Auto Boot Camp Gives Women Lesson in Car Care

Updated: Wednesday, 16 Feb 2011, 9:46 AM EST
Published : Wednesday, 16 Feb 2011, 6:04 AM EST

By TACOMA PERRY/myfoxatlanta

ATLANTA - Ladies, when your mechanic talks to you, do you feel like he's speaking a foreign language?

And when you get the bill for car repairs, do you always wonder if you were taken for a ride?

A local woman is hoping to inform and empower women to be in control of their car.

For most women, going to a mechanic is like going to the dentist: necessary, but extremely uncomfortable.

"There's this intimidation factor built into the transaction that women just automatically feel. I'm going to be ripped off, they're going to lie to me. And so we go in with that and a lot of times we just get it back," said Gail Dunn of Women's Automotive connection, Inc.

But Gail Dunn is on a mission - to empower women to confidently handle car issues. Her automotive boot camps for women provide the basics for all car issues: service, maintenance and minor repairs, for things you can do on a regular basis like change your oil.

"Please change your oil every 3-5,000 miles depending on what kind of oil you're running. It's the lifeblood of your car. It's super, super important," said Dunn.

Maintenance includes those infrequent items that still need attention like new tires and brakes.

"It doesn't matter how good your car looks it doesn't matter how well your car runs. If it won't stop, your problems are much bigger," said Dunn.

And Dunn says if you service and maintain your car, you'll see repairs before they become a problem and cost you big bucks. But repair is the area where women are most taken advantage of.

Dunn says you don't have to be an automotive expert to know your car. You don't know something, just look in the owner's manual or you can simply Google it. But if you do decide to take your car to a professional she says don't be afraid to get a second opinion.

"It's like a doctor for your car. So what's wrong with a second opinion? If somebody told you it was going to cost you $4,500 to do x to your car, wouldn't you want a second opinion? What if it ended up only costing you $1,200 dollars?" said Dunn.

Dunn says never be afraid to tell a technician no. But if you do decide to go ahead with a repair, get the estimate in writing and ask for your old parts.

"If people start telling you the jargon and you're not understanding, just stop them and say, please explain that more simply to me. Make them do it your way instead of you doing it their way," said Dunn.

Dunn also says once a month, get a friend and take a walk around your car to check all your lights. Replacing them is easy and will make you safer on the road.

For more information on Dunn's boot camp, click here.

Brought to you by Car Repair Salinas