20 Things Every 20-Something Should Know About Cars

Congratulations! You’ve made it to your 20s and are now officially a real person. You’ve got a whole head full of knowledge and experience, but how well do you know cars? Here are a few simple things that every 20-Something should know about cars, car care, and everyday driving. You can thank us later.

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How to change a tire.

It is inevitable but easy to fix. You'll be driving along and get a flat tire. Make sure you know where your tool kit is located, find the jack point underneath, get her airborne, and start heaving those lug nuts off. Tighten them back down in a star pattern and you should be good to go.

How to check tire pressures.

Driving with over- or under-inflated tires is a dangerous and unnecessary hazard. Buy a tire-pressure gauge, quickly press it onto the inflation nipple, and see how much pressure it reads. Every car should have a warning inside the driver-side door that lists the optimum pressure for the front and rear tires. This is an easy way to maximize fuel economy too. The trees will thank you.

How to check your oil.

Changing your engine oil is fairly simple to do, but let's first concentrate on checking it. Locate the dipstick on your engine block. Pull it out, wipe the oil off (hopefully there is some), push it back in, and then remove it once again. Check the small indication levels to see how far the oil runs up the dipstick.

Understand that different cars will handle in different ways.

There are a few ways to move a car: via the front wheels, rear wheels, or all wheels. Front-wheel drive is the most popular, and in low-traction conditions can cause you to plow ahead, even though you have the wheel fully-turned. Rear-wheel-drive is popular for high-performance cars but can cause you to lose the tail end of the vehicle if driven dangerously. All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are the safest for tricky conditions and will send power to the wheels with the most traction. Don't think that means you can just drive like an idiot and be fine, though.

Keep a maintenance log.

"Did I get an oil change last year?" That's never a question you want to ask yourself. Keep a logbook for every time you, or a mechanic, perform maintenance on your vehicle. An easy way to do it: Tape a piece of duct tape somewhere inside the engine bay and just write the fluid checks on it.

Learn how to drive a standard transmission.

It happens. You're the only sober one, and everyone is counting on you to drive the five-speed party wagon home. It pays to know how to operate a clutch. Plus, girls dig guys who can put in that work.

What to keep in your glove box.

Insurance information, registration, a flashlight, and a first-aid kit are all must-have items for your glove box. You could also keep some gloves in there, if you're really that literal.

How to maintain traction in snow or rain.

If the conditions are inclement, keep your foot light. Sudden acceleration can cause you to lose control. If driving with a manual transmission, choose higher gears to minimize wheel slip. Only you can prevent forrest fires 100-car pileups.

How to parallel park.

You probably haven't done this since Driver's Ed. Pull alongside the car ahead of your desired empty spot. Carefully reverse backward, and slowly cut the steering wheel to the right about halfway down the midsection of the other car. Keep backing up slowly, and cut the wheel back to the left when you feel that you have enough room between the car ahead. Once you're in, adjust forward or back to give yourself even spacing between both cars.

How to control a slide.

If it is raining or snowing hard, your brakes might lock-up and cause you to skid uncontrollably. Lift off the brake pedal to allow the wheels to freely rotate, and then press down to slow the rotating rubber mass. Repeat this process until you come to a stop. If you have anti-lock brakes, just stomp and stay. Stomp. And. Stay.

How to get unstuck.

Judging by the weather this winter, almost all of you in continental USA saw some snow. If you get stuck in the snow, try driving forwards and backwards to create a snow-free area to gain some traction. Absolutely do not pin-it at full speed. You will only dig yourself deeper. If you can, try putting something like your rubber floor matt, cardboard, or kitty litter under the tires to help gain traction.

Let your car warm up before you floor it.

Turning your car on and immediately giving it the beans is a surefire way to take some life out of your car. You don't need to warm it up for 10 minutes like your grandpa used to tell you (that's actually just wasting emissions), but it's important just to let your engine oil get flowin'.

Be able to describe problems to your mechanic.

Mechanics need details to diagnose a problem. If you show up and say "it's broken," it will take a lot longer to diagnose the issue than if you say "the brakes are too squishy" or "the tires are shaking on the highway." Use your adjectives!

Always pass on the left.

Don't be that guy. On the highway or a multi-lane road, always pass on the left side of the car ahead. Obviously, this is different for countries that have different driving patterns. 'Merica!

How to spot cop cars.

Be able to spot a cop. Lots of cops are still sporting the Ford Crown Vic, Chevy Impala, and Dodge Charger sedans. Know these cars, and know their headlights for night driving. As for unmarked? Usually they'll be dark-colored cars, they will still have an antennae or two, maybe will have a hand light, and won't have hubcaps/wheel covers.

How to check fluid levels.

Cars need more than gasoline and engine oil to work properly. Radiators need coolant, the windscreen sprayers need liquid, and transmissions and brakes need fluid. Check your manual for the proper filling locations (and dipstick for transmissions).

How to change a headlight.

If you have a few crescent wrenches, this won't be too hard to do. Buy a pair of headlights (replace both to maintain equal brightness), and read the directions on the back of the box. Each car is different, but aside from a few nuts and fasteners, it can be done in about 10 minutes.

How to jump-start a car battery.

Always keep a pair of jumper cables in your trunk –you never know when they will come in handy. Turn off both cars. Start with the dead battery. Put a red clamp on the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery. Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the live battery, and the black clamp to the negative (–) terminal of the live battery. Then attach the final black clamp to an unpainted metal surface on the dead car's engine block (prevents hazardous sparking). Turn on the live car, and then try to jump-start the dead car. Run the dead car for at least half an hour to charge the battery back up.

Know what the numbers on gas pumps mean and which your car needs.

Select the correct grade of gasoline (or diesel -- we know a girl who once put diesel in a regular engine, smh) for your car. Most cars in the US will take regular unleaded, but high-performance vehicles might require premium or other higher-octane fuels. Prepay at the pump or inside the gas station, pop the fuel filler cap, stick it in, and fill it up until you hit your prepay limit or the tank is full.

Any car can be a "cool" car.

It doesn't matter what you drive, as long as you take care of your beloved whip. Unless it's a PT Cruiser. So uncool.