Are women born mechanically challenged?

Guys, I recently lost my beloved 2004 Buick in a divorce...my ex and I are still on decent terms and last week told me she took the car to the selling dealership because the "Service Stability Sytem" warning light sometimes came on. The car has had the issue for some time now and the only real side effect is that when it malfunctions, the cruise control disengages and the repair is to replace the steering position sensor (about a $450 repair). Well, back when it began acting up, I told her it would be a waste of money to pay for fixing it because the car is only used on cruise control maybe 4-5 times a year. Oh yes, and they also told her the lower intake manifold seal has to be replaced because it leaks oil....I know about that too, and the oil leak barely registers on the garage floor...maybe half an ounce a month at most. Which I assured her was a minor problem anbd no cause for concern. And they told her the rear self-leveling shocks need replacing, and she will never even put anything in the trunk or rear seat that even requires the load leveling to function. Told her it was a waste of money to replace them with self-leveling type, all it needs is a pair of good shocks with no load-leveling function.

I don't mind that a dealership service dept. wants to make an obscene profit selling her repairs she DOESN'T EVEN NEED for a car worth maybe $7,500 at most because it's HER money....:laughing: but what baffles me is why she won't take my honest, unbiased, and informed advice over that of a service advisor who probably can't even change a tire. Makes me wonder, are women simply BORN mechanically challenged or do they take lessons somewhere in life to become that way?

" but what baffles me is why she won't take my honest, unbiased, and informed advice over that of a service advisor who probably can't even change a tire. "

Perhaps she has a different opinion of both you, AND the service advisor?:laughing:

1) Sorry about the divorce. That sucks.

2) Only some women are. Some can tear down a motor with the best of them. I met one in college that rebuilt an 85 F150, short bed, 4x4, black with a mild lift. She did all the engine, trans, suspension and body work herself. Smoking hot to boot (the truck and the girl)!

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Originally Posted by DAY

" but what baffles me is why she won't take my honest, unbiased, and informed advice over that of a service advisor who probably can't even change a tire. "

Perhaps she has a different opinion of both you, AND the service advisor?:laughing:

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That's funny !!! Actually the main issue here is not her opinion of me or the service advisor, it's just that I don't understand why women cannot learn about mechanical things instead of being so ignorant. I can do laundry, change diapers, do housework, prepare a year's worth of meals, use a sewing machine (!!!!!) and I can easily do all those things, and no doubt tens of thousands of the members here can also....so why can't women at least learn some BASIC mechanical aptitude???? Remember the joke about the blonde woman who thought the shop was going to rip her off, but she said to her friends afterwards: "The service advisor told me I only needed turn signal fluid..."

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Originally Posted by JDgreen227

That's funny !!! Actually the main issue here is not her opinion of me or the service advisor, it's just that I don't understand why women cannot learn about mechanical things instead of being so ignorant. I can do laundry, change diapers, do housework, prepare a year's worth of meals, use a sewing machine (!!!!!) and I can easily do all those things, and no doubt tens of thousands of the members here can also....so why can't women at least learn some BASIC mechanical aptitude???? Remember the joke about the blonde woman who thought the shop was going to rip her off, but she said to her friends afterwards: "The service advisor told me I only needed turn signal fluid..."

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Let me guess, you can give birth too. There are plenty of men who are mechanically inept too. Dare I ask, why don't you make the repairs? Are you mechanically capable of doing so?

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Originally Posted by deerefan

Let me guess, you can give birth too. There are plenty of men who are mechanically inept too. Dare I ask, why don't you make the repairs? Are you mechanically capable of doing so?

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Yes, I am capable, BUT: Also too smart to blow money on things that don't really need fixing.

We all have different aptitudes, partly inherent and partly learned.

As part of a university psychology course long, long ago, we took and analysed our own aptitudes. A few I remember and my scores where: clerical--30 percentile; art--10 percentile, mechanical--95 percentile.

Artistic things are particulary mysterious and mechanical things natural. Comparing the results with a much smarter friend we found his were opposite. He readily understood the conceptual things and mechanical was mystery. I remember he was particularly puzzled comparing two pictures of a dragline with a weight hanging from the boom, where one had the boom almost vertical and the other the boom was far off vertical. He had no idea which one would tip easier, just as I had no idea which of two drawings was better.

Interestingly, when I applied for work as a power lineman the company gave the same mechanical aptitude test I'd seen in the psych course. They did not accept applicants who did not achieve high scores.

I think people who grew up on working farms developed stronger mechanical skills than average. It certainly showed up on the powerline crews. The farm kids made better linemen, at least right at the start. My sister in law was raised on a farm and is one of the smartest and mechanically adept people I've met.

We can compensate for our weaknesses, but you sure wouldn't want a painting from me or have me do your interior decorating. Vive la difference!

Be careful, you might end up paying for the repairs... you said those things were already wrong... if the car was misrepresented in the divorce, her attorney might just try and make you pay for the repairs... Don't you just love our legal system?

It's been my experience that women are steered away from all things mechanical when they are very young by parents, teachers, etc, who believe women aren't good at all things mechanical. Go ahead and believe it if it makes you feel better about yourself, but it's a big, fat lie that I used to believe. Many years ago I worked with a few women engineers who were top shelf in all aspects of mechanical knowledge. They cured me of that brain fart but fast, and they did it nicely, by proving me wrong.

Not my wife - but she comes from a family of engineers.