Car Repair: How to Discuss Autos with Your Teen

Your teen might be excited to have his or her first vehicle, but you need to be sure that the teen has all of the tools needed to be a successful vehicle owner. In addition to an emergency kit, you should teach the teen what to do in case there is trouble on the road. Some teens take courses in which they learn defensive driving strategies, but not all teens learn about proper vehicle maintenance. Teach your teen how to tell when the vehicle is not working properly. It might also be helpful to have your child accompany you during car repair trips for your vehicle.

They can learn communication skills and get an idea of the cost associated with having various aspects of their vehicle repaired. Some teens might have had an auto care class in school. Some, however, know very little about how vehicles work. At the very least, your teen should understand that the vehicle should have regular oil changes.

You can also discuss tune-ups and tire rotations with your teen. Remind your child to check his or her tires, because the pressure could change during weather changes. You should also remind them about being careful in driving in areas that could hurt their tires. Teens sometimes tend to drive in areas that could pose a risk to their tires. If they have a break-down, you should discuss safety both on the highway and on roadways. Remind the teen to have a cell phone with him or her at all times. Some vehicles have safety systems, which can be valuable to young drivers. As a parent, you will also feel relieved to know that the vehicle has a support system that they can use in case of an accident or road trouble.

Consider giving the teen a membership in an auto club or insurance that offers roadside assistance. You never know if your child might need assistance the one time that you are not available to help. They might also be reluctant to call you after an accident. Making sure that the teen has access to roadside assistance can go a long way towards helping him or her stay safe on the road. You should also take the time to review information in the owner's manual of his or her new vehicle. If you do not have an owner's manual, you can likely find one online.

Do not assume that your child knows how to care for the vehicle and how to seek car repair advice. When he or she gets a new vehicle, you might consider accompanying your teen to the car repair specialist and assisting with asking the proper questions, so he or she will develop skills to communicate with car repair professionals. This skill could go a long way to helping out with future dealings with mechanics. If your teen is paying for auto work herself, you might suggest that your child discuss the prices with you first. Particularly if you have a young son or daughter, you do not want the child to overpay for car repair services.