Lauren Fix's (Excellent) Guide to Loving Your Car

Lauren is the host of Talk 2 DIY Automotive on the Do-It-Yourself Network and has authored several automotive books. Her latest tome is designed to give you "Car Smarts" and to make good decisions on buying, driving, maintenance, and safety, and to save money...

In other words, a lot of the same stuff we do here at Edmunds, but in a handy softcover book that's less than 200 pages. It's somehow basic and comprehensive at the same time.

It's also full of answers to questions you may not have thought to ask, such as, "What if I'm stuck in the car in floodwater"?, "What if I have to drive on black ice?", or how to "Reduce your chances of striking a deer."  (I like that oddball stuff.)

She also includes a helpful glossary with pictures, instructions on how to perform essential maintenance on your own car or how to talk to a mechanic when you can't do it yourself. 

There are lots of great tips. For example, what do you do if you have a leak, but you don't know what's leaking? (Is it oil, transmission fluid, coolant, or brake fluid?) Just place an old sheet or large piece of white cardboard under the vehicle overnight. In the morning, look at the color of the fluid and compare it to the chart in her book, and you'll have your answer. That'll help you big time when you take it in for repair. Elegant, and effective!

Ms. Fix knows her cars. She's built her own, races, and runs a business selling vehicle parts. Her book is both informative and entertaining, and it's available at LaurenFix.com, Amazon and other booksellers for $16.95. It might just inspire me to try some of this stuff at home!

Posted by

Joanne Helperin June 11, 2008, 4:37 PM

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Car Maintenance, Car Safety