A Christchurch mechanic is offering classes for women, teaching them the basics of vehicle maintenance.
Melissa Hannan, founder of Girls N Gasoline, says her two-hour course is proving popular for women of all ages.
If you can't change a tyre, add oil to your engine or swap out your wiper blades, Hannan is here to help by creating a female-friendly zone to instruct women of all ages and motoring experience on the basics of vehicle maintenance.
Hannan said the course is something she's been wanting to offer for some time, with friends suggesting she share her skills, acquired over 17 years working as a full-time mechanic.
"I feel like mechanics has always been a male-dominated industry," said Hannan, "and women are too scared to get involved with vehicles."
The Christchurch class, filmed by Seven Sharp, was attended by six women with some wanting to build on their interest in cars, while others were seeking the confidence to perform maintenance checks and easy fixes.
One attendee said she owned two vehicles and felt "there's stuff I could have fixed myself or maintained myself and not paid so much money out".
Hannan's two-hour course, which she hopes to offer in other centres, covers 10 car maintenance basics including oil and water checks, how to use jumper leads, how to change bulbs and wiper blades, and how to change a tyre.
Most of the women had no previous tyre-changing experience and were surprised to find that, after instruction from Hannan, they could all remove a tyre in under four minutes.
It was a surprise to Hannan's family that she chose the career path she did.
"My family, my Dad, my brother, nobody was into cars, it was just me. I don't really know where it came from or what happened."
Hannan owns a 1959 Chevrolet Parkwood wagon she imported from America eight years ago. It sports the number plate 'Nt His', a subtle dig at those who often overlook Hannan as the owner.
"I got the number plate when I was about 18," Hannan explained. "I'd been in the mechanic trade for two years and nobody believes what you're driving is yours."
In her career thus far, Hannan hasn't encountered any other female mechanics and is hoping her courses might even attract newcomers to the automotive industry.
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