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Original poster

Not to know what whether or not my car has alloy wheels

189 replies

Rascalls3 · 01/07/2014 18:41

Just been told off by the Green Flag operator because I didn't know if my Mini had standard or alloy wheelsBlush Apparently ( he said ) that as I hold a driving licence I should know ALL about my car!!!! Interested to know how many ladies out there know what a alloy wheel is. My lovely car mechanic has told me that I am the proud owner of four alloy wheels!

OP posts:
AnsonsVoyageRoundTheWorld · 02/07/2014 23:48

It MUCH MUCH easier to change a tyre with a decent wheel wrench. I have a nice big strong one that I can jump on if need be. You can get extending ones too. The ones supplied with the cars are not always big and strong enough.

They are cheap to buy.

Watercolourfootballs · 03/07/2014 00:30

WMittens interesting contribution...

It is common parlance to refer to 'changing a tyre'.

It's not generally the wheel that's the issue in terms of a puncture is it now? Although of course the wheel will be changed too. Thanks for clearing that up, what would we do without you.

HicDraconis · 03/07/2014 05:28

Bunbaker I have phosphorus LED light fittings. They're like a downlight but somewhat larger.

They're called Ominus and they mean I will never have to change a light bulb again :)

ch1a · 03/07/2014 06:00

I have had to change a tyre 4 times in my driving life. Twice it would have been massively practical if I had to wait for an aa or rac person to come and do it for me. I think its very important to be able to do it and have practiced it at least once.

ch1a · 03/07/2014 06:01

Impractical!**

WMittens · 03/07/2014 07:43

Watercolourfootballs

It is common parlance to refer to 'changing a tyre'.

Common among whom?

bigdog888 · 03/07/2014 07:53

Common among whom?

People who haven't got a clue

scarletforya · 03/07/2014 08:08

This makes me cringe. It's not cute to be clueless!

nomdemere · 03/07/2014 08:12

My DH is the only driver in our family. He would have no clue what kind of wheels we have. Nor would he be able to change a wheel. He has AA membership though. Some people are more capable at this kind of thing than others, regardless of gender. Just because the OP is female doesn't mean she has a duty to know this stuff.

RhondaJean · 03/07/2014 08:34

No it doesn't nom, but I would argue that anyone who drives a car has a duty to know this stuff. It's basic maintenance and basic knowledge of the huge potentially deadly piece of machinery you are in control of.

Now, get your DH out there and show him what to do.

ComposHat · 03/07/2014 08:38

Quite surprised at the number of people who've commented 'dh/dp does that and I don't need to' or some people who have never even put petrol in their own car.

Funny how things like cooking, cleaning and childcare are not seen as explicitly 'women's work' and even where a gender inbalance exists it is expected that men should contribute equally (and rightly so)- yet some people on this thread will happily absolve themselves of all responsibility for tasks they deam men's work.

Likewise people who are dead proud of being able to check their brake fluid levels and the windscreen washer bottle is full. That is the equivalent of being pleased with yourself because you know how to heat up soup in a microwave.

nomdemere · 03/07/2014 08:39

I don't really see why changing a wheel is basic maintenance. DH has been driving for 15 years and never needed to do it. We do generally have a car within warranty though. Car is kept up to date with services. So it's in good condition.

If I made DH do car maintenance he would probably just give up driving altogether (he loathes driving as it is, and wouldn't do it at all if he was single).

nomdemere · 03/07/2014 08:43

However, I do get the points other people are making, and might well send DC (both genders) on a car maintenance course when they pass their driving tests. I have already planned to send them on an advanced-driving course.

AnsonsVoyageRoundTheWorld · 03/07/2014 08:44

Changing a wheel is correct but there is NOTHING wrong with saying changing a tyre. It's completely 100% acceptable.
Making snidey comments about people saying changing a tyre is a bit pathetic.

ComposHat · 03/07/2014 08:49

Doesn't matter if the car is fresh off the forecourt, you just need to drive over a nail.

There are times where I would do it and times where I wouldn't (driver's side on a motorway hard shoulder or when the nuts have been done up so tightly with an airgun that you can't shift it) but I do know what to and have changed tyres.

nomdemere · 03/07/2014 08:52

You are probably right, Compos.

FraidyCat · 03/07/2014 08:58

I think the whole concept of carrying spare wheels around in cars is an archaic hangover from the days before mobile phones. OK if you live in Australia/USA/Canada where you might break down where there's no signal and no passers-by, but in the UK it's just a waste carting that weight around. I think it's good that more and more cars come without spare wheels.

It actually makes no sense for people to spend time mastering a skill they may need once or twice in the lives, when they could get someone who is paid to do it everyday to do it for them.

I lied earlier when I said I had one side-of-the-road wheel change in my life. It actually happened on a garage forecourt a few hundred yards from my home, I inflated the tyre and drove home and got it changed there. So the actual number in 30 years of daily motoring is zero.

LadyFlumpalot · 03/07/2014 09:02

My car has alloys. 18inch Wolfrace alloys, to be precise. it also has low profile run flat tyres (which I know how to change). it also has a 3.2l naturally aspirated V6 engine with an uprated intercooler which pulls 308 bhp and has an average MPG consumption of 29 (if I'm careful!)

I, and many other "ladies", do know quite a bit more about our cars than just how to change a tyre....Hmm

Bouttimeforwine · 03/07/2014 09:04

I went on a car maintenance course in my early twenties. Like anything though, if you don't ever practice what you learn or keep having refresher courses, then you forget.

I don't know the difference between alloys and others, except I know that alloys are expensive and supposed to be nicer. They all look the same to me Confused

Cindy34 · 03/07/2014 09:05

Why do you need to know what sort of wheels you have? Mine are round.

If you have wheels with a locking wheel nut, then you need to know where the unlock nut thing is.

I am surprised how many drivers do not know what an indicator is, far too many that make turnings at junctions without any indication of where they are going. Then there are others who think the indicator light is there to light up the road and keep it on all the time!

Don't even get me started on those who have a phone attached to their ear and children loose in the back.

ComposHat · 03/07/2014 09:09

fraidy it doesn't require years of practice like playing a piano to concert standard it is a really simple procedure that any competent adult (disabilities not withstanding) could do (if the clowns at kwik fit haven't got happy with the air gun)

AnsonsVoyageRoundTheWorld · 03/07/2014 09:10

Changing a tyre is not a matter of 'mastering a skill'. It's usually really easy to do. Mostly is just a matter of having a go and it's not as though you have to learn it in advance. You just have to follow a few simple instructions from online, YouTube or your cars instruction manual (which usually has pictures)

Maybe it will take a novice car tyre changer a bit longer than an expert but either way it will take ages less time than calling someone out to do it for you.

Obviously, if the nuts are too tight or you are in an unsafe spot then call a recovery service.

ComposHat · 03/07/2014 09:12

I am one of the most inept people I know and even I can change a tyre.

hollyisalovelyname · 03/07/2014 09:19

My alloys are lovely.
I'm always afraid they'll be nicked.
I worry about everything. Smile

BoomBoomsCousin · 03/07/2014 09:21

I don't care about alloys and I haven't owned a car in over a decade, but I know what alloys are. I can change a tyre, spark plugs, fuses, bulbs and oil, at least in an older vehicle. I'd certainly spend a couple of hours familiarizing myself with user serviceable aspects of a newer car if I got one

If one of your criteria for choosing a car is that it be cheap then this sort of basic knowledge can save you a lot of money and in any case quite a bit of waiting around time.

It is almost never necessary today though, with busy roads and mobile phones you can almost always get help to you. And women are often left out of the sorts of activities that build this knowledge in boys (my father took my brother with him to buy cars, I taken to choose curtains) so I understand why a lot of women who drive don't have a basic knowledge of their vehicles. But I think it's a bit unwise not to get to know the basics of a machine that you probably rely on most days. It really isn't hard and you don't have to care about cars in the way our media pretends all men do.