# Being a single female



## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

I must say the worst aspect of being a single female is the potential to be ripped off. I know just enough about most things to be dangerous. AND Thank Goodness for Dads. 

Hm. That's a lot of views. Edited to abbreviate for the TLDR folk. Car repairs are a PITA and you never know when you are being taken advantage of. And these are HUGE repairs. Glad I have a father who can advise.


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## IndyTMI (Oct 26, 2012)

There are men in your same situation. I am dumbfounded at how many of my coworkers can't even change their own oil.


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## Cooper (Apr 18, 2008)

You are so right Enjoli, the world is full of people out to take advantage of you, and maybe more so when you're a woman.

Over the years when I do such things as work on the kids cars they need to be right there with me. My son is learning to do things on his own but I always told my daughter I don't expect you to do this work but the more you know about it the less likely you will get ripped of one day.

Enjoli you may be a grown woman but I bet your dad still want's to protect his little girl, and I bet it makes him happy when you come to him for advise.


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

It certainly happened with a moving company, too. I've learned a lot over the years. Yes, Dad is happy to advise me on such things. I hope I know half of what he does when he passes so I can help my daughter.


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## zillard (Nov 13, 2012)

My Dad did me a great service there. When I wanted a car, he helped me pick out a clunker that was not street legal (I paid). 

He got me a Chilton/Haines manual for the vehicle, gave me access to his tools, and told me to get to work. Drove me to the pick-apart yard to show me how to get the pieces I needed. He made himself available to answer any questions I had, drop suggestions, etc, but I had to do it myself. 

Bought the first car for $100, sold it for $500. Bought second car for $500, and on from there. 

I plan on doing the same with my daughter. 

Unfortunately by the time my little brothers were at driving age, my Dad had aged and wasn't as involved. They are the no-oil-changing guys IndyTMI referred to.


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## Pluto2 (Aug 17, 2011)

I don't really feel the risk of being ripped-off since I had to handle all repairmen during the marriage-the ex wouldn't be bothered.
But a bigger headache was the realization that the ex took all the tools! Slowly but surely I've been adding back when I can.


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

Well, I got the car repairs done and even tho I occasionally felt like I was getting snowed, I ran it all by Dad and he thought everything sounded right. I guess by the time my daughter is old enough to need my advice I'll know enough to give it. I think transmissions and exhaust are my biggest weaknesses. 

And anything electrical. My doorbell hasn't worked for so many years I finally put a sticky-note on my storm door directing people to knock.


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

IndyTMI said:


> There are men in your same situation. I am dumbfounded at how many of my coworkers can't even change their own oil.


My Dad made sure I could do a few things before he'd let me take my driver's license test.

a) change the oil
b) change a tire
c) check all of the fluids and explained the general workings of an internal combustion engine
c) drive a manual transmission (said I would never know when that might be the only available car) - he made me park on a steep hill and wouldn't let me roll back more than a couple inches when I started up the hill.
d) parallel park between two sawhorses within a couple inches of a curb (said I would never know when I might need to know even tho we were in the country with no parallel parking within 100 miles)

I haven't had to change my own oil ever but I could. I have had to change a tire and in fact have changed tires for other women. And I have had to drive manual transmission cars on a number of occasions.


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