GF mechanics?

SWMBO surprised me recently by asking that I show her how to do the basic spannering required by her car.

So far she has changed the oil & filters, stripped and cleaned the brake callipers, replaced pads all round and adjusted headlight levels, all with the apparent air of enjoying the whole process.

Is this normal behaviour?

I am aware that I may be letting an easy way of earning brownie points (i.e. by performing mysterious sterotypically male under-bonnet duties) slip out of my grasp, but I'm hoping that it might pay for itself in due course - I live in fear of comments like "What does a thermometer over a wiggly line mean? There's been a light on for a couple of weeks and I just wondered.."

So, does anyone else have better halves demanding to be let loose with the socket set?

Reply to
Albert T Cone
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Ive got one that has learned the "clean polished waxed car with blacked tyres" fetish. She knows how why and when, and goes out and spends time actually cleaning and polishing her baby. Honda Accord exec in case you were wondering. She swears at me and gets anoyed that she "has to do it" because she learned from me. She was happier just driving it into the ground apparently but now all this work is my fault somehow.

Reply to
Burgerman

One of the reasons we have an MX5 is that Jennifer wanted to learn about cars whilst owning something fun - she had a Golf (now she's converted to the way of the A-class with an A160, yeay!) and pretty much anything maintenance-wise was locked away.

She hasn't done much with it due to time constraints, but she wants to add her own accessories as a starter and she watched how to swap leads and filters on it. Maybe fitting new mirrors isn't such a big job, but it is a start!

Richard

Reply to
Richard Kilpatrick

My ex-g/f from a couple of years ago did the same when we were together. Always asking "How do you do that?" and "Can I help?". So I let her. Worryingly, she's pretty good. She's now half way through a C&G course in mechanics and loving every minute of it. She's a demon at doing the back brakes on XJ-S's, so she could probably earn a decent wage just by doing them all day.

The C&G course she's on seems pretty thorough as well, I was surprised at the depth of theoretical knowledge required to pass the course, some of the questions are pretty difficult - stuff on thermodynamics and the like that I've never really needed, but it's good to know she's getting a proper training instead of just the basics.

Reply to
Pete M

A few years ago my wife said "What's that light flashing on the dashboard? It only happens when you drive my A-class." I tried to explain it was because the electronics award marks for good driving but she got her hands on the instruction book before I could stop her.

Reply to
Steve Firth

Having a bloke look after her car is one way a woman makes him commit to her. Well to her car if not her. I know one bloke that continued to look after the ex-wife's car for years after she divorced him.

She's getting ready to leave you. Just needs to know how to look after the car without you.

If she doesn't show you how to use the washing machine then you know she's taking it with her.

Reply to
Peter Hill

This seems to be a common theme nowadays. My missus only last week asked that when I service the car, that she can help and learn how to do it herself after I showed her how to check the oil and fluid levels - in a Xantia - suspension on full, engine running, check the red marker lines on the float etc. She wants to do a full fluid change this w/e..

Mike P

Reply to
Mike P

"..and the award for most cynical reply goes to.."

Cheers dude :-)

Reply to
Albert T Cone

I keep trying to get her to do some of her own repairs in a attempt to tech her some mechanical sympathy.

When we have two vehicles at a offroad event I'll give up on a obstacle when I think to carry on trying will break something, better to back down then spend hours in the garage. She, on the other hand, will keep going till either the obstacle is cleared or it breaks something.

So I either get "I'm better then you" or burn the midnight oil in the garage on her car, on the bright side I have no clue how the washing machine works......

Reply to
Geoff

Mine. At 18 years old, I was rebuilding a Rover V8 and she asked if she could help. She could lap valves in better than anyone I know and she used to enjoy it even on a V8.

She's got a FTO now and has just got a s/h inlet manifold and plenum chamber and is currently in the middle of polishing it.

Women seem to have more patience for such things. Personally, I find both of those tasks completely boring.

Feckin mental.

Reply to
Conor

On the up side, whenever there was a female on the motor vehicle NVQ course at local tech college, if they stayed on the course, they would always be apprentice of the year. Only time this rule didn't apply was the year they had 2 girls on the course.

Reply to
Peter Hill

ok....

erm..

right..

Reply to
Tim S Kemp

Nope. Mine has rebuilt calipers for me, and she can check and top up her oil, but she's best at cleaning the insides of cars. Apparently I do it wrong, so she has to do it, whereas spannering involves wearing clothes that you don't mind ruining and being mildly cold.

Reply to
Doki

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