I’ve launched 5 teen drivers, + 1 that wouldn’t pay attention. Guess which one had the most issues?
My brothers (who both studied engineering) were “car guys” and from them I learned a lot of basics. I was 5 years younger and was the “tool fetcher” and sometimes little hands come in handy. My kids grew up with some basic knowledge of cars passed down from me. Due to divorce and remarriage I got a new group of kids to mentor who were “clueless” about cars. So, I had to teach them.
Car “sense” is native to some and foreign to others. Yet, everyone needs the basics of oil; what it does, how to check it, and the importance of changing it. What coolant does and how to check it and the importance of changing it. What the gauges mean and which lights are “stop” lights when they come on. When something doesn’t feel right, or sounds different don’t ignore it; investigate it.
There’s so much more, but my son (new driver since 8/08 17 year old) is taking a 2 hour trip to Philly. Before he goes I plan a few minutes to give the car a pre-trip check. Which he will discount and be in a hurry to get going, but it will happen because I don’t plan on replacing a seized engine in a 2000 Camry anytime soon.