8 Things Women Need to Know About Cars

Purchasing a car can be time-consuming and frustrating. It can be especially true when you’re a women. Some people automatically assume that you know very little about cars. Whether you’re purchasing your own car or taking your car into the shop for repairs. Ever take your car to a mechanic and get the feeling that you’re being duped because you’re a woman? You’re not the only one. It’s happened to me quite a few times. While there are some women who are mechanics, the industry is still very much male-dominated. Here are 8 Things Women Need to Know About Cars.

8 Things Women Need to Know About Cars

Proper steps to buying a Car – Do your research. This is the most important step when purchasing a car. If the car is a used car, ensure that you request the Carfax. And should you decide on a certain model, it’s essential to know the car’s history and retail value. This is also important when acquiring the title and ownership of a car as well.

Negotiating purchasing rates – As previously stated, knowing the make and model of a car, as well, as its history, unless it is a brand new car, is essential for knowing what rates you should negotiate. Also do some research on standard fees, down payments, interest rates etc. when financing or leasing a car in your state. Being better informed will allow you to have some bargaining tools handy.

Car maintenance

1. How to change a flat tire – Certainly not my favorite thing to do but it’s not as difficult as it may be. While I won’t go through the step-by-step here, remember Google and YouTube university is your friend.
2. How to change a windshield wipers – Approximately every 2-3 years you should routinely change your windshield wipers to make sure they’re working properly.
3. How to refill the washer fluid – This may be pretty easy for some but not having clear windshields while driving in inclement weather can be dangerous. Make sure your washer is routinely filled with fluid.
4. How to check the tire pressure – Using a tire pressure gauge compatible with your car is great for a few reasons. Driving a car whose tire pressure is either under or overinflated can be dangerous. Tires can be misaligned while driving, and wear and tear faster. Thankfully modern cars are great at prompting you when your tire pressure needs to be adjusted.
5. How to put air in the tires – If your tires are low on air, adding air to your tires is essential for driving safely. As you can imagine, if the air gets too low and you proceed to drive on potentially deflated tires, you may be prone to get into an unfortunate accident.
6. How to change a headlight – If you need an entire replacement for a broken head or tail light then you may need to visit a mechanic, but a simple bulb replacement is nothing you’ll need to run to the shop for. You can visit your local auto parts retailer for lightbulbs and replace broken lights or ones no longer working.

For step-by-step guides, remember Google is your friend.

For anything I didn’t discuss here that may be more technical and strenuous, and you have no intention of being an expert on all things automobile, then you should go to a mechanic. Going to one referred to by close family and friends may also help in the process and in not being taken advantage of.

Did you find these tips helpful? What are some other important things you think women should know about cars?