Not only is driving a car an honor and a privilege, but knowing how to drive and take care of your vehicle is a survival skill. In a perfect world, we believe that every teenager who wants to get behind the wheel should know the following things about cars and car maintenance by heart before hitting the road.
How to drive a manual transmission. If a teenager or adult is in a situation where the only car available to you has a manual transmission, it could save your life when you know how to drive it. Otherwise, you could be stuck in an unfortunate position to where you could not drive yourself to safety. We recommend learning how to drive a stick shift, and here’s a helpful video that provides instruction:
How to change a tire. If you get a flat tire and you don’t know how to change it, you could be stranded. Changing a tire is easier than many teenagers and adults think. Here is a helpful video that will show you how to change a tire, assuming you don’t have run-flat tires.
How to check the oil and other engine fluids. The fluids in your vehicle are vital to the health of your car’s engine. Just like your body would be if you didn’t drink any water, your engine will not work properly without enough fluids. Here is a helpful video for teenagers and adults who need to learn how to check the oil and other engine fluids in your vehicle.
How to do basic auto maintenance, like spark plugs. Knowing basic auto maintenance is smart and can save you money when you do it yourself. Most teenagers and adults can personally benefit if they know how to maintain the simpler aspects of their vehicles, like changing the spark plugs. Here is a helpful video showing you how to change spark plugs.
If you or your teenager are not comfortable working on your family vehicles, we are always happy to do it for you at Orinda Motors. Or, if you and a group of friends & teenagers would like to attend one of our free car care clinics, contact John Vanek to make arrangements. The Orinda Motors team has held annual car care clinics for women, teen groups, and auto enthusiasts in the Lamorinda region. Contact [email protected] or call 925-254-2012 for full details.