Should Schools Teach Kids How To Fix Cars

[ARTZ]

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm

Just saw this on the news ^^^.....interesting poll for all you car nuts out there

[GTR-N1]

Voted.

It should be offered - but shouldn't be compulsory imho... - because...

a) some aren't interested/motivated

b) some have dirtphobia

c) some would end up making the car more dangerous than what it was before they touched it !!!

[ARTZ]

lol @ dirtphobia....

but what about the basics Terry? like knowing what to do when your oil light comes on changing a flat tyre or knowing how to diagnose a flat battery

or should we just leave all this for roadside assist who are obviously making a quid from peoples lack of knowledge..

[GTR-N1]

I'd hate to be a teacher trying to instil a message whilst the kid was only thinking of something totally alien.

Me? If I was a kid, I'd love to be able to not just troubleshoot, but also respect that piece of machinery more - rather than just assume I can be transported from point A > B eh?

[alex182]

i would have loved to have been offered this, but as Terry said, some kids just don't/won't care.

Edited March 1, 2013 by alex182

[mad082]

maybe things like this should be put into an extra ciriculum activities that are optional (out of normal school hours) and can be used to give kids a boost in their grades.

i don't think this should be just lumped on the teachers though. they already have enough shit to deal with these days. my brother and sister in law are both teachers and it isn't as bludgey as most people think.

[battery]

The high school in tassie i went to had some auto classes, in year 9/10 i did a short week course and we changed a head gasket on an rb30. In year 11 they had a course that went for the whole year and was like 4-6 hours a week, did all the basic shit and then attempted to rebuild an L18 as part of a 3-4 person group never finished cause we skipped most of the classes and tried to do burnouts in my N/A s13

[GTR-N1]

Was it the teacher's own RB30?

Looking back, was it fun - or did the teacher help to make it fun?

[ARTZ]

actually now i think back I did a tafe course in small engine rebuilding as part of year 11 or 12 and it counted towards our final grade somehow...

pretty sure i had other things on my mind at the time though and never actually finished it...

[battery]

Was it the teacher's own RB30?

Looking back, was it fun - or did the teacher help to make it fun?

It was actually a customers car! they would pay for the parts and get the job done free.

Lots of people donated engines and older cars too and i think they had a 2 year cert course where you would be involved in building a clubman kit car with a 4age.

Teacher was a bit of an ass and at the time the theory was pretty boring but it was easily my most preferred class.

[xntrq]

they should teach them basic things like changing spare tyres, pumping air into them and very basic maintenance but not more than filling up oil and topping off coolant. could get messy for the illiterates getting the both mixed up (yes some people can get very clueless).

[mad082]

thinking about it, that sort of stuff would be better off being made part of getting your licence. you shouldn't be able to drive a car if you can't do basic maintenance stuff.

[xALmoN]

then they'd run out of people to fine for stupid shit.

[StevenCJR31]

thinking about it, that sort of stuff would be better off being made part of getting your licence. you shouldn't be able to drive a car if you can't do basic maintenance stuff.

agreed^^ive stopped to help ppl with thierbnroken down cars and some of the

problems have been pretty easy to sort

out

[GTR-N1]

thinking about it, that sort of stuff would be better off being made part of getting your licence. you shouldn't be able to drive a car if you can't do basic maintenance stuff.

Too much commonsensical for our govt to contemplate.

[FineLine]

they should teach them basic things like changing spare tyres, pumping air into them and very basic maintenance but not more than filling up oil and topping off coolant. could get messy for the illiterates getting the both mixed up (yes some people can get very clueless).

the 710 cap can catch them out for sure.

[tweety bird]

all i ever did in high school was auto..

[NISMO]

thinking about it, that sort of stuff would be better off being made part of getting your licence. you shouldn't be able to drive a car if you can't do basic maintenance stuff.

Yep, definitely agree. There are countries where a driving test lasts days not 35mins, and part of the test is not only basic maintenance and things like changing tires on the side of the road, but first aid as well.

I think doing it in school is not the right spot, but it should be included as part of the licence process.

[OVA 300]

Going through this with my 16 year old son now he has his L plates. Just teaching him the basics like changing a flat tyre, flushing and changing radiator coolant, spark plugs, oil and filters etc.

Just common sense stuff that gets you out of 90% of troubles. I doubt he'll want to go much further as he definitely is part of a generation that don't seem to like getting their hands dirty.

[mad082]

when my mother was learning to drive, granddad made her learn how to change a tyre before she got to learn to drive. of course now that she's had surgery on both of her hands she no longer has the strength to be able to change a tyre, but she still knows what to do, lol