hey, i’m British – we measure in metric and spell tyres with a ‘y’…

I called Better World Club on my cell and in exactly 30 minutes, the tow truck dude showed up and changed my tire. (I didn’t feel safe changing the tire by myself without any light.) It was my first time actually putting the BWC to the test, and they passed with flying colors.

This morning, I showed my remaining three tires to the mechanic I’ve trusted for a long time now, and he said my threads were definitely showing. So as a result of my letting the tires get old and letting the pressure slide, it blew out. Hope this is enough to encourage the rest of you to check those tires!

Siel – as for the book – being part of the “For Dummies” series, it’s not some hardcore techie manual on car repair. It’s made for people like ourselves to gain basic working knowledge of our cars – like changing tires, checking fluids, etc.

I think we have rules about those in the US (we also spell tires with an i), but I’m not sure what they are… The DMV rules vary by state to state here, and though I’ve stayed in Cali for a while now, I still don’t know what the tire rules are…

Here in the UK, there are extremely strict rules about tyre wear and minimum tread depth…I’m sure there must be similar laws in the US, and if there aren’t, there really should be.

Get new tyres or don’t drive your car.

Lloyd — Have ya BEEN to Utah? :o

Jason — Thanks for the Affordable Care for Your Honda tip. I’ll try them — Should be better for local biz than going to the dealer, I think. And I feel a lot more comfy going somewhere that I’ve gotten a recommendation on.

Leah — Yr so funny with the aerodynamics thing! I’m pretty good about not leaving anything alluring in the car — Maybe that’s why Mut has never been stolen so far. That and perhaps its dirty exterior. The paint’s pretty shot at this point, so protecting it is not an issue.

Wait — Joe — I don’t actually want to REPAIR my car myself — I kinda feel like that’s best left to the professionals, though one day I’d like to learn how to change a tire…

The main issue right now, though, is the whole tire thing, which everyone pretty much seems to agree needs immediate attention. Right now, I’m thinking of calling this Affordable Care place and seeing if they have any locally owned recommendations…

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764550896/qid=1136160278/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-2616163-7636769?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

I parked several different years of Corollas (another popular theft car) in downtown Seattle for years, and I never had a problem. My brothers and I just made sure that we never left anything interesting sitting out whenever we went anywhere.

Washing the car mainly helps protect the paint job, so it is aesthetic. I imagine at some point in time that the bird poop might affect the aerodynamics, but I don’t know how serious that would be.

Checking tire pressure is really easy, and so is changing them. When you go to get your tires replaced, have the guys at the tire store show you how to do it. They should be plenty willing and amenable. I’ve never had anyone at a store say no to my requests for help.

You do want to replace balding tires so you don’t get in an accident when one blows on the freeway. My friend totalled her car that way.

good luck with the car thing. remember, baby steps :-) also, if you’re truly befuddled, go to the library and check out an idiot’s guide to Hondas or something similar. The librarians can point you in the right direction.

I use the Club when parking on the street for a week at a time. The two times my car has been stolen was in San Francisco without the club. However, my car has been AAA’s most stolen car for the past several years.

When I get my car worked on, I go to an independent Honda mechanic on Santa Monica and Gower, Affordable Care for Your Honda. The guys are really honest and very knowledgable. Otherwise, check out http://cartalk.com/content/mechx/ for other recommended mechanics.

For tires, I go to the bigger places, like Discount Tires or Pep Boys. I’m pretty guilty myself with bald tires. I usually inflate tires about 5 psi higher than recommended because they eventually decrease over time. The higher pressure gets better gas mileage, but loses a little traction.

I only wash a few times a year. That’s the nice part about not having a new car. I normally wipe off bird poop as soon as I see them because I always think that will burn into the paint and I can’t stand looking at it. Two or three dollars at the self-serve car wash places work for me. I do wax the paint once or twice a year, so that keeps everything protected.

I established a good relationship with an excellent Honda body shop a long time ago. They’re called Horizon Automotive in Covina, CA. I know that’s going to be too far for most readers here, but just thought I’d let you know. It’s close to my parents’ place which makes it convenient for me.