Dashboard light just came on? Got a $1,200 dealer quote and no idea if it's fair? This skill walks you through it in plain English — no embarrassment, no upsell.
$3.99
Works in Claude (Pro/Max/Team) or ChatGPT (Plus/Team) · paid AI plan required
✓Both Claude + ChatGPT packages included — you can't pick the wrong one.
Updated
Included
01Decodes ~25 dashboard warning lights with a 3-tier action priority: pull over NOW, schedule this week, or it's just FYI.
02Tells you if a mechanic quote is fair — with real price ranges by job and region, plus the upsells you can safely say no to.
03Walks you through jumping a dead battery step-by-step, including the cable order and when NOT to jump a modern electronic engine.
04Reads the sidewall numbers on your tires, tells you when a plug vs. patch is safe, and walks you through changing a flat.
05Covers lawn mowers, snow blowers, and chainsaw basics — including when a job is too dangerous to DIY.
06Switch between mom-mode, dad-mode, or straight talk at the start of any session — same skill, different vibe.
What it does
You're sitting in the dealer's waiting room staring at a $1,247 service estimate, and you have no idea what half the line items mean or whether any of them are real. Or your check engine light just came on and you're scared to drive home. Or you've been putting off learning to jump a battery for three years because nobody ever showed you. This skill is the knowledgeable adult in your corner — for cars, the garage, and basic outdoor power equipment.
Ask it anything: what 5W-30 actually means, whether that brake-pad upsell is legit, how to start a lawn mower that's been sitting since October, or what to do if your garden hose split at the coupling. It'll give you a real answer in whatever voice you need — calm and reassuring (mom-mode), no-nonsense and practical (dad-mode), or just the facts (straight mode). The bundled mechanic-fair-price-ranges guide covers common repairs with regional price ranges and a specific list of shop upsells with word-for-word rebuttals. The dashboard-light-decoder gives you urgency tiers, not just names.
One hard rule: if you describe brake failure, transmission slipping, or anything that makes a car unsafe to drive, this skill will not tell you to nurse it to the shop. It will tell you to stop driving it and get it towed — and explain exactly why. That refusal is a feature, not a limitation. Everything else, ask away.
Frequently asked
My brake pedal went soft — can I just drive it slowly to the mechanic?
No, and this skill will tell you the same thing. Brake-failure symptoms, transmission slipping, and engine-block noises trigger a hard Do Not Drive refusal. The skill will explain why and walk you through getting it towed safely — but it will not give you permission to drive a potentially unsafe car.
Does it actually know fair prices for mechanics, or just say 'it depends'?
It knows real ranges. The bundled mechanic-fair-price-ranges guide covers common jobs (oil change, brake pads, timing belt, 60k service, etc.) with actual dollar ranges and notes on regional variation and OEM vs. aftermarket. It also names the most common shop upsells — like fuel-injector cleaning and cabin air filters at 3x retail — so you know what to decline.
How do I jump start a car with a modern engine? Is it different from older cars?
Yes, it's different, and this skill covers both. Modern vehicles with lots of electronics need a specific cable connection order and, in some cases, you should not jump them at all (certain hybrids, some European models). Ask the skill your exact make and model and it'll flag any cautions before you grab the cables.
Does this work for outdoor equipment too, or is it just cars?
Both. The outdoor-power-equipment guide covers lawn mowers (winter startup, blade sharpening, when to call a shop), snow blowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, garden hose repairs, and basic chainsaw safety — including a clear list of jobs (like a 30-foot tree leaning toward a house) where the answer is 'hire a pro.'
Can I just write a prompt myself instead of buying this?
You could try, but you'd be missing the five bundled reference files the skill actually reads from: the dashboard-light-decoder, the mechanic price guide, the refusal flowchart, the voice-tone guide, and the outdoor equipment reference. Without those, a generic prompt gives you generic answers. The skill pulls from specific, curated data on every reply.
Install — no Terminal required
After checkout you land on a page with a one-click download and a pre-built install prompt. Pick the AI you already pay for — both packages are included, so you can't pick wrong.
What you'll see the second your payment clears
Your license key
ST-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX · permanent
Pre-built install prompt⧉ Copy
ChatGPT package (ZIP)⬇ Download
No setup work before you buy — copy, paste, done.
Have Claude Pro, Max, or Team?
Copy the prompt, paste into Claude
Copy the pre-built install prompt from the success page, paste it into any Claude Code chat, and Claude installs the skill itself — about 10 seconds. Using the app instead? Drop the downloaded folder into a Claude Project's knowledge and ask Claude to use it.
Have ChatGPT Plus or Team?
Build a Custom GPT — ~2 minutes
Click Download ChatGPT package (included with every purchase).
Unzip it — inside is a SETUP.md and a knowledge/ folder.
Go to chatgpt.com → your profile → My GPTs → Create a GPT → Configure.
Paste the Name, Description, and Instructions from SETUP.md into the matching fields.
Under Knowledge, upload every file in the knowledge/ folder.
Click Create/Save, open your GPT, and describe your task in plain English.
A paid plan on either platform is required — Claude (Pro, Max, or Team) or ChatGPT (Plus or Team). Comfortable with Terminal? A one-line npx skilltree-network install path is available too.