For many of us, our love of cars, engines, and turning wrenches started with our dads.
Maybe it was holding the flashlight (incorrectly), passing that open-end wrench (way too late), or riding shotgun on a parts run. Whatever the moment, chances are your father—or father figure—had a hand in shaping your automotive passion.
So, in honor of Father’s Day, we asked the OnAllCylinders team this simple question:
“What’s the best automotive advice you learned from your father?”
From hard-learned lessons to unforgettable memories, here’s what they had to say.
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James Millar
My father was the classic DIY guy, the kind of person who built ham radios from kits and always had a project in the garage. He taught me how to read a micrometer, solder, and stick weld.
But the lesson I’ll never forget was how an internal combustion ignition system works: He had me hold the spark plug wire on our lawn mower while he pulled the starter cord.
Let’s just say the concept clicked instantly. And while I’ll never forget that shock, it wasn’t the last time a spark plug wire got me. I guess I’m still learning, Dad.
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Aaron Dolezal
My father had a few simple pieces of automotive advice that I remember to this day. When I used to get frustrated taking something apart or struggle putting it back together, he’d say, “Settle down and don’t break anything. Finesse and finagling is the way!”
He was always adamant I use the correct-size wrench; adjustable wrenches were a last resort. “Put down the damn Crescent hammer!”
Later, when my brother and I had our own cars, he cautioned us not to modify them. “Never mess with your daily driver!”
Except he didn’t say “mess.”
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Scott Swisher
My father was a computer guy not a car guy. He could check the oil and that was about it. So, he never gave me car advice. However, he let me go to the neighbor’s garage and work on a stock car when I was 11 years old until after midnight every summer night. He also let me go with them to races every Saturday in nearby New Philadelphia, Ohio. I just had to get up to go to church after getting home at three a.m.
My mother was mad as I would always come home dirty and greasy each night, but he intervened and continued to let me work as he knew of my love for cars and knew I would learn much.
That is the reason why cars are a part of my hobby and work today. Thanks, Dad.
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David Fuller
My dad wasn’t a gearhead or hot rodder or anything like that, but he was a “get your hands dirty” type of guy. He worked as a welder in a steel mill for 41 years, so he taught me about hard work, loyalty, and being grateful.
From an automotive standpoint, we always owned used vehicles and kept them for a long time, and he always preached the value of regular maintenance and treating your car right to keep it running longer.
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Paul Sakalas
From his finicky old Honda CB350 to busted dishwashers, my dad and I would tackle a lot of repair and maintenance projects together. But neither of us had much formal technical training—we’d just open the service manual and rely on our own know-how to finish the job.
One thing he always stressed before we began though, was to make sure to have the proper tools to do the work correctly. His favorite saying is “There’s a right tool for every job.”
…He also taught me that a well-placed profanity could loosen even the most stubborn bolt.
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Will Shertz
Like many fathers who came before him, my dad is well-versed in the age-old tradition of disseminating useful life advice in the form of idioms. He wasn’t a car guy per se, but he often offered up at least one bit of guidance that sticks with me to this day: “measure twice, cut once.”
Did knowing that phrase stop him from cutting it wrong and making a return trip to the hardware store? Absolutely not. Has it stopped me from doing the same? Still no.
But sometimes—as the old man also said—experience really is the best teacher.
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What’s the best automotive advice you learned from your father—or a father figure—in your life? Share your story in the comments below.
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