You and Your Car: A Woman's Primer - Getting Organized

By Vivi Loob

Organization and Preparedness - Proactive Maintenance - Fluids and Lights

You may have just bought your first car, or due to circumstances beyond your control, you've suddenly become the person in your family who is responsible for maintaining it. It's a difficult position that many women find themselves in, and it can be daunting to say the least, especially when you have no prior experience.

If this describes your situation, take heart. Keeping your vehicle in proper running order, and heading off future problems and sky-high repair bills, is not as difficult as it seems. You simply have to remember to be watchful, diligent, organized, and listen carefully; four things most women are already great at!

Your First Step

Get organized. Start by setting up two new files in which you can keep all your car related information. One file is for home, the other is to be kept in your car. The one you keep at home could include:

• Dealership documentation, the record of sale, transfer of ownership, etc.;
• Documentation about the car and accessories;
• Information about standard security features and add-on systems;
• Invoices for repairs and new purchases;
• Auto club membership benefits information; and
• A fact sheet or logbook to record basic information about your vehicle. Include dates of all maintenance visits with mileage recorded and a basic description of the work done so you don't have to fish through invoices later.

Keep the following information in your car:

• Telephone number and hours of business for a reputable garage;
• Telephone number for the auto club customer service line;
• The vehicle owner manual;
• A trip book to record mileage if you use your car for business; and
• An accident information form (more about this later), pen, and a disposable camera.

Optionally you could also keep your maps, automotive coupons, a 911 emergency window sign, etc. in the file. And remember: Your ownership, license and proof of insurance should be kept in your purse, NOT left in the car.

Prepare for an Accident Before One Happens

Accidents, particularly minor ones, are almost unavoidable. Though you do everything you can, you're sometimes just in the wrong place at the wrong time. What you can do is be prepared for it. This means having a few things on hand ready to help you through the ordeal.

Chances are your nerves will be shaken, and one of the most difficult things to do will be to collect all the information the insurance company needs. A great tool for this is a pre-made accident information form.

An accident information form is something you can generate at home on your PC using any word processing program. The form will need space for you to write down the other driver’s information such as first and last name, license number, address, insurance information, license plate and make/model of the car, and an area for you to record the details of what happened.

This is also where a disposable camera can come in handy. Capture the accident scene on film moments after it occurred. This will provide you with even more information you might not think to record at the time, like road conditions, weather, exact location of the accident, and position of the cars afterward.

A little preparedness can go a long way when we need it, though we always hope we don't.

Drive safely.

Organization and Preparedness - Proactive Maintenance - Fluids and Lights

Courtesy of Doityourself.com