We Treat Our Cars Like Our Bad Exes Treated Us
What’s your relationship like with your car? It’s okay to be honest with yourself. There is no shame in a Shecanic’s game! I called myself an auto airhead because I didn’t treat my car well. I had very toxic relationship with all my cars before my Shecanic days.
Do you have a good or toxic relationship with your car? First, let’s talk define what makes a good relationship. Most people would say commitment, consistency, and communication—these are the qualities we expect from our significant others, partners, and friends.
Now, stop and think about the relationship you have with your car. How well do you know your vehicle? Do you listen to it when it talk to you? Are you committed to taking care of it when it’s in need? Are you loyal to your car, taking it to the same, trusted mechanic for repairs? Or do you treat your car like your least-favorite ex treated you? We’ve all felt the frustration of a difficult relationship that doesn’t fulfill our needs. But it’s rarely a one-way street.
You get what you give, and the same goes for your car: Do right by your ride, and it will do right by you.
Change the Relationship You Have With Your Car
Before we change our toxic relationship with our cars, we must change our relationship and how we feel about them. If we think car knowledge is just for men or for people who love cars and understand how mechanics work, we are short-changing ourselves! We don’t have to be experts, auto engineers, or mechanics to have a car that treats us well. All we have to do is be a great friend, boyfriend, or girlfriend to our cars!
That means treating your car like you would want a significant other or family member to treat you. It’s time to turn your car from a frenemy into your new best friend. #FriendGoals
Let’s explore what makes a good relationship. I like to call them the three Cs: Commitment, Communication, and Consistency.
Commitment
We want our partners to be committed to us and the future we plan to build. When we marry, we say vows to seal our commitment. Well, the same rules apply to our cars. If you want your car to commit to getting you from point A to B safely, I urge you to renew your commitment to your car. Your car is your baby, and you hereby pledge to care for it, in sickness and in health. You commit to providing for your car as needed, to the best of your ability.
Commitment also means no cheating! Do you cheat on your car with different mechanics? Stop seeing other people! A good relationship demands loyalty, and loyalty to your car means loyalty to a quality mechanic and a high standard of care. The biggest mistake women make with their cars is shop-hopping. There’s little to be gained from bouncing between mechanics in search of deals or convenience. You need a PCT (Primary Care Technician)—we’ll talk more about how to find one in the coming weeks.
Communication
Poor communication is the number one relationship killer—and the same goes for your relationship with your car. There’s nothing more frustrating than a significant other who doesn’t validate our feelings. A friend or partner who ghosts us makes us feel inadequate. We want some type of communication to show they care.
How many of us treat our cars this way? We only pay attention to them when we really need them. Our cars are constantly communicating with us through noises, smells, and vibrations. They also have a main communication center: our dashboard emojis.
Be a good listener! You spend a lot of time in your car—you know when something feels, sounds, smells, or looks unusual. That’s your car talking to you. Don’t ignore it! Pay attention to its signals, whether it’s a dashboard warning light, an odd noise, a strange odor, or an unusual vibration.
Consistency
Consistency is key to a lasting relationship. Inconsistent partners leave us feeling uncertain, and we often make irrational decisions. Consistently maintaining our cars (before they break down and need expensive repairs) is our most important task as Shecanics.
How do we know what consistency our cars need? By knowing our cars!
Know Your Car
We want our partners to know us on the inside! They should know our best features, our worst ones, what we like to eat, what makes us smile, and what makes us mad. We want our love language to be understood and accepted.
Ladies, how well do you know your car? Do you know the year, make, and model? That may seem easy, but how about your VIN number? Do you know when to change the oil, how much oil your car needs, and what type? Do you know the gas your engine is designed for? When should you change your car’s filters and belts?
Your car has a love language. Knowing your car and what it needs—not just to live, but to thrive—is the most important part of the relationship. If you want fewer breakdowns, less unpredictability, and lower repair costs, learning about your car is a must!
Everything here can be found in my book, The Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide, the perfect book to go from AUTO AIRHEAD to SHECANIC! These tips will help you
Talk to you soon. XOXO
