My Love Affair With Cars - Tools & Books

Many people whom I had met (even close friends) thought that I wasn't a hands-on guy. I didn't blame them because I looked like a gentleman and a bookworm. But you can't judge a person by his look anymore than you can judge a book by its cover, can you?

Since I was a teenager, I have been fixing stuff in my house or a handyman in other words. When my dad bought me my very first baby Fiat, I was thrilled and excited to collect the brand new car from the Fiat showroom.

I read every page of the Fiat owner's manual like reading a Playboy magazine the first moment I laid my hands on it. When I got the chance to observe car mechanics working on the car, I tried to take mental notes of the tools they used and the processes involved. Since then whenever I was free and in the right mode, I carried out basic and routine maintenance on the car and subsequent ones as well.

I ain't a professional "car doctor" but I do keep some basic tool kits either to work on my car or stuff that needs to be fixed at home.

Here are some of those:

(1) Hand-held spotlight with large reflector

(2) Multimeter

(3) 14-piece combination wrench set (8 to 24mm)

(4) Tool Kit - flat-head/Philip screw drivers, pliers, Allen key set, socket wrench, ratchet handle and extension

(5) Tool Box containing combination wrench set, box-end wrench set, Allen key sets, test pen, cutter,

Let me show you some of the books and owner's manual I keep and they are still in good conditions.


(1) My dad bought this thick hardcover book for me, which was printed in Great Britain, for me 40 years ago. Thank you, dad, for buying this book, which you and I had touched, although you passed away many years ago.

(2) I bought this book, printed in Great Britain, in Singapore 23 years ago.

(3)  I bought this car brand new and also the hardcover service and repair manual 15 years ago. This book was also printed in Great Britain.

(4) I still keep this owner's manual, together with other booklets and documents, that came with the car.

 

(5) I liked Jeremy Clarkson, a well-known British commentator, who hosted the widely-watched car TV series called Top Gear. 13 years ago I bought one of his documentary VCD.

 I love affairs with cars continues till now. If I could re-start my life all over again and take up Engineering, I would definitely pursue a double-degree in Automobile Engineering and Journalism. Hopefully that would happen in my next life.