I was once told, in a dark, back-alley Gchat conversation, that a friend of mine didn't know how to change a tire.
"Doesn't know to change a tire?!" I frothed. Spittle and mtn dew flew all over my keyboard. I nearly jumped out of my bloggin' pants.
You're supposed to at least know the basics before driving a car, I had always thought. Whether it's the whole Expert Speech from My Cousin Vinny, or how to do a complete CVT-to-DSG transmission swap in under an hour, new drivers are supposed to learn everything they can about vehicle maintenance and repair before they get behind the wheel.
I'm exaggerating, of course, but we shouldn't allow great car minds to intimidate those who are still learning.
Whether it's something as simple as changing a tire or as daunting as flushing a transmission, it's okay not to know how to make a repair on a car. In this day and age, you get your first Honda at 17, and it just runs and runs and runs, like Hondas tend to do, and the thought of repairing it never once pops into your head. If you get a flat, you just call that number on the little card that says "AAA" on it, and a nice Man drives up in a truck and fixes everything for you.
And that's the world we live in today. If something breaks, we bring it to a Genius Bar or someone comes over and it is their job to fix whatever stupid thing you did.
And that's alright. If humanity strives for nothing else, it is convenience, so that someone else can do something you don't feel like doing. Car repair, nowadays, is left to those who have the luxury of time and money to spend on Project Car Hell or who, on the other side of the spectrum, are driven to it by random desire or desperation.
But what about the rest of us? Those of us who don't have project cars or big garages to tool around in? Who will save us from the dregs of ignorance?
Not me. Don't be silly. I don't have the resources to set up a weekend shop class for free, for fun. Luckily, however, we all do have a collective resource that we can use to better ourselves.
YouTube.
We've done Parking Lot Mechanic before, and that was both great and great fun. But I am no certified mechanic, nor do I have a parking lot, and I'm probably a crappier teacher than Old Man Preston was anyways, so why not kick back, relax, and watch some movies? That being said, you should probably check out the first post of Parkling Lot Mechanic anyways- it’s got a lot of great information on everything you’re going to need to get started.
First up this week is How To Change A Tire. Extremely simple, extremely basic, I know, but we have to start somewhere. You all don't know how many people I know who either nonchalantly admit or morosely confess that they can't do it.
After today, though, that will all change. We will all become better for it. And we will all become smarter, wiser Jalops.
So watch the video above- it's a great one. Don't worry if this is too easy for you- over the next couple of weeks, we'll get to progressively harder and more complicated stuff.