none of them your chilled nature), the most common being a shift in the weather, extensive use, or nails embedded in the tire. If the light goes on, go to a mechanic or a gas station where they have coin-operated air machines. Check the tire pressure gauges on the inflator so you know when your tires have enough. A lot of people make the mistake and follow the Max PSI listed on the tire — DON’T. You’ll be killing your tires and car.
A word on sensors — if you find your sensor faulty, going off when a manual check shows the pressure to be fine, it may be worth replacing. It’s not cheap, but not crazy expensive, likely running somewhere between $150–$160. Your tire health is that important (Yes, I’m trying to scare you.)
Still with me? Impressive.
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