Alexander DeLuca developed self-reliance with a failed auto inspection, YouTube videos, and a healthy dose of elbow grease.
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These days it would take only me a minute and a few clicks to get step-by-step instructions on how to properly sous-vide a steak or refinish an antique mantle clock. In short order I can recite to you the first paragraph of Herbert Hoover’s State of the Union address from 1930 or tell you the name of the company that modified the prop Jeeps used in Jurassic Park. It’s true, we finally have knowledge at our fingertips.
“I don’t know” should be outdated, if you consider how easy it is TO know.
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When you consider how much we have quick, easy access to, we really should be the most resourceful and knowledgeable generation ever. “I don’t know” should be outdated, if you consider how easy it is TO know. Yet despite the advances we’ve been privileged with and the access we’re granted through our computers and cell phones, it seems people are less resourceful and knowledgeable than ever.
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For example, one thing I should have known, given the availability of information, was how hard it can be to pass a New Hampshire state vehicle inspection. A quick Google search would have provided me countless warnings and tales of woe. In the Live Free or Die state, many things are legal that otherwise aren’t across the remaining 49 states. For example, it’s not required to have car insurance in New Hampshire. But despite this enhanced sense of personal freedom, your vehicle must be inspected and registered, and anecdotal evidence suggests it’s very common to fail.
I really knew nothing about cars besides that I liked the way they looked.
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So it really should have been no surprise to me when my Jeep Wrangler failed inspection due to worn brake pads. The vehicle was fairly new and did not have an excess of miles on it, so it seemed odd, but there I was with a $300 replacement quote at the garage. It seemed a bit high, but I had to admit to myself that I really knew nothing about cars besides that I liked the way they looked. I was in no way an expert. Thankfully at the time I was on a strict spending diet, so I decided to take a few days to think about how to remedy the situation before taking the word of the mechanic and spending a few hundred dollars.
The more I considered my options, the more I began to wonder if I couldn’t handle this routine bit of maintenance myself. Did I really want to be counted among the two-thirds of Americans who don’t know basic auto repair? I had heard of friends and coworkers replacing brake pads before, so I figured it had to be something that could be learned fairly easily. It seemed silly to spend hundreds of dollars on a fix if I could do the same job for $60 worth of parts.
I decided I would learn how to take care of my own vehicle and prove to myself that I was able to support myself in this situation.
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I considered offering a friend a case of beer to do it, but I had that nagging desire to learn how to do it myself. That presented another issue, however: who would teach me? That’s when I realized that I already had the key to the knowledge I needed and it was sitting in my pocket: a phone and a YouTube app. I decided I would learn how to take care of my own vehicle and prove to myself that I was able to support myself in this situation, no matter how complicated it might seem. I’ll admit ego played a role in my decision.
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After the parts arrived in the mail (I ordered them online), I pulled up the YouTube tutorial on my phone, headed outside with my tools and a healthy dose of determination. I jacked the car up (figuring this part out took more time than I care to admit) and looked at the undercarriage curiously. I wondered if I had bit off more than I could chew, but I was optimistic.
There were some things along the way that I was uncomfortable with. Pushing or pulling too hard on a particular nut or bolt made me concerned I was going to break something. But when the trepidation hit, I reminded myself that I was following tried and true directions and that the only way to learn is to do. And so I kept pushing and pulling beyond my comfort zone and continued through the steps of the tutorial. Finally, I had replaced the first brake pad. Feeling more comfortable, each subsequent pad took less and less time until I felt confident enough to teach someone else how to accomplish the admittedly simple task.
Nervousness lingered as I got in the Jeep to test them out.
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After the brake pads were installed, there remained a feeling of uncertainty. I had followed the instructions, but brakes are such a critical part of a vehicle and I had just thoroughly tampered with them. Nervousness lingered as I got in the Jeep to test them out. I fully expected disaster, with no confidence in my automotive skills.
It was therefore a very welcome surprise when the car responded like it was new off the lot and stopped as safely as could be hoped. You can imagine my relief and elation that I had accomplished something new on the first try. Needless to say I carried around a smug smile for the rest of the day.
It was an incredibly empowering moment.
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In the moment when I first pressed on the brakes, I felt a profound sense of accomplishment. Not just for changing the brake pads, simple as a task as it may be, but for determining that I could and should learn how to do something new and going out and accomplishing it. It was an incredibly empowering moment and I decided that I would put that available knowledge and potential to work whenever I had the opportunity. Since then I’ve replaced ceiling fans, painted rooms, learned how to make my own beef jerky among other random talents that I otherwise would have never pursued.
What I truly gained from this exercise in self reliance was not just the knowledge of changing brake pads and a cost savings of a few hundred dollars, but the confidence in knowing that I can tackle life with nothing but my own wits and will. I look forward with adventurous optimism for the next challenge that will come my way and the opportunity it will present to learn something new.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images
Thank you for sharing this information on what to do when your car needs to be repaired. I was recently involved in a minor car accident and need my car fixed. It was nothing serious, but I would still like my car to look nice. I will definitely ask around and research what needs to be fixed on my car before taking to the mechanic so I know what I am getting into. I also need to find a reliable mechanic in my area. Thanks!
Great article, Alexander! You’re absolutely right: basic, do-it-yourself auto repair can save you hundreds of dollars. I think it’s incredibly important that we’re setting aside time to each ourselves new automotive information. However, sometimes it’s important to know when you’re in over your head. In those times, don’t be afraid of hiring an auto repairman. Thanks for sharing!