Be careful with this as you could ruin the resale value of your car. Get an estimate first to help you make a decision.

I wouldn't try it on a good car but you could have a little fun with a car that has little or no resale value. Go to an auto store and ask questions. You can probably get stencils and spray paint made for cars. Wear a mask and don't breathe the fumes.

If you have an old funky car that is only valued at a few hundred dollars you could play with it. I have often admired the freedom of expression of auto painting. In Santa Cruz, California where I live there are many very expressive examples of auto painting, buses and VW vans especially. Make  political statements and express them creatively. 

 If you've never used a chainsaw-hire a tree person to cut done the dead wood.  Chainsaws can be very dangerous and someone who is trained needs to teach you how to use it.

You probably can but if you haven't used one before you might want to ask your friends. if they have used one before ask them to do it for you or show you how. Rent one or borrow one, but don't use one for the first time by yourself. They are very dangerous. There is a kick back and they can bounce back at you when they hit a knot in the wood or something. There is also a method of where to cut from the blade to the tree. I forget where that best cutting angle is.  I'll ask my sons and get back with the answer later. But then if you don't know , then you should "phone a friend".

You need jumper cables which we recommend you keep in your car. If you don't have them call AAA or the car might come with its own road side assistance which you can find in your manual. It's not hard but there can a problem with foreign cars and new American cars together. Follow Michele's instructions.

Michele has the answer and it is a good thing to learn, so try it once.

You need jumper cables, and a good person with a running car who will help you.

• Beginning with the running car, park close enough that the cables will reach, make sure they are not touching.
• Make sure both cars are turned off, along with the radio, lights, accessories.
• Open the hoods, use the manual if you can't locate the release lever or the latch under the hood.
• Prop up the hood with the bar beneath the hood.  
• Attach red cable clamp to the positive(+) terminal of the dead battery, other red clamp to the positive terminal on the good battery.
• Attach black cable (ground) clamp to the negative(-) terminal of the dead battery and other black clamp to the negative terminal on the good battery.
• Always, red, red, black, black.
• Start the engine of the good car and rev it gently.
• Start the engine of the second car. If it still won't start, wait a minute or two and try again.
• Assuming you get the car going, leave the once dead car running and carefully remove the cables in reverse order, black from the once dead battery, black from the good battery, red from the dead car, red from the good.
• Keep the car running for at least half an hour, take a drive, to recharge.

It is always nice to carry jumper cables.  if you don't need them yourself then you may be able to help/rescue someone else, nice way to meet new friends.

Yes, it is illegal to drive without insurance. the insurance company usually sends one for your records and one for the car. If you dont have one and you are stopped you may get a citation and you will have to submit proof or pay a fine.

Keep everything in the glove compartment. If you get stopped by the police you will have to have your registration and insurance card.

Yes, keep your insurance card and registration information together in the glove compartment.

Please know where your insurance card is in the car. Keep it with the registration. It is required in most states and if you are pulled over for a traffic violation in most states you will have to show it to the officer who pulls you over. Be sure not to keep any contraband near it as when you do need to show it , you may show an official more than you want him to see.

• Be safe. Put on your emergency flashers.
• Pull to the side of the road where it's flat, don't do this on an incline. Also, make sure you are on a stretch of road where you can be seen, not on a curve.
• If you have flares, now is the time to use them. Place them at a distance from your car that will give other drivers a chance to slow down, especially if you are changing a tire on the driver's side.
• Turn off the car and put on the emergency brake.
• If you have never done this before, get out your manual and read it.
• Locate the spare tire, bolted beneath the car, under the floor in the trunk, where ever, the manual will tell you.
• Find your jack and lug wrench. Put everything within reach.
• Remove the hub caps if necessary and using the lug-wrench, loosen the lug nuts, don't remove them, just loosen them.
• Position the jack, according to your owner's manuel, usually there is a small plate located just in front of the of the rear tires and just behind the front tires. Position the jack under the car and raise the jack until it makes contact with the car, make sure it's positioned correctly, raise the car about six inches off the ground.
• Remove the lug nuts from the bolts, grab the wheel, pull it straight toward you and off the car.
• Align the holes in the center of the spare tire with the bolts on the car, position it on the threaded bolts, push the tire on to the car until it cannot go any farther.
• Replace the lug-nuts and tighten them just enough to hold the tire in place while you lower the car.
• Lower the car with the jack until all four wheels are on the ground and tighten the lug-nuts.
• Put everything back in place.
• Congratulations, You changed the tire, Don't forget to have the flat one repaired

• Beginning with the running car, park close enough that the cables will reach, make sure they are not touching.
• Make sure both cars are turned off, along with the radio, lights, accessories.
• Open the hoods, use the manual if you can't locate the release lever or the latch under the hood.
• Prop up the hood with the bar beneath the hood.  
• Attach red cable clamp to the positive(+) terminal of the dead battery, other red clamp to the positive terminal on the good battery.
• Attach black cable (ground) clamp to the negative(-) terminal of the dead battery and other black clamp to the negative terminal on the good battery.
• Always, red, red, black, black.
• Start the engine of the good car and rev it gently.
• Start the engine of the second car. If it still won't start, wait a minute or two and try again.
• Assuming you get the car going, leave the once dead car running and carefully remove the cables in reverse order, black from the once dead battery, black from the good battery, red from the dead car, red from the good.
• Keep the car running for at least half an hour, take a drive, to recharge. 

You need to check the pressure. Better check the manual so you don't blow up your tires.

Get a nice little gauge, take off the plug on the tire and press the gauge to the valve. You need to look in the owners manual for the right about of air pressure for you tires.

• Do it regularly. Whenever your car seems to be driving a little differently. There is a number on the car inside the door on the drivers side usually, that will tell you what the tire pressure should be for your car.
• Use that number instead of the one on the tire, take the plug off and measure the pressure, if there is too much pressure let some air out, slowly and gauge again until you get it right, if you need air, use the machine at your service station or take it to your mechanic who should fill your tires for free. The one at the station takes quarters.
• Press the metal end of the hose against the valve.
• If you hear hissing, the air is coming out, press down harder. There is usually a gauge on the end of the hose that will give a good estimate of the pressure.
• The right pressure is important for gas mileage and steering.

Most gas stations have air and water available for self service. There is a gauge on the air valve that you use to add the air. When you hit the air into your tire this gauge will show the pressure measurement in your tire right now. I count on the service technician to check when I take the car in for regular service. The service professionals will recommend new tires and you can watch for wear in the grooves of the treads. I check the air when I feel the car is driving a bit different, wobbling on turns, feeling the bumps in the road a bit more. This is probably too late already, and it can be more than low air. You also need to have the tires aligned. The steering wheel may shake a bit when your wheels are out of alignment. It is a good idea to check the air before a long road trip. Usually the air pressure is written on the side of the tire. Also the tech will leave a tag inside the door after service and this should tell you the air pressure. range. I am going to check this with Nick .

They sell repair kits for this. It probably depends on the the type of tear you have..on the seam or not and if you have an easy to match color. You can always use duct tape and then get one of those sheepskin covers!

I think they sell repair kits for leather at the auto shops. If it's a small rip cup a piece of the repair kit and place it on the rip. Anything larger you might want to have a auto body repair person look at it.

Duct tape. Really, if the car is in great shape and you want to keep it pretty, have it fixed professionally, or find a leather repair kit at the auto shop and follow the directions. Otherwise, go with duct tape.

This is a good reason to keep duct tape available. You want to stop the tear soon before it grows. If you can take it in for repair then do it as soon as possible. My son was good at this . If you have a friend who rides motorcycles they may know how to repair the seats on the bike themselves. Ask a motor cycle friend or your favorite motorhead friend. They can usually fix anything!

There is a little light that should go on on your dash. When you get an oil change they usually give you a little sticker with the date you are due for the next one estimated on the mileage they expect you to drive.

Gary says 3000 miles, go to Grease Monkey or Jiffy Lube and spend the $40-50- bucks and they'll change the oil, vacuum the inside and fill your window washer as well as put a reminder sticker on the windshield for the change.

Check the owner's manual. Don't mess with this yourself unless you know what you are doing, and if you do, you don't need to ask us. Your mechanic will change it and give you a sticker to show you when you need to do it again. I get all my fluids checked and replaced when I go for inspection.

Every 5,000 miles typically, but in newer cars you may be able to go longer. If you have a new car, check the manual or call the dealer.

Never take a chance like this. It is illegal. The best idea is to simply take the car seat out of the car the child arrives in. They say most accidents occur within 5 miles of home so even a short trip is too risky.

You should always have a child that is underage and underweight in a car seat. It varies from state to state anywhere from 20-80 lbs and up to the age of 8. If the police pull you over and they are not in on it would be a large fine.

If you are babysitting, or taking your nephew out, get the car seat from the child's parent, if you have an accident you are going to be glad you took the time.

I know that in California it is just plain illegal and you can be pulled over and ticketed. You should check the laws in your state. You should plan to take the car seat when the child is dropped off and be sure that you know how to properly install it into your car. You can have a car seat and still not be safe if it isn't used right.

Maybe not, slow down and get to the shoulder of the road. If you have AAA or a roadside assist then this is the time to use it. If you have a run flat tire, you can go about 20 miles.  But you need to know that information.

How close is the nearest station? If you can't see it, no. Check out our answer on how to change a tire. Make a copy and keep it in your car.

I have driven home a couple of miles on flat tires. Not a great idea. Depending on how low your tire is, you can damage the wheel rims and that can be more expensive that you might think. Just because you can doesn't always mean you should. Be patient, change your tire, call a friend, call AAA or get a tow. I am lucky when my son is in town I call him.

Ask Sal, I say it's worth it to go to the gas station Here's where AAA comes in handy Call them. It is very dangerous to change a tire on a highway. Many people get killed doing this so NEVER risk this if your car is not in a good spot far from passing traffic.

First thing, get off the road safely. You can ride on a flat for a bit of a distance. The tire is ruined anyway. If you have AAA or something like roadside assistance, then call them. THis is what you paid for. If you don't have this service, get to a level spot, put on your emergency brake and turn off the engine. Take out you owner's manual and read about tire changing. Each car is different.

Go ask you father! Actually I have only changed a tire twice in my life. Maybe once. The other time a nice man stopped to help me. Most of the time in my youth, the triple A card saved me. The cost is minimal compared to the money that you will save in towing and locked keys in the car and changing tires, and, in the old days, the free maps were the best perk  before mapquest, googlemaps and GPS. Be very careful if you are choosing to do it yourself. It could be a fun activity to practice at least once in your life. Get your mom or dad to show you or you show them or teach each other. It is liberating to find out that you can.

This is proof you own the car. Keep it in a safe place because you will need it to register the car or sell the car.

You get the title of your car when its paid off, if the car is leased than it's held by the finance company.

Also called the pink slip. If you are lucky enough to own your car you get a pink slip from the DMV and you need to keep that safe. Do not keep it in the car but put it some place with other important papers. In an envelope, a file, or even in a safe deposit box if you have one.

The registration is the form that shows where the car is registered.  Different states have different requirements for inspection and pollution control. You can get a ticket if you're car is not registered.

You must keep your car currently registered. You will get a notice about it and now it is easy to pay on line. I think that most states have a single year registration and I found out that at least VT has the option for a two year registration. That is convenient. In some states there are auto inspections required annually or other inspections such as the smog inspection in California. You must have these inspections completed if they are requesting (requiring) one before you can get the registration renewed and vice versa. I think I got caught missing the registration certificate in Vt and they wouldn't inspect my car at the dealer service I always take it to without the paper certificate in hand, even though I had it currently registered. The sticker for the year was even on my plate, but someone had taken the certificate of registration out of the glove box.

Call 911 and get the police there to make a report, most states require car insurance to register a car so most likely this car isn't registered and your insurance company will need that information in case yours is damaged.

Call 911, Get the police on the scene.  If the person leaves the scene, try to get a license plate number, but don't mess with someone who is determined to get away.  Be safe first. 

You take down their personal information. Ask to see a drivers license, passport if they appear to be from a foreign country. Do not let them drive away until you have as much information as you can get from them. You need to make an accident report. Your insurance company will demand that. Are there any witnesses? Get their names and contact information also.

A charged cell phone, an ice scraper, a flash light, a shovel if you are headed into bad snow...your AAA card or some car manufacturers have their own emergency numbers. Your insurance may also cover towing and emergency assistance but then you submit it after it is paid.

snow shovel (look for one that is collapsible), flash light, jumper cables, batteries (for flashlight) blanket, container of ice melt, first aid kit, water, power bar.

In the winter it is important in the snowy regions to have the snow/ ice scraper for the windshield.  A shovel (collapsible ones are available) and I always tell myself I am going to get a bag of sand to carry in case I get stuck in the snow and the tires are spinning and creating ice. I always think of this when I am actually trying to get my car to move out of the icy ruts that I am stuck in. It seems that every winter there is a scary story of a family, a couple of friends, husband and wife being stuck for days on a back road and either a happy story of their survival or a sad story of the naivete and unpreparedness in a winter storm. Some things to take on a winter road trip would be : the bag of sand, the collapsible shovel, flashlight, flares, jumper cables, handwarmers, footwarmers ( we snowboard moms know those from standing on snowy days spectating at the bottom of a half pipe), warm clothes that are easy to reach, a blanket, food such as granola bars, energy bars, nuts, water, a little cook stove would be nice but probably not something you really need, right? Be careful out there!

A flashlight, always bring your charged cell phone, AAA card, chains if you are in territory that may require them, a spare tire and kit, water, flares...

Jumper cables, flashlight, spare tire kit, blanket, GPS (if you can afford it), cell phone and AAA card

I love Jo's answer. I have a friend who claims she never wants to ride in my car unless we are lost in Alaska, it's such a mess. However, I have all the necessities, spare tire, jack, lug-wrench, flashlight, jumper cables, clothing, toothbrush, floss, food, ice scraper, cellphone (when I can find it). Get flares and a First-aid kit. Sunglasses, windshield wiper fluid, in Vt. I keep it in the car, water, On-Star seems great to me and saved my friend's daughters life. I wish it was standard in every car.

Jumper cables, cell phone and charger, flashlights, extra batteries, flares ,tissues, blankets, space blanket, snakebite kit, hair brush, lip gloss, stamps, envelopes, AAA card or your other auto insurance card with the towing number. Leave an old pair of sunglasses always in your car so you are never without..  The blinding sun can be the cause of some tragic accidents. Keep windshield wiper fluid in the garage for both summer and winter driving to keep the ice and snow clear in the winter and to wash away the bugs in the spring, summer and fall. Tools? Maybe a great idea too.

All the tools that you seem to never find when you need them. A hammer, some nails, pliers, a wrench, and of course the Phillips-head  and regular screwdriver, some duct tape. As you go on the tool box will gather more tools from projects that arise.

Tape measure, level and stud finder

• A hammer
• Screw driver: regular and Phillips-head
• Pliers
• Wrench
• Pipe wrench
• Nails of different sizes, picture hanging nails with hooks
• Tape measure
• Duct tape
• Small level

You must exchange insurance info. You are smart to call the police to get a police report which the insurance company will ask for.

Call 911-the police will come to make sure no one is hurt. If you need to file an insurance claim, you will need a police report.

If you are in an accident, even if no one is hurt, don't leave the scene and call the police.

Be considerate and don't assume that everyone is all right.. Ask if they are ok. Call the police, make an accident report or you can get in trouble. Even if you think there has been no damage, get the contact and insurance information from the other driver. Once I thought my car was fine after someone hit my bumper and later found out that some sensitive sensor back up warning thing in the car was no longer working and I had let her drive away without getting her number. Also check for witnesses and get their names and contact information.

There is an indicator light that should go on to warn you about the possibility of running out soon. Do not neglect this because it can get dangerous driving without fluid. It is easy to do yourself and it will be cheaper to buy it at the store than a gas station. It is a common sense thing to open the hood of your car and you should be able to find the reservoir.  Just pour it in.

When the indicator light goes on. Check out our instructional video!

When it runs out. You can buy wiper fluid almost anywhere, so it's good to keep a bottle in your car, especially if you live in areas that have a mud season, like we do. Just open the hood and prop it with the bar inside the hood. Find the cap that says wiper fluid or has a picture of the windshield on it. It's wide mouthed and my cap is yellow. Open it, pour the fluid in re-cap, and you are done.

It is always a good idea to carry washer fluid your car. I was driving in a slushy muddy spring snow storm in a rental car years ago that was out of fluid. I was blinded by the sludge from the snow and the highway oils. I had to pull over when I couldn't see, tried to drive with my head out the window in the snow to see in front of me. SCARY! Keep some on hand at home, and if you have space in the trunk of your car keep it there. It is easy to fill. If you find yourself driving in snowstorms on your way to ski areas, on a rural, insect infested highway in the spring/summer or the foggy highways of the north coast of California in the summertime, you will want plenty of washer fluid to keep your visibility clear.Have you ever driven through a swarm of bees?  Messy!

They must think it is cozy and they are either protecting a clean seat or hiding a torn filthy seat.

I really don't know-not my favorite look.

To keep your butts warm in arctic areas. Actually, not my answer, but I'll go with it. In addition, if you spend a lot of time in your car the sheepskin will add comfort and keep you from getting car seat sores.

The sheep skins are for comfort, adding a bit of cushioning and you don't get a sweaty back and butt and your legs don't stick to the seat. It is also a solution to hiding torn seats upholstery.