I'm gearing up to live on the road w/in the next year or so. My boyfriend and I don't have any experience w/ fixing cars or keeping them running or anything at all. So where can I learn this kind of stuff?
I'm sure there are some basic tutorials on youtube. I'll keep an eye out for you. If not, as I'm writing this I'm deciding that I'm going to make some. When I was travelling in a car that didn't really need me, all I did was watch oil, coolant and hydrualic fluid levels. It is also essential to be able to change a wheel.
Any local community college will offer car care classes. I went to Brevard CC about 100 years ago. I'm sure they still have them. Also places like AutoZone should offer care care clinics, though the ASE really frowns on that. They want to have all the power. You know, like politicians...
Don’t buy a VW… Good tires are important for long periods of time on the highway A good battery with clean terminals is good to start with. Also make sure your cooling system is good before the middle of summer that is usually when they go out if there is going to be a problem with them. It is easier to fix little maintenance problems in your backyard instead of broke down on the side of a 5 lane hwy.
I've looked thru the catalog of my local CC, but I didn't really find anything. Do you have any recollection of the class's name?
go to your local book store and get a book like mechanics for dummies ...then get the haynes car repair manual for your specific car you will be using ......but like someonesaid before ,keep a close eye on all fluid levels and temperatures ..preventitive maintenance goes a long ways to keep trouble to a minimum ..another good idea is to invest in a few bucks more and get an AAA road assisance insurance ......even though i could probably strip and rebuild my car i still have it along with a good tool kit ..........i cross the country twice a year from coast to coast and most problems i encounter are usually minor but being prepared gives me peace of mind
You can find car maintenance on youtube ..... I think someone has made tutorials on the basics. Get back to me if you can't find them. You type car maintenance in the search box.
hahaha....so true. (says the owner of three inoperative busses). But if you do drive a VW around you WILL gain auto repair experience.... And the idiots guide for VWs is one of the best auto maintenance books around. I've always thought that drivers ed should include more basic auto mechanics.
As a mechanic I would say keep an eye on all fluid levels and buy the manuals like every body else has said. Buy a cheap basic toolkit to keep in the trunk, if you don't need them they may help someone you meet that is broke down. And as another suggestion I would say before you leave take the car to a reputable shop, preferably one that specializes in your kind of car, and have them do a pre-purchase inspection on the car. Usually they charge about an hour of labor and they check everything out. Fix whatever they find before you head out on the road.
