Are you crazy about cars? Do you fantasize about days spent under a popped hood, a torque wrench in hand and a grease rag in your back pocket? Then it’s time to put your passion into practice. Even if you don’t have any experience with cars, you can still learn how to fix them up. And once you start to fix them up for fun, you may discover car maintenance and repair is the career for you! But here are some tips to learn the basics of car repairs:

Tinker on an Old Clunker

Pop the hood and get your hands dirty! But not on your own car—as a novice, you could unintentionally damage the car that you need for travel. Instead, find an old, inexpensive car that you can work on. Check online sites like eBay or Craigslist to find cars for sale. You can also check the classified section of your local newspaper or just ask around. You never know who might have an old car that they’d like to unload.

Meet Car Enthusiasts

Cars are a hobby for some people. Why not find them and learn from them? Check out any local car events or find car enthusiast meetups in your area. Introduce yourself to people and ask them for tips and advice. If you can’t find any events or prefer to network from home, look for Facebook groups or car enthusiast forums that you can join.

Visit the Auto Parts Store

If you love cars or if you’ve needed a car repair, you’ve probably been to the auto parts store in your neighborhood. Have you ever chatted with the clerks? Next time, you should. The clerks, especially those who have worked in the business for a long time, are quite knowledgeable about parts and tools and are there to answer your questions.

Watch Car Repair Tutorials

Want to learn how to do something? Surf YouTube. Search for car repair tutorials and how-tos that will teach you how to fix-up a car step by step. Just be sure to only follow advice from trained mechanics. You can get an idea of someone’s authority on the subject by reading the “About” section of their channel and checking their reputation out online. Anyone can post a video to YouTube, but not everyone has the know-how to fix a car.

Pick Up a Car Manual

Would you rather go straight to the source? Do you prefer to read instructions rather than watch a video? Pick up a car manual. It’s chock full of information on proper maintenance and repairs for your vehicle. And for older models, there may even be step-by-step instructions on how to complete repairs. You can find car manuals in auto parts stores, and also online.

Take Classes to Become an Auto Mechanic

The best way to learn is from experienced instructors who can show you how to properly work on a car. Since most of today’s models are run by computers, do-it-yourself repairs aren’t what they used to be. At Porter and Chester Institute, we offer an Automotive Technology program in Connecticut and Massachusetts that can train you to diagnose and repair the important components of a car. Our classes are taught by certified technicians in both an online setting as well as in our auto shops. If you want to turn your love of cars into an exciting career in the automotive industry, contact us today.