Learning about cars.

[Sideways&Smiling]

If we're talking about driving simulators, play Assetto Corsa on pc.

I don't think playing driving sims is going to help much though.

Read up on tech-heavy sites, like http://www.motoiq.com/

but be warned.... it starts as a curiosity, progresses into an obsession, and ends in an empty wallet. :p

[GreenMonster]

I grew up driving shitty cars, so I learned by necessity. I was kinda poor, so if something broke, I had to fix it. We didn't have the internet back then, so we had to go to the library and photocopy pages out of a shop manual.

Now, you just need to be able to search well. You're in IT, so you should be a good googler. Advance search w/ ft86club.com as the domain (site: ft86club.com your_search_term) will turn up lots of good info on the twins in particular... but you can gain A LOT of useful infomation in the DIY section, like Lonewolf said.

You can check out the region forums and see if there are any local meets to chat with people about what they've done to their cars. Car guys like to talk about what they've done to their cars.

I'm always doing reseach on car related stuff on the web... there's lots of knowledge to be gained if you just spend some time reading.

[Zoh]

Wow! So many great replies!
Thanks everybody, I really appreciate the answers.

I just look at it all and it seems so daunting. So many parts that I don't know what they do; an engine just looks like a mess of metal and tubes to me, etc
I feel like I should learn what all the parts are and how they work first, no?
I mean, I think I know many of them at this point, but I still don't understand a lot of the terms used on this forum etc.

Originally Posted by kdmBRZ

gran turismo 6. Seriously, take one step at a time and look up DIY on this forum and ask for help who has good knowledge about cars. It's all about learn by doing approach. I work as a developer too OP! what languages do you tackle??

Primarily Java, but I've dabbled in C++ and I'm studying Objective-C also. You?

As far as working on a car goes, I would love to start but just am not entirely sure WHERE to start.
I guess my current car needs new brake rotors, but I'm also planning on trading it in within a week or two if all goes well, so I guess there's not much point haha.

What sort of maintenance should I expect to perform on the BRZ other than oil changes, air filter, tire rotations, and tires/brake pads?

[steve99]

just normal maintenance as per your post above , maintenance schedule in user manual.

Cars are full of computers these days so a lot of diagnostic work and even modifications requires talking to or changing the ECU. You should be right at home with that stuff

[Celadrielas]

"Cars are giant lego blocks" -- True.

Think of the whole damn car as a big-ass Mobo. Need a cooling? instead of fans, you have a radiator / cooling system. (Like a hydro cooler). Got issues with the CPU, nope.. it's an ECU now. Every thing on the car has a place like comp parts do on a mobo. Sure, to me a mother board looks like my head is on a drug trip from hell. But that's probably what an engine bay looks like to people who don't know cars, right?

Read, ask questions, and watch videos. I will suggest that before you ask questions, you read or search for the asnwer. This will A) allow you to ask more knowledgable and appropriate questions. and B) Save you the flame posts answers of "God this is the 148,000,000,000th post with this damn question!"

(IT crowd comes to mind... "Have you tried turning it off and turning it back on?")

You got this, OP. Believe in yourself because it's a LOT easier than you think.

[Ultramaroon]

Watch how this guy does it and then don't do that.

[kdmBRZ]

Originally Posted by Zoh

Primarily Java, but I've dabbled in C++ and I'm studying Objective-C also. You?

As far as working on a car goes, I would love to start but just am not entirely sure WHERE to start.
I guess my current car needs new brake rotors, but I'm also planning on trading it in within a week or two if all goes well, so I guess there's not much point haha.

What sort of maintenance should I expect to perform on the BRZ other than oil changes, air filter, tire rotations, and tires/brake pads?

I do my majority of work in .NET/C#, and front-end technologies like HTML5, JavaScript! As for the car, like someone said, normal maintenance schedule plus don't be lazy with oil changes then you should be good to go.

[Zoh]

You guys are really reassuring and I really appreciate it!
I'm really hoping to have the car in the next few weeks, but it may end up being a couple more months if the stars don't align quite right.

So I have a quick question then; I have a 2007 Nissan Versa.
How hard would you guys think it'd be to replace brake rotors and the front bumper if I had to? Considering I have zero repair experience with cars.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Zoh

How hard would you guys think it'd be to replace brake rotors and the front bumper if I had to? Considering I have zero repair experience with cars.

Unless there's something weird with the Versa brakes, a brake job on most recent cars is one of the easier repairs to do. If you've never done one before, it might be helpful to pick up a Haynes manual to help walk you through the process.

The only way to learn to work on cars is to work on cars. Even if you fuck it up, you learn something in the process. You just have to approach it with patience and accept that it may not go as planned. And plan for it to take longer than more experienced people tell you it will take.

[Koa]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

Unless there's something weird with the Versa brakes, a brake job on most recent cars is one of the easier repairs to do. If you've never done one before, it might be helpful to pick up a Haynes manual to help walk you through the process.

The only way to learn to work on cars is to work on cars. Even if you fuck it up, you learn something in the process. You just have to approach it with patience and accept that it may not go as planned. And plan for it to take longer than more experienced people tell you it will take.

Eww haynes manual, what are we in the 50s-90's shaky?!

just pullin ya leg, I have my haynes for the 1999-2002 XJ cherokee shop book still from high school.. alot of blood, sweat, and sawzalled unibody shavings on those pages

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Koa

Eww haynes manual, what are we in the 50s-90's shaky?!

just pullin ya leg, I have my haynes for the 1999-2002 XJ cherokee shop book still from high school.. alot of blood, sweat, and sawzalled unibody shavings on those pages

hahaha... snooty bastard.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Koa

Eww haynes manual, what are we in the 50s-90's shaky?!

just pullin ya leg, I have my haynes for the 1999-2002 cherokee repair manual still..

Yeah, I knew someone would call me on that. I actually hate Haynes manuals, but for a brake job, it should be okay for a noob to get his hands greasy. Then, if he decides he needs to get a little more into it, he can go look for a 2007 Versa factory service manual for download.

Somewhere I have a Haynes manual for my Cherokee. It's absolutely worthless, especially since I have a 2000 with all the weird changes they made toward the end of the run that are not in the book. I have no idea where that thing is. I use my giant orange FSM and accompanying diagnostic manuals instead.

[Koa]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

hahaha... snooty bastard.

One time had to drill into the unibody to get at a welded nut that they conveniently used for one of the two leaf spring bolts. In the snow.. just couldn't wait to put on the rubi express lift kit. man never again.. poor thing had to endure a bunch of kids mutilating the crap out of it

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Koa

One time had to drill into the unibody to get at a welded nut that they conveniently used for one of the two leaf spring bolts. In the snow.. just couldn't wait to put on the rubi express lift kit. man never again.. poor thing had to endure a bunch of kids mutilating the crap out of it

In 08, we bought my wife's 03 Camry. My Christmas present that year was both volumes of the factory service manual.

She loves me.