Unlike some of my friends in this business, I didn’t grow up with a wrench in my hand.
But I remember my father showing me how to change the oil on his Chevy Nomad…..great intentions…..until I fried my arm with the hot oil from the crankcase and mother put the kibosh on any future DIY vehicle maintenance endeavors!
Which was fine by me…..After the hot oil incident, I wanted nothing more to do with cars; My hands were destined for an architects easel.
That is until I got my first car; A cream 1975 Beetle that I managed to get stuck on the beach on a first date (another story, another time). In our search for solitude, the fan belt had broken and we overheated prematurely.
I should have known this business was in my blood back then when, McGyver-esque like, I used her pantyhose for a fan belt to get us home (True story, but despite my heroics, I never did get that second date).
Those were the days; Cars broke down more often, but were easier to fix. And that was OK.
Scheduled maintenance meant your schedule, and the mechanic at the local gas station checked your oil, fluids and cleaned the windshield while you were filled up?
Today my truck tells me things…. Like when the XM subscription is running out, or when one of my tires are low. I know that there are over 50 computers helping me drive, so when it says to change the oil….I do it!
It’s not like it used to be……this is not your father’s car…… The average annual maintenance cost for a vehicle today is $750, and if it seems like every time your car is at the trusty shop, the trusty mechanic says it needs something…. it probably does!
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