It may sound stereotypical, but many women tend to feel less experienced and not as comfortable as men do when dealing with car care and basic automotive procedures, such as changing a flat tire or checking their car's oil level. In fact, according to survey results from Insurance.com, a mere 47% of female drivers have changed a tire, while 88% of men have done it. A third of women said they wouldn't even know how to change a tire, compared with 6% of men. Results also showed that 78% of women have checked their car's oil level compared to 93% of men.

There's definitely plenty of women out there who could lift up their hood and get to working on their vehicle no problem, however it seems as though a majority would tend to fall on the opposite end of the spectrum – myself included. Speaking from experience as a female driver, if something's acting up with a woman's car, she will either 1). completely ignore the grinding, clanking, or sputtering sound, as well as any other flashing lights that appear on the dashboard...guilty, or 2). call up dear ol' dad or another man in her life to come to the rescue...also guilty. Oftentimes too, when a female takes her car in for routine maintenance or just a small repair, she'll get told that a gazillion other things are also wrong, and without a strong knowledge on the subject, she'll wind up spending extra money on something that's completely unnecessary or that could have easily been fixed at home...and once again, guilty.

In hopes of encouraging women to become more familiar with their cars, Houska Automotive is inviting ladies in northern Colorado to attend their semiannual Women's Car Care Clinic from 9 -11 a.m. on Saturday, April 30. The goal is to provide women with the right skills and education so that they feel comfortable taking care of their own vehicles. Along with answering any questions, Houska's knowledgeable mechanics will be covering the following topics during the clinic:

  • What the different dashboard lights mean
  • Vehicle maintenance indicators (mileage intervals, tune-ups, fluids breakdown)
  • Important safety items on vehicles
  • Different types of motors
  • Winter driving
  • Emission laws
  • Automotive certifications (know what training your technician has and what it means)
  • Find out what your shop is doing to be "green"

This event is completely free and will include light snacks and giveaways. Sign up early by calling 970-482-0156. Houska Automotive is a locally owned and community-oriented auto shop, located at 899 Riverside Avenue in Fort Collins.

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