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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.