On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 7:41 AM, Bill Shawley <easywind1975@hotmail.com>wrote:

> I taught my daughter how to do the vanagon fillup dance, peek in license
> plate, check oil coolant, squat and peek for drips, sniff for gas, and
> eyeball the tires, she's 5
>

I've been trying to teach my S.O. for many years.  Someone gave her a Subaru
Forester recently, and that one...is perfect for her.

  She can just jump in and drive it...But her other vehicles are not Free
Ones, or 'almost mind-less' vehicles. (that one would do better with normal
TLC, too, but it WAS free and it is a Japanese 'disposable' type vehicle)

  She is inclined to be very 'driven' on some things, but until recently
she's tended to ignore other things, like checking the oil in her F-250 4x4
Powerstroke diesel before leaving on a Portland to Seattle interstate trip,
or Washington to California, hauling a 3-horse trailer.

   Recently, she's begun to pay closer attention.  Given the current state
of our economy, since we are both wage workers, (when we can find jobs)
replacing an expensive vehicle is out of the question around our house  So
now she proudly tells me..."Yes, I checked the oil and the tires!" before I
even ask....

  And her father owned an auto parts business.... was something of a car
nut.  I wish he'd taught her  when she was 5.
  Don Hanson