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Original poster

AIBU to think they NEED to teach car maintenance at school?

392 replies

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:50

Today my car tyre popped on a piece of metal left in the middle of the road, and I had no idea what to do.
I've been driving since I was 17 and I'm in my 30s and never had an accident touch wood or anything wrong with my tyres.
I instantly panicked as it happened in the middle of a giant hill and knew I couldn't do it there, thankfully a really kind man ran out and helped it be pushed to the side & changed my tyre for me.

I had no idea how to do it, or what a space saver tyre really was! Luckily I got it home driving very slowly & onto my drive and have my breakdown cover coming out next week to change the tyre.
But I just had no idea about any of it. Im aware I sound like a helpless woman, but im usually quite independent but this knocked me for six!

AIBU to think they need to teach car maintenance in school rather than pushing maths (which lets face it isn't anywhere as important) onto students till they turn 18?

OP posts:
BigFatLiar · 23/06/2023 16:12

Unless you have an older car they're becoming too sophisticated for home maintenance. Many now require expensive electronics to diagnose and fix faults.

Most if us should be able to di the basics though, check water, check oil, check tyres etc. As a driver you may be committing an offence not doing so.

We do most of our own maintenance as we have old cars, classics now, old bangers when we got them. Neither of us were mechanics or mechanically minded but with Haynes manuals, time and practice we're now pretty competent.

NeedSleepNow · 26/10/2023 13:23

They did teach it at my school in sixth form. Unfortunately my friends and I skipped the lessons and went into town for lunch instead, I just thought I would ring my Dad if I ever had a problem with the car.

I wish I hadn't skipped the classes as it would be very handy to know a bit about basic car maintenance! My Dad died a long time ago then my ex used to look after my car but now I'm almost divorced I have no idea how to do anything on the car and no one to help! I had to turn to youtube to learn how to check the oil level & top up the screen wash. I couldn't change a tyre, so would ring the AA if I got a flat tyre.

JudgeJ · 26/10/2023 21:38

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:58

Right fair enough, but who even teaches how to change a tyre?

Google is great but it's not a actual teacher in front of you teaching you. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a parent or loved one to teach us this skill.

University of YouTube is your friend when you have household, car, garden problems. Watch the F1 races to learn how to change tyres quickly!

Tumbleweed101 · 26/10/2023 21:41

No not school.

There are courses at college to learn car maintenance. Driving instructors could teach it. This isn't a school teaching area.

happyjules · 26/10/2023 22:18

It should absolutely not be the schools responsibility. I was fortunate enough to spend a fair few hours growing up with my Dad whilst he did everything from changing spark plugs to taking an engine out to change the clutch on our Vauxhall Viva. I could still change a wheel if it were for Rheumatoid Arthritis. I remember one occasion in my twenties, being frustrated at the over tightening of the wheel nuts, telling the tyre fitted to how many Newton I wanted them tightened to. I have imparted my knowledge to my daughters and we spent time during lock down learning how to inflate tyres and check all fluids. As soon as they turned sixteen they fuel up my car so I can stay inside. Important life skills as we live rurally and driving is essential.

cansu · 26/10/2023 22:24

Most of the time when tyres have been put on at the garage you can't get them off anyway as the machinery used makes it impossible to loosen the nuts and bolts that keep the tyre on! In any case school is not the place where everything in the world has to be taught. Maybe we should teach how to mop the floor or how to unblock the toilet or how to change nappies etc etc.

OnAir · 26/10/2023 22:46

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:58

Right fair enough, but who even teaches how to change a tyre?

Google is great but it's not a actual teacher in front of you teaching you. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a parent or loved one to teach us this skill.

Depending on where people are I have been thinking of doing an evening course to teach the basics of car maintenance.

quiteoldad · 26/10/2023 23:42

"Most of the time when tyres have been put on at the garage you can't get them off anyway as the machinery used makes it impossible to loosen the nuts and bolts that keep the tyre on!" @cansu

A young daughter of a neighbour came back to visit the street and turned up in a rather flash car. Previous to that she'd always driven a rather non-descript jalopy. She and I were talking and it transpired that her previous car had been wrecked when a front wheel just came off whilst she was travelling at speed. Luckily she wasn't injured. The car was examined and it was found that all the wheel studs had failed. A couple of week prior to the accident she'd had new tyres fitted at a national chain. The torque settings on their air gun had been incorrect and they'd overtightened the bolts to the extent that the wheel bolts were just on the point of failure. They sheared soon after. The chain accepted liability and on the condition that the story would not appear in the press (NDA) she would receive a handsome payoff. Hence flash car and a little besides.

SoftKittyBazinga · 27/10/2023 06:56

My H does all our car maintenance. He’s an engineer by trade and cars are his hobby so I get him to tech me useful bits as I go. I can check oil, change bulbs, change a wiper etc.

i know the mechanics of changing a wheel but last time I had a need to I still had to call for help as I couldn’t get the nuts holding it on loosened even jumping on the wrench using all my body weight.

TimeForACider · 27/10/2023 08:00

YABU. Not everyone drives (I don’t for medical reasons) Plus, many people are just happier to call out the AA. Lastly, you can pay to go on car maintenance courses if you want 🤷‍♀️

CesareBorgia · 27/10/2023 08:05

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 29/01/2023 18:22

But not many new cars have a spare wheel

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You can buy a 'get you home' spare wheel quite cheaply - I think we paid £50 for ours.

Shinyandnew1 · 27/10/2023 08:17

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 28/01/2023 15:58

Right fair enough, but who even teaches how to change a tyre?

Google is great but it's not a actual teacher in front of you teaching you. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a parent or loved one to teach us this skill.

That isn’t the responsibility of schools.

Who, being taught how to do this on a class of 30 at 16, would even remember how to do it 30 years later!?

DilemmaDelilah · 27/10/2023 08:26

When I was in the 6th form we did a mandatory subject called 'General Studies'. This was back in the late 1970's. This included about one or two lessons on contraception from the biology teacher (no info on procreation though - it was an all girls school) some lessons on how to wire up a plug from the physics teacher, a whole term on the politics of Australia from the Headmistress, and a few lessons on the internal combustion engine (the car engine) from the physics or chemistry teacher, I forget which one, they were both male. I still remember how to wire up a plug even 45 years later when plugs come as standard on all electrical equipment. I don't remember much about the politics of Australia. I was ill for the contraception lessons. I wasn't particularly interested in learning about the internal combustion engine, but I remember the basics, most of which is completely outdated now. What would have been useful would be to have learnt how to pump up a tyre, and about tyre pressures and why they are important. Also about filling oil, and topping up water and windscreen washer bottles, most of which are still relevant now. It would have been useful to learn how to change a tyre as well, but quite frankly I don't suppose I would ever have done that myself.
I'm not sure about schools teaching these things, but if there was a very basic class you could do for little or no cost, perhaps run by one of the breakdown services, that would be good. Perhaps there is?

user1497207191 · 27/10/2023 09:54

No, you're an adult, you should do your own research when you buy your own car.

RedPony1 · 27/10/2023 11:16

olderthanyouthink · 28/01/2023 16:00

Why? Less and less people will own cars.

Teach how to ride a bike and use the road before car maintenance stuff.

This depends where you live surely? I don't know anybody that doesn't own a car. All my family and extended family do.

A lot of my friends have more than one car - both in my car enthusiast circle and my equestrian circle

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 27/10/2023 12:19

CesareBorgia · 27/10/2023 08:05

You can buy a 'get you home' spare wheel quite cheaply - I think we paid £50 for ours.

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I'd also need to buy some sort of kit to be able to store it in the boot. Also not every car has the space for that - my last car was an MX-5 and no way would a spare wheel have fitted in the boot.

CesareBorgia · 27/10/2023 12:36

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 27/10/2023 12:19

I'd also need to buy some sort of kit to be able to store it in the boot. Also not every car has the space for that - my last car was an MX-5 and no way would a spare wheel have fitted in the boot.

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Our car came with a recess for a spare wheel but no actual spare wheel!

SoupDragon · 27/10/2023 13:14

CesareBorgia · 27/10/2023 12:36

Our car came with a recess for a spare wheel but no actual spare wheel!

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a spare wheel is often an optional extra so the gap will be there but, in my case, home to the emergency inflation kit!

GPTec1 · 27/10/2023 13:46

BigFatLiar · 23/06/2023 16:12

Unless you have an older car they're becoming too sophisticated for home maintenance. Many now require expensive electronics to diagnose and fix faults.

Most if us should be able to di the basics though, check water, check oil, check tyres etc. As a driver you may be committing an offence not doing so.

We do most of our own maintenance as we have old cars, classics now, old bangers when we got them. Neither of us were mechanics or mechanically minded but with Haynes manuals, time and practice we're now pretty competent.

To some extent true but the main problem is getting at stuff, an oil change is exactly the same as in an Ford Escort, the difference is you need to remove an under tray :( so you need shallow angle ramps to avoid damaging the front bumper.

We bought a Blue Tooth OBD11 device that plugs into the car diags port, dead simple, cost 39 euros and will tell you exactly whats wrong and can clear fault codes, it even then links to Google on what to do to fix it.

We recently did a ABS sensor, £30, just had to remove the rear wheel, Skoda wanted £300 to fix.

Beware of puncture repair kits that come with some cars, the liquid used to seal the puncture damages the tire, so it can't be repaired but often the tire is ruined and the only option is Recovery, better to buy a spare wheel if possible.

CecilyP · 27/10/2023 13:58

My H does all our car maintenance. He’s an engineer by trade and cars are his hobby so I get him to tech me useful bits as I go. I can check oil, change bulbs, change a wiper etc.

The thing is that you have to go out and buy bulbs and wipers anyway and places like Halfords will change them for a small fee - they used to do it for nothing. Having said that they were unable to change the bulb on my running lights recently. Had to take the car to Kwik Fit who had to put the car up on the ramp in order to get to the gubbins to be able to do it.

Scarlettpixie · 27/10/2023 13:59

Yabu.

My car doesn’t have a spare.

I have breakdown cover

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 27/10/2023 14:00

CesareBorgia · 27/10/2023 12:36

Our car came with a recess for a spare wheel but no actual spare wheel!

Show quote history

I think mine would need a different fixing kit to to store it and I know the higher spec model doesn't have the space as there's something to do with the stereo there.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 27/10/2023 14:00

Not that I'd ever be inclined to change a wheel myself!

Testina · 27/10/2023 14:02

Halfords do not charge a small fee.
They charge £9 to change ONE headlamp bulb, which on many cars takes literally a minute. Sure £9 may be relatively small - but for a minute of non-skilled work, it’s a ridiculous amount not to save by doing it yourself. And everyone should know how for their own car - in case a headlamp goes at night and you need to replace it immediately.

CecilyP · 27/10/2023 14:06

Testina · 27/10/2023 14:02

Halfords do not charge a small fee.
They charge £9 to change ONE headlamp bulb, which on many cars takes literally a minute. Sure £9 may be relatively small - but for a minute of non-skilled work, it’s a ridiculous amount not to save by doing it yourself. And everyone should know how for their own car - in case a headlamp goes at night and you need to replace it immediately.

Fair enough, I didn't know how much Halfords would charge as they didn't a achieve it. They didn't charge me anything to 2 of them having tried and failed. Kwik Fit charged a tenner for what turned out to be a quite complex job and that included the bulb!