Oil and nails in Philadelphia

 

July 2026

Here’s a dilemma – you’re driving to work when you see from the sticker inside the windshield that the car is overdue for an oil change. You hope nothing else in the car needs attention because a repair, if one is required, will explode this month’s budget. Plus, you fear that your next interaction with a mechanic won’t go better than the last one which left you feeling confused, overwhelmed and belittled. Plus, your nails are just a mess – you’d really like to get a manicure, but even you know the oil change comes first. What to do?

 If you live in or near Philadelphia, your problems are solved with one-stop shopping: Girls Auto Clinic! I visited in June and now am ready to spread the news.

My contact was Vanya Robinson, director of the SheCANic Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit that works in conjunction with Girls Auto Clinic. Vanya and I met in a diner where we talked for two hours about her path to the work she now does.

Vanya began her career as an assistant to various managers of civic organizations around Washington, DC. She learned how organizations operate, the budgeting process, how to facilitate a meeting, the behind-the-scenes workings of municipal facilities and many other operational skills. Still, she wanted to do something other than be an assistant, even one who was highly valued. Following a life-long interest in mechanics, she decided to become an auto technician, a gutsy move for a young woman given the tiny percentage of women in that line of work.   Accepted into Tesla’s START program, she accelerated to the cutting edge of electric vehicle technology. After graduating, she worked for Tesla as an auto technician. In her spare time, she joined an auto club where she hung out with other enthusiasts, participated in group excursions and worked on her car. Then she met Patrice Banks who had started Girls Auto Clinic Repair Center in 2017.

When Vanya learned what Patrice was doing with Girls Auto Clinic, she was eager to be involved; the SheCANic Foundation was her way in. Vanya is that rare person – a trained mechanic with the skills needed to run a non-profit. She found the irresistible combination of helping Patrice broaden her mission and fulfilling her own ambitions at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

The day after my interview with Vanya, I attended one of the community workshops. About a dozen other women arrived at the shop with their cars, ready for hands-on experience. The session started with an explanation of the Vehicle Identification Number and why it matters for maintenance purposes. Then everyone went to her car and found the VIN. After tire pressure was discussed, including why maintaining the right pressure is important, everyone was given a tire pressure gauge and told to check all four tires. For some, this seemed to be the first time they had used a gauge but Vanya, assisted by three other women  – Sandy, Mercedes and Nicki – fanned out to guide the participants. When the topic was windshield wiper blades, everyone was coached to start her engine, press the squirt button and see how well the wiper blades performed. If the windshield was not clear after three swipes, new blades were called for. After the instructors made sure everyone knew how to pop the hood of her car, oil was discussed. New oil, I learned, should be the color of chardonnay. (Who knew?) Dip sticks were exhibited and everyone was instructed how to check the oil on her own car. Lessons continued with brake fluid, coolant and octane ratings of gasoline.

The goal of the clinic wasn’t necessarily to inspire the women to become mechanics themselves, or even to work on their own cars. Instead, it was to have them become familiar with fundamentals so that, in an emergency, they would have a better idea of what to do. And when the car was in the shop and a technician said a certain repair was required, they would have a basis for evaluating the situation. With cars as with life, education leads to confidence which leads to empowerment.

In addition to these community climincs, SheCANic runs training sessions for those who do want to become mechanics. And it provides introductory sessions about car maintenance for young girls. A group of Girl Scouts was scheduled for a clinic two weeks after my visit. Maybe some of the girls will eventually want to be mechanics, or car designers, or at least want to maintain their own cars. But the first step is to give them a basic introduction and instill a feeling of confidence that the automotive world is open to them. And it would be open even if they wanted to maintain a manicure like Vanya’s (see photo below).

I want to add a footnote to the idea that women feel disrespected when it comes to car repairs and car buying. I know it’s real, but the generalization doesn’t apply everywhere. We take our car to Good News Garage in Cambridge, started by Tom and Ray Magliozzi (of Car Talk radio fame). I don’t know any more about cars than I ever did, but firmly believe that the guys in the shop are competent and honest. They don’t oversell or twist arms, but are clear about what needs to be done right away and what can wait. Plus the guys don’t talk down to me and are fun to talk with. The only thing missing is a manicure.

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            Now, with all eyes on American Revolutionary War history, I was pleased to review a new book about women’s role in the revolution – Obstinate Daughters by Denise Kiernan. You can read my review in The Arts Fuse here.

 

 

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