The Times Argus liked Auto Craftsmens Women Car Care Clinic
A workshop for women about cars
Sweeney Todd the movie ??? ??? ???? MONTPELIER: TIMES ARGUS NEWSPAPER – After Kathryn Bramman’s husband died last year, she became responsible for her vehicle’s maintenance for the first time.
On Saturday, Bramman joined about 12 other women for the first Women’s Car Care Clinic at Auto Craftsmen.
Amy Mattinat, who owns the garage on outer State Street, has wanted to put on a workshop for women for at least five years. Four men who work at the garage were at the first scheduled, two-hour clinic to help answer questions and demonstrate repairs and maintenance.
“This is great for a lady who is in charge of her own car right now and doesn’t know a lot about it,” said Bramman of Barre.
“One of our goals in doing this is to give them a little more information so they feel empowered,” said Marc Yakubosky, service manager for the garage. “Sixty-five percent of our clientele are women and they don’t want to know the number to the tow truck by heart.”
In order to give each of the women who attended a more thorough understanding of their vehicles, they were divided into three different groups. One focused on general maintenance regarding fluids, air filter, belts and what to look for when purchasing a used vehicle. Another focused on the underbody components, such as CV – constant velocity – shafts and wheel bearings. The third station, hosted by Mattinat and Mark LaFleche, focused on tires and brakes.
“I am a huge advocate on good tires,” said Mattinat, who is a member of the national Women’s Car Care Council and the Woman Automotive Association International. “Tires number one on my list – tires first, brakes second and then everything else.”
Mattinat is also considered an expert on the website, AskPatty.com where women seek auto advice, for buying a used vehicle. Auto Craftsmen was the first repair garage in Vermont to be , Ask Patty certified according to Yakubosky.
“If you only take away two things to make your car safer and more reliable – remember to check your oil and your tire pressure,” she said to three women in her station during the last rotation of the clinic. “Checking the air pressure on a tire can be a scary thing for some people. When they hear the hissing of air as they put the gauge on the tire stem, they worry they’re letting all the air out of the tire.”
She and LaFleche demonstrated the proper technique before letting each of the women have a try. They also explained where on the car you can find the proper air pressure for your tires. Ignore the numbers on the tires, Mattinat told the group, the owners manual or the sticker on the inside of the driver’s door will provide the correct air pressure for your vehicle.
“I’ve had this very wide range of opinion of how to check my tire pressure, which unfortunately I have to do pretty often,” said Kimberly Jessup of Middlesex.
“You need to check the air pressure before you drive the car,” said Mattinat about the optimum time to take a reading.
Nightmare Detective movie full Throughout the clinic, that ran a little longer than scheduled, Mattinat and her technicians explained anti-lock brake systems, how to maneuver a steep, slippery incline, how to check the oil, what to look for with a vehicle’s fluids, how to measure tires and their treads, why jump-starting a frozen battery is dangerous, when to replace an air filter, what to check for with a dead battery and which noises to pay attention to.
“So, you should drive with your radio down all the time?” said Bramman joked after one of the technicians explained the clicking noise of a broken CV joint. “I’m learning so much.”
Patricia LaRose had a simple explanation for why she attended the clinic. “I’m a girl, most shops are owned by guys, I don’t want to get screwed over,” she said after listening to the tire demonstration. ?????? ????? ???? ???????? ?????????
The clinic Saturday was so well received during the sign-up period that Mattinat has scheduled two more, one in March and another in April. To find out more, call Amy Mattinat at Auto Craftsmen at 229-2054, go to autocraftsmen.com or email her at amy@autocraftsmen.com