Do you have confidence around having routine maintenance or repairs done on your vehicle?
It’s important for everyone to know at least the basics of how your car or truck operates and be able to handle simple maintenance, says Elly Ruge, owner of Cowichan Auto Repair.
Women, especially, don’t always receive the respect they deserve when entering a repair shop, she adds, which is why she developed her Women & Wheels workshops.
“When you bring your vehicle in it’s either for maintenance or repairs,” Elly says. “When it’s repairs you tend to see bigger bills. We teach people how doing regular maintenance can reduce the major expenses down the road. The goal of the workshops is to have more women feel assured and enlightened about their cars. It gives them that extra level of confidence.”
Sound interesting?
Here’s what’s up Nov. 23 during the next Women & Wheels workshop:
- Pre-winter tips – You car goes through a lot in winter, so why not prepare ahead of time for the extra workload your engine and other parts of the vehicle face during the cold weather? Find out how to best support your car!
- Hands-on learning – A vehicle in the shop will be the focal point for attendees. You’ll be walked through where the fluids go, how to use a pressure gauge and put the right amount of air in your tires, and what your vehicle is telling you.
- Maintenance means money in your pocket – Doing regular maintenance on your vehicle can save up to 75 per cent on repairs over the life of the vehicle, Elly says. Bringing your vehicle in on a semi-annual basis is a great way to help the technicians stay on top of what’s happening with your car and what to keep an eye on.
- Safety first – Do you carry a safety kit in your vehicle? Learn what items to stock it with, from booster cables to a reflective safety triangle, non-perishable food, a thermal blanket and more, all of which help in the event of a breakdown.
- Information is power – Knowing more about cars in general comes in handy during any vehicle related experience, Elly says. “We want women to leave feeling empowered, educated and enlightened for the next time they walk into a car dealer or repair shop.”
- Women welcome here – To break things up every workshop features a guest speaker, a local business woman who talks about their industry.
The award-winning Cowichan Auto Repair, open six days a week, has the distinction of receiving Certified Female Friendly status from askpatty.com, an international online automotive advice website. To register for the next Women & Wheels workshop, call 778-422-3100 or email ellyruge@gmail.com. You can also follow Cowichan Auto Repair on Facebook.