I want to learn about cars, but know practically nothing?
I really like cars, I love driving, etc and recently when my mums car broke down and I took it the garage I was fascinated at how the mechanic did everything and I'd love to learn about cars like that. Maybe not in so much detail, but the majority of stuff. I have a 9 - 5 graduate job now so clearly this will just be a hobby but it can still be a fun one. I know roughly the theory behind some of it, but I want to learn loads more.
What would be the best way to learn? Should I just buy an old broken car and try and bring it back to life myself or what? I don't have car right now to do anything with because I moved to my new grad scheme house.
I would like to know preferably the cheapest way and most efficient way. I don't really want to take courses at a college as I'm not planning on becoming a full time mechanic.
Regarding buying an old almost broken car, can anyone recommend any good cars to buy and what I should look for when searching for one?
What would be the best way to learn? Should I just buy an old broken car and try and bring it back to life myself or what? I don't have car right now to do anything with because I moved to my new grad scheme house.
I would like to know preferably the cheapest way and most efficient way. I don't really want to take courses at a college as I'm not planning on becoming a full time mechanic.
Regarding buying an old almost broken car, can anyone recommend any good cars to buy and what I should look for when searching for one?
Older cars are easiest to work on, cars from the 70s and 80s tend to have more space under the bonnet and it is a lot easier to reach for stuff especially if you have to do it by a roadside.
Cars from the late 90s aren't bad in this respect as it is also when it started to grow and become heavier, the good side to cars from the 90s is they also will have some electronic components to it that you'd need to be well-versed with to fix it.
As for what to buy, I'd suggest buying an everyday car first that runs well and slowly learn up on maintaining it yourself.
Cars from the late 90s aren't bad in this respect as it is also when it started to grow and become heavier, the good side to cars from the 90s is they also will have some electronic components to it that you'd need to be well-versed with to fix it.
As for what to buy, I'd suggest buying an everyday car first that runs well and slowly learn up on maintaining it yourself.
Resurrecting an old car is an awful lot of fun, and it's true that old cars are an order of magnitude less complex- no data buses, ECUs, ABS malarkey, etc but it's also a gigantic commitment of time, money and space. You'll need lots of tools, at least one garage, a big parts budget, and a lot of free time, and if the car needs any welding work then the costs, scope and difficulty of the project goes up hugely.
If you decide you do want to go down this route, I'd thoroughly reccomend going for a 1960s/70s British type as spares will be cheap and relatively easy to obtain. If you want a saloon, look at Minis, Minors, Austin A30s, Hillman Imps and the like. If you want something more sporty have a look at the MG Midget/B and the Triumph Spitfire/GT6 as a starter.
I started messing around with cars when I bought a long-dead 1960s convertible, and now a year on it's only a few more weekends away from an MOT. I also do my own maintenance and repairs on my 21st century runabout. I am fortunate however to have a knowledgeable Dad with a garage full of all sorts of weird and wonderful kit! I'm moving out soon, so on my last birthday my Dad bought me the start of my very own tool collection in a thoroughly emotional man-moment.
If you just want to get into understanding and working on cars though I'd suggest starting with a cheap but working one and a Haynes manual. Learn about the principles of the major systems- electrical, ignition and timing, brakes etc alongside learning how to work safely lifting and supporting the car, disconnecting the battery and so on. Start with small, basic maintenance and repair work (say, changing the spark plugs, oil and brake pads/shoes) and gradually gain confidence. Remember that seemingly simple jobs in the manual can in reality turn out to be awkward, difficult or dangerous in reality, so check out the parts you'll be working with on the car thoroughly before you start wielding spanners, and don't take anything apart unless you're absolutely sure you can put it back together in such a way that it will do it's job safely.
Equipment-wise, as a starter I'd suggest some of the following:
-Good quality spanner/socket set
-Good quality screwdriver set
-Pliers
-Feeler gauges
-Torque wrench (if you plan to be working on major bits like the cylinder head or the manifolds)
-Hammer (and a rubber mallet for precision adjustment of rubbish British Leyland parts)
-Cable ties (x 500,000)
-Mulitimeter
-Cheap and cheerful fault code reader (for a modern car)
-Copper/bearing grease
-WD40
-Hydraulic jack and axle stands (or ramps)
Also, disposable latex gloves have saved me from nasty chemical burns many times.
It's a lot of fun and a lot of satisfaction to learn how to work on cars, so best of luck and hope this helps!
If you decide you do want to go down this route, I'd thoroughly reccomend going for a 1960s/70s British type as spares will be cheap and relatively easy to obtain. If you want a saloon, look at Minis, Minors, Austin A30s, Hillman Imps and the like. If you want something more sporty have a look at the MG Midget/B and the Triumph Spitfire/GT6 as a starter.
I started messing around with cars when I bought a long-dead 1960s convertible, and now a year on it's only a few more weekends away from an MOT. I also do my own maintenance and repairs on my 21st century runabout. I am fortunate however to have a knowledgeable Dad with a garage full of all sorts of weird and wonderful kit! I'm moving out soon, so on my last birthday my Dad bought me the start of my very own tool collection in a thoroughly emotional man-moment.
If you just want to get into understanding and working on cars though I'd suggest starting with a cheap but working one and a Haynes manual. Learn about the principles of the major systems- electrical, ignition and timing, brakes etc alongside learning how to work safely lifting and supporting the car, disconnecting the battery and so on. Start with small, basic maintenance and repair work (say, changing the spark plugs, oil and brake pads/shoes) and gradually gain confidence. Remember that seemingly simple jobs in the manual can in reality turn out to be awkward, difficult or dangerous in reality, so check out the parts you'll be working with on the car thoroughly before you start wielding spanners, and don't take anything apart unless you're absolutely sure you can put it back together in such a way that it will do it's job safely.
Equipment-wise, as a starter I'd suggest some of the following:
-Good quality spanner/socket set
-Good quality screwdriver set
-Pliers
-Feeler gauges
-Torque wrench (if you plan to be working on major bits like the cylinder head or the manifolds)
-Hammer (and a rubber mallet for precision adjustment of rubbish British Leyland parts)
-Cable ties (x 500,000)
-Mulitimeter
-Cheap and cheerful fault code reader (for a modern car)
-Copper/bearing grease
-WD40
-Hydraulic jack and axle stands (or ramps)
Also, disposable latex gloves have saved me from nasty chemical burns many times.
It's a lot of fun and a lot of satisfaction to learn how to work on cars, so best of luck and hope this helps!
I know the basics, can change:
Oil/Fuel/Air filters + oil
Tyres, exhaust-back-box..
It's all pretty simple. There's a huge amount of satisfaction from doing it too. A bit like spending an hour washing your car in comparison to car wash........
Oil/Fuel/Air filters + oil
Tyres, exhaust-back-box..
It's all pretty simple. There's a huge amount of satisfaction from doing it too. A bit like spending an hour washing your car in comparison to car wash........
Original post by Spridget
Resurrecting an old car is an awful lot of fun, and it's true that old cars are an order of magnitude less complex- no data buses, ECUs, ABS malarkey, etc but it's also a gigantic commitment of time, money and space. You'll need lots of tools, at least one garage, a big parts budget, and a lot of free time, and if the car needs any welding work then the costs, scope and difficulty of the project goes up hugely.
If you decide you do want to go down this route, I'd thoroughly reccomend going for a 1960s/70s British type as spares will be cheap and relatively easy to obtain. If you want a saloon, look at Minis, Minors, Austin A30s, Hillman Imps and the like. If you want something more sporty have a look at the MG Midget/B and the Triumph Spitfire/GT6 as a starter.
I started messing around with cars when I bought a long-dead 1960s convertible, and now a year on it's only a few more weekends away from an MOT. I also do my own maintenance and repairs on my 21st century runabout. I am fortunate however to have a knowledgeable Dad with a garage full of all sorts of weird and wonderful kit! I'm moving out soon, so on my last birthday my Dad bought me the start of my very own tool collection in a thoroughly emotional man-moment.
If you just want to get into understanding and working on cars though I'd suggest starting with a cheap but working one and a Haynes manual. Learn about the principles of the major systems- electrical, ignition and timing, brakes etc alongside learning how to work safely lifting and supporting the car, disconnecting the battery and so on. Start with small, basic maintenance and repair work (say, changing the spark plugs, oil and brake pads/shoes) and gradually gain confidence. Remember that seemingly simple jobs in the manual can in reality turn out to be awkward, difficult or dangerous in reality, so check out the parts you'll be working with on the car thoroughly before you start wielding spanners, and don't take anything apart unless you're absolutely sure you can put it back together in such a way that it will do it's job safely.
Equipment-wise, as a starter I'd suggest some of the following:
-Good quality spanner/socket set
-Good quality screwdriver set
-Pliers
-Feeler gauges
-Torque wrench (if you plan to be working on major bits like the cylinder head or the manifolds)
-Hammer (and a rubber mallet for precision adjustment of rubbish British Leyland parts)
-Cable ties (x 500,000)
-Mulitimeter
-Cheap and cheerful fault code reader (for a modern car)
-Copper/bearing grease
-WD40
-Hydraulic jack and axle stands (or ramps)
Also, disposable latex gloves have saved me from nasty chemical burns many times.
It's a lot of fun and a lot of satisfaction to learn how to work on cars, so best of luck and hope this helps!
If you decide you do want to go down this route, I'd thoroughly reccomend going for a 1960s/70s British type as spares will be cheap and relatively easy to obtain. If you want a saloon, look at Minis, Minors, Austin A30s, Hillman Imps and the like. If you want something more sporty have a look at the MG Midget/B and the Triumph Spitfire/GT6 as a starter.
I started messing around with cars when I bought a long-dead 1960s convertible, and now a year on it's only a few more weekends away from an MOT. I also do my own maintenance and repairs on my 21st century runabout. I am fortunate however to have a knowledgeable Dad with a garage full of all sorts of weird and wonderful kit! I'm moving out soon, so on my last birthday my Dad bought me the start of my very own tool collection in a thoroughly emotional man-moment.
If you just want to get into understanding and working on cars though I'd suggest starting with a cheap but working one and a Haynes manual. Learn about the principles of the major systems- electrical, ignition and timing, brakes etc alongside learning how to work safely lifting and supporting the car, disconnecting the battery and so on. Start with small, basic maintenance and repair work (say, changing the spark plugs, oil and brake pads/shoes) and gradually gain confidence. Remember that seemingly simple jobs in the manual can in reality turn out to be awkward, difficult or dangerous in reality, so check out the parts you'll be working with on the car thoroughly before you start wielding spanners, and don't take anything apart unless you're absolutely sure you can put it back together in such a way that it will do it's job safely.
Equipment-wise, as a starter I'd suggest some of the following:
-Good quality spanner/socket set
-Good quality screwdriver set
-Pliers
-Feeler gauges
-Torque wrench (if you plan to be working on major bits like the cylinder head or the manifolds)
-Hammer (and a rubber mallet for precision adjustment of rubbish British Leyland parts)
-Cable ties (x 500,000)
-Mulitimeter
-Cheap and cheerful fault code reader (for a modern car)
-Copper/bearing grease
-WD40
-Hydraulic jack and axle stands (or ramps)
Also, disposable latex gloves have saved me from nasty chemical burns many times.
It's a lot of fun and a lot of satisfaction to learn how to work on cars, so best of luck and hope this helps!
Wow, this is brilliant, thanks a lot for this!
I think, based on my lack on knowledge and the fact that I don't think I'll have my own garage (and I don't have a dad full of knowledge!) it might be best to do what you said with an already working car and learn everything on that, with my own little maintenance work and "upgrades" and then I could sell it and get something a little more broken and make that normal. I have a few questions though:
- A car like this, what kind of make and model (year, etc) would you recommend?
- Once I've done my own stuff, is it possible to get a check by a professional? Is this what an MOT or service would be? How can I be sure that I'm selling a safe car?
- When you say get the Haynes manual and learn about all the systems, etc, how would I go about doing this (learning the stuff)? Would it be a good idea to replace them? Or take them apart and put them back? How would be best?
- You said it's taken you almost a year to work on your car, how often do you work on it? Roughly what would you say your expense has been and what condition was your car in before?
I was thinking if I get all this sorted, I'm sure I could find a cheap garage or storage unit for hire or buy and then work there.
I think my goal would be to get a classic and put it together but that will be eventually
A copy of Hillier's Fundamentals of Motor Vehicle Technology (volume 1) would be a good start. A Haynes manual might give some brief info on the systems in a particular car, but only to aid troubleshooting. The focus will be on how to do a job on a particular car, rather than on why to do it or how the system works. They are also notorious for glossing over details or just being plain wrong (it's not uncommon to hear them referred to as the Haynes Book of Lies) so don't worry too much if something doesn't seem quite right! However, they are useful, though it's becoming increasingly common to be able to buy the manufacturer's maintenance manual which will be much more thorough, though possibly less easy to read. Also read forums, particularly ones specific to your car, as it's unlikely you'll have a problem no one else has faced before.
If you're serious about working on cars, don't buy cheap tools, they'll cost you money and blood when they break and you need to replace them (knuckles are less easily replaced!). There's no need to go for Snap On, but avoid Silverline/Rolson/generic stuff like the plague.
If you want to get an old car that needs work doing to it, have a look at spares first. Often they're not cheap and if a part you need simply isn't available any more you're a bit stuffed. Also get some decent penetrating oil, you'll need it.
If you're serious about working on cars, don't buy cheap tools, they'll cost you money and blood when they break and you need to replace them (knuckles are less easily replaced!). There's no need to go for Snap On, but avoid Silverline/Rolson/generic stuff like the plague.
If you want to get an old car that needs work doing to it, have a look at spares first. Often they're not cheap and if a part you need simply isn't available any more you're a bit stuffed. Also get some decent penetrating oil, you'll need it.
- A car like this, what kind of make and model (year, etc) would you recommend?
Nothing ultra-modern or expensive, partly because of costs and partly because most of the problems will probably wind up being solved, rather boringly, by taking it to a dealer and having someone turn it off and on again
. Go for something basic- a ten year old 106, Fiesta, Corsa or Clio maybe. A Rover 25 if you like replacing cylinder head gaskets! Big saloons and estate cars less than 10-15 years old tend to be laden with enormous amounts of wiring and complicated systems that you wouldn't find on say a small, low-spec hatchback from the late 90s or early 2000s.
- Once I've done my own stuff, is it possible to get a check by a professional? Is this what an MOT or service would be? How can I be sure that I'm selling a safe car?
If everything's assembled, sealed and torqued up correctly, chances are it'll be fine, but an MOT will pick up any possible safety issues. If in doubt, have a knowledgeable person check your work!
- When you say get the Haynes manual and learn about all the systems, etc, how would I go about doing this (learning the stuff)? Would it be a good idea to replace them? Or take them apart and put them back? How would be best?
The manual will be useful for guiding you around the car and showing you exactly which bit does what and where it is, but you'll want to supplement that with more generalised reading about the fundamentals of each component- i.e. the manual will tell you how to replace your alternator but it'd be useful to read up elsewhere about how an alternator works. There's tons and tons of useful info on the web- http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ is a good start.
- You said it's taken you almost a year to work on your car, how often do you work on it? Roughly what would you say your expense has been and what condition was your car in before?
I'd say I've put in an average of 3-4 hours per week, but more like 5 at the moment as I'm at home waiting for my new job to start. The car had been dormant for an unknown number of years when I bought it, and as such very, very little of it worked! I bought it as a long-term project, and quite literally everything has been cleaned, repaired or replaced. For a good while the 'car' was literally a shell on axle stands surrounded by boxes and boxes of parts either in the process of being cleaned and painted or ready to go. I bought the spares using my part-time supermarket wages, so progress was limited by that!
My rough guide for budgeting a (structurally sound) restoration would be to allow yourself at least the price you paid for the car plus a margin of error.
I was thinking if I get all this sorted, I'm sure I could find a cheap garage or storage unit for hire or buy and then work there.
Depends- A full ground-up rebuild would require a decent garage but if you're just working on an already roadworthy car then there isn't much you can't do on the driveway.
I think my goal would be to get a classic and put it together but that will be eventually
If you end up really getting into working on cars I can't reccomend it enough! I spent a good hour today just repainting a heater matrix assembly lost in a wonderful 1960's OCD nirvana...
Oh, and I second the suggestion of penetrating oil. Buy it by the gallon and supplement it with a breaker bar and a healthy assortment of your favourite profanities!
Cars can look daunting at first, but essentially they're just a lot of (mostly) simple systems working in unison.
Original post by CurlyBen
If you want to get an old car that needs work doing to it, have a look at spares first. Often they're not cheap and if a part you need simply isn't available any more you're a bit stuffed. Also get some decent penetrating oil, you'll need it.
If you want to get an old car that needs work doing to it, have a look at spares first. Often they're not cheap and if a part you need simply isn't available any more you're a bit stuffed. Also get some decent penetrating oil, you'll need it.
How would I do this without getting the car first?
Original post by Alfissti
As for what to buy, I'd suggest buying an everyday car first that runs well and slowly learn up on maintaining it yourself.
Sounds about right.
Getting a none running going can be a lot of fun (apparently) but your buying an huge pot fo unknown, and may have a very long way to go before its remotely usable, by which time you have already got more than fed up with it.
My first car was a 306, by the 90's and early 00's cars had got to a point where the basics of handling, rust management, reliability, safe, and fuel efficiency where fairly well sorted, without going mental of electronics, crash proofing and everything else. Dont expect the aircon to ever work again if it doesn't when you buy it, but you can but a perfectly driveable every day 10-15 yo car which will do the job, but need the odd replacement wiper motor, wishbones, from time to time, whatever. I now have a 17yo E36 compact, with a sunroof!
If you want a bit more work, and something that looks older, an 70-80's car car (think mk3 escort...) will be a lot of fun, if a step different to a modern car, without having got old/desirable enough to be out of budget, which I think you would find a mk1 escort would be!
See what you might like to drive, check for the presences of suitable owners forums, and to an extent, parts cost/availability, see how it goes.
The BMW cost me 650quid, so worse case and you stuff it up, weight it in for 100 quid and you have still lost less than your excess on most of mates cars!
Daniel
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