All the adults I know, remember their first car. They look back fondly and laugh at how horrible it was. I got my first car last spring, and it’s already had one flat tire then, but I am doing my best to avoid another bad situation, or figure out how to handle one.
Fortunately, Susky allows first-years to have their cars parked on campus. Susky’s fall break just ended, and I drove myself home and back to campus. The one and a half hour drive isn’t that long, as it may be for some other students. But for me, if my car ever had an issue while I was alone, I had no assistance. I also have obligations that require me to travel long distances, too.
I have been learning a lot about cars since having my own. I learned how to measure tire pressure earlier this year, and I read through my owner’s manual to become accustomed to it. I drive a 2005 Outback, and its age shows. Being used, it needed repairs before it could be driven. With the trips I need to make, it guzzles right through the gas. Just a couple of weeks ago, I needed to get a jump start from Public Safety. The battery was apparently drained because a ‘parking light’ was on. Once I had arrived at my destination later, and met my mom, neither of us could figure out where the switch was. That is, until she called up her brother, a car mechanic.
Auto maintenance and knowing your vehicle is important. Not to mention, it is expensive. Cars need to be taken care of so that they last as long as possible and don’t break down in the middle of nowhere. Today, I learned how to replace windshield wipers (mine were old and left the window dirty), to refill the cleaner fluid, and to check the oil level. My dad taught me how take off the old windshield wipers and install the new set. This information is practical and valuable for younger drivers to gather so that we have it while living independently or if something were to occur on the road.