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11-12-2012, 10:27 AM #1
- Join Date
- Nov 2003
- Posts
- 8,384
- Location
- Central Michigan
- Tractor
- 4210 MFWD Ehydro--'89 JD 318
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....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?
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11-12-2012, 10:38 AM #2
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Posts
- 664
- Location
- Eastern PA
- Tractor
- Ford 4500 TLB, Kubota L2900GST
Re: Are women born mechanically challenged?
" 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?
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11-12-2012, 11:11 AM #3
- Join Date
- May 2005
- Posts
- 1,248
- Location
- NH & Upstate NY
- Tractor
- John Deere 770, Kubota L2501
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)!“I've had a wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.” ~ Groucho Marx
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11-12-2012, 11:17 AM #4
- Join Date
- Nov 2003
- Posts
- 8,384
- Location
- Central Michigan
- Tractor
- 4210 MFWD Ehydro--'89 JD 318
Re: Are women born mechanically challenged?
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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11-12-2012, 11:28 AM #5
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11-12-2012, 12:12 PM #6
- Join Date
- Nov 2003
- Posts
- 8,384
- Location
- Central Michigan
- Tractor
- 4210 MFWD Ehydro--'89 JD 318
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11-12-2012, 12:20 PM #7
- Join Date
- Jun 2004
- Posts
- 1,093
- Location
- Armstrong, BC
- Tractor
- Kioti DK35 SE HST (2011)
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!Last edited by kco; 11-12-2012 at 12:24 PM. Reason: spelling
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11-12-2012, 12:25 PM #8
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Posts
- 2,485
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
Re: Are women born mechanically challenged?
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?
2007 Kubota L3130, LA723 FEL
Land Pride FDR1672 rear finish mower, Frontier RB1172, Koyker KB60 BH
Pallet forks, Golf cart canopy bolted to ROPS, 9" & 12" PHD
2016 Ferris IS700Z 52" Briggs 27hp commercial turf series
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11-12-2012, 12:26 PM #9
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Posts
- 4,581
- Location
- Windsor, CT.
- Tractor
- Kubotas: L3240GST B2320HST B5100D & G5200H
Re: Are women born mechanically challenged?
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.
That's the problem with trouble.
It always starts out as such fun."
- Randall Brown
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11-12-2012, 12:52 PM #10
Re: Are women born mechanically challenged?
Not my wife - but she comes from a family of engineers.
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