How did you guys get to be an expert on you X?

[ahhjaws]

Hey, I was wondering how all the expert people got to know their cars so much. Does it just come with experience, or did you go to a school, are you a mechanic?

I am planning to get into vet school, but I also want to know as much about my X as everyone here too. So if it just comes with experience, hopefully since I am starting young, I will be able to learn everything I need to know about my X.

I hate going to mechanics, when I probably could of done it myself, I just don't know how.

 

[Alec]

Hmmm, I've gained my knowledge a few ways.

The first way is to break stuff :frustrate . What I mean is, experience. There's nothing like getting under the hood and getting your hands dirty. Another way is that I always try to watch when someone works on my truck or others. I have a few friends who are wrenchheads, too. I also tend to ask too many questions. I'm sure there are many members here that remember when I only had a few hundred posts or would go out on a run and just fire question after question.

But mostly, it's due to this site

Oh, but for an example with the experience stuff: I knew almost nothing about nitrous oxide until I thought about juicing Splat. Same thing with the s/c.

 

[Goober]

Oh let's see....
I guess it started when I watched my dad work on cars( no, he's not a mechanic by trade, nor am I), then getting in there myself while he helped. Like Alec, asking many questions when someone did something I didn't know how to do, this board, and my handy-dandy Haynes manual. There were a few opps along the way, a bunch of I-should'ves and how-the-hell-do-you-do-this. :frustrate LOL Bleeding knuckles and cursing are a given.

Benefits.. you save money doing it yourself in exchange for the tools you aquire from said saved money

 

[MONMIX]

I am different than Alec and Goober , I am a collision repair technician ( a body man ) been doing it for almost ten years. Have not worked on a whole lot of X's but I have worked on my fair share.

 

[Flounder]

Same here. Breaking things, working with my father (neither of us ever had any mechanic classes or anything... just trial and error heh), and this site... although I don't consider myself an expert. I have much to learn.

 

[jimbo74]

i have had in interest in cars since i was like 12..... i also tinkered a lot with toy rc cars and the like when i was a child...... in high school i had autoshop and advanced autoshop.......i also used to worrk at americas tire company..... now i am a mechanic at wheel works.......i have also learned a lot from this site and just spending countles hours on here.......

 

[Hartman]

It is unbelievable how much I've learned just by browsing this board daily for the past 6 or 7 months. I'm not even an off-roader, but if I were to lift my truck, I would know exactly what to get and what to put on.

Thank god for this site, it's saved me many heartaches.

 

[X24]

YOU GUYS.

 

[Ross-N-Chicago]

Even though I was very slow to learn about cars, I was lucky to have a Dad who used to race and understand the mechanics of a car. He never works on his but he sure knows what is or isn't broken if he takes it in. I just get dirty and learn as I go along with the help of everyone here.

 

[Randall]

I agree with Alec, the best way is to break stuff.
The second best way is TO USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION.

 

[EliteConcept]

live and learn
my dad works on his car in his spare time, so he knows quite a bit.
the board teaches me alot of things
just overall lots of things have helped me learn

 

[94EBexplorer]

like me

 

[ahhjaws]

Hey thanks for all of your replys. I already have learned a lot from this board and will probably learn tons more. Right now it is the only place I can learn things since I don't know anyone who is a mechanic where I live. I hope to do a lot more hands on things the next couple of summers.

I will probably be posting many more questions!!

You can still reply if you want to !!

Thanx!

 

[94EBexplorer]

keep em coming.... my SN is also open for ims....

 

[Stephen S]

I got my start learning from my dad. He's a Detroit Diesel mechanic (marine and gen set applications), so I learned much of my basic engine know how from him. He would work on our cars and I would watch and help...err...get in the way...most of the time. I also asked a lot of questions.

I'd say about, 90% of my Explorer knowledge came from the people on this site. I learned a few things the hard way, before I found this site. I've always had an interest in trucks, so this site was like heaven for me.

 

[williecume]

my dad has been building motors and repairting/toying with cars since he was a kid. and since i'm the fruit of his loins i guess that would make it in my genes (no pun intended). i have learned alot from my dad and i have taught him a thing or to. i also love to see what i can do to improve the car/truck any at all (even if it is something stupid). if i ever have any questions about some vehicle i try to get as much info as possible.

sorry for the long post.

but if you have any questions just post/ask these guys, they seem to know more than ford does alot of the times.

 

[rpenner54]

Well it all started back in 19** when I got my first _________ LOL.... somewhat joking... It started for me when my dad bought me a 1954 CJ3b to do a restore on. Ever since he bought me that I have just been working on my vehicles. I worked on that one for a number of years. Then I had a chance to buy a F150 that had a bad motor. So I bought that and replaced the motor with the help of my dad. Its really not as hard as you think, it just takes time... Thats how I learned was time...

 

[kps36]

Car knowledge 1) my Dad....Nothing like sitting on a garage floor at 2am watching my Dad rebuilt a 3 spd manual tranny that 'dropped' 2nd gear (1969). Also installing ball joints with a prop torch and chisel(1970). 2) Experience .. when you break stuff and got very little $$ and need wheels..your learn very quickly. And for my Ex and Ranger..THIS site !!! lotsa knowledge, how-to, mods (which to do and which not to) and parts aquisition (I got my Borla for $165 due to this site). What I have learned here has also came in handy as general knowledge I have been able to apply to all 4 of my vehicles....It is very satisfing to be able to save yourself mucho labor cost by DIY...
This site is the absolut BEST around for Car Tips.
And they keep it straight and clean....thats the best thing. There is always someone here that know alot about the same problem as yours and how to fix it.

 

[mattadams]

like most people, I've learned by being curious, and messing things up occasionally. Also the board helps tremendously and breaking stuff off-road when you don't have the benefit of a mechanic nearby or fancy tools (well, most people don't anyway) is a great way to learn how to do things.

 

[CADDYBILL]

Reading shop and repair manuals and this site. Talking to people tha6t know more than I do. Trial and error. Watching others work. Asking a lot of questions. Not being afraid to break it if I do it wrong.
Mostly I would say that most of my car knowledge has come from the INTERNET. I have been fooling around with car for the last 10 years, but only in the last 3 have I really learned a lot more than I ever knew before. That’s because of sites like this. I watch a few boards related to cars that I like and talk to people about them.