6 lost car maintenance skills everyone had in the 60s and 70s, but most drivers today lack

• They were once basic skills most drivers possessed
• But today, many motorists prefer to leave these tasks to a professional
• Other car maintenance skills are no longer needed due to modern technology

If you were driving in the 60s and 70s, there were some things you’d almost certainly know how to fix if your car started playing up.

But many basic motor maintenance skills have today been lost, due to either technological changes or drivers being less clued-up about how their cars work.

Cars today tend to be more reliable and more automated, with parts breaking or requiring cleaning less often.

But there are still many jobs that drivers can do themselves, saving them a pretty penny, yet often choose to call in a professional.

As one baby boomer commented: “Kids today have lost many basic mechanical skills to electrical and computer skills.

“I certainly don’t miss working on a car in the middle of Winter. LOL!

“That is just the way the world is moving. I’m glad I grew up in the 60s.”

How many of these car maintenance jobs have you performed, and which are you confident you would you know how to carry out?

Adjusting the points

Cars used to have a distributor, which helped fire up the engine and keep it running smoothly.

While some older models still have a distributor, this has been replaced in modern vehicles with an electronic ignition system.

When most cars had distributors, an essential task that many drivers learned how to do themselves, without relying on a mechanic, was replacing and adjusting the points.

Cleaning the carburettor

A carburettor was another component once found in all cars but no longer present in modern vehicles, which instead use fuel injection.

Cleaning the carburettor could be a messy job, but it was a necessary one when too much dirt had built up inside.

Black smoke or popping sounds were among the tell-tale signs that your carburettor needed cleaning.

Changing a tyre

Every driver should know how to change a tyre in an emergency, but it is a skill that more than half of motorists today say they lack.

That’s partly because tyres today tend to last longer than they used to and many cars are fitted with run-flat tyres, designed to keep working for a limited distance after a puncture, so you can get to a garage for a replacement.

Changing the oil

Cars today can go much longer before needing their oil changed, thanks to modern lubricants, but it still needs to be done regularly to keep your vehicle running smoothly.

There was a time when most drivers would have known how to change the oil in their car, but most motorists today leave it up to a mechanic.

Replacing a spark plug

Spark plugs used to need replacing much more often, meaning this was a skill most drivers acquired.

Now they are built to last, many motorists have never changed a spark plug themselves.

Here’s a guide to replacing a spark plug, if you’re planning to give it a go.

Changing the battery

Car batteries today typically last for between three and six years, according to the RAC, meaning most drivers will need to get one replaced.

This is a relatively simple task, yet a survey found that only a third of drivers knew how to change a car battery, with most leaving the job to a professional.

Gen Zers tend to be less confident when it comes to replacing their car battery than millennials or baby boomers.

If you remember the 70s, you might enjoy this retro photo gallery looking back at the most popular cars back then.