Car newbie

hey everyone
My dad never worked on his own car so I never got to learn when I was younger. Well I want to start now but I dont really know where to begin. any advice would be very much appreciated.

btw I drive a 91 grand marquis

read magazines that emphasise working on the car and modifying it, like car craft and hot rod. Read catalogs offering the types of parts applied in the type of work you would like to do.As far as doing maintnance and troubleshooting get a working manual for your vehichle and study the job you are about to do think about what you are about to do, and while you shouldent allow yourself to get intimadated over the work, consider the level of difficulty so you dont get in over your head. If you know other people that work on cars talk to them and ask questions.(Think though of what they have to offer in advice and compare with other sources as people can give poor advice or suggest a bad work habits) Going back to talking to people you might know,ask if you might be able to help or watch the next time they have a project or repair. Look for used text books, even if the might be off topic. If your into learning performance, and you find a used book about body repair, or diesle mechanics dont pass it up, check it out. Information can seem unrelated but really from a beginers perspective they offer the basics in becoming more mechanical, you might even discover an affinity for another aspect of this work to be applied in a new trade. If you live in a city or a fortunate town you might want to check out the community college.Non credit courses are usually cheap. If you really want to get into it shop around for trade schools and colleges that offer a good education and training. Make sure it is an accredited school.

In the meantime, read, research, talk, and observe others if you can. when you want to do work on your own, make sure you have a reference source, all the parts, and have a descent set of tools complete with everthing you need for the particular job you are doing. If you start getting pissed off frustrated, just walk away from what your doing untill you can return with a cool head.(the more you do this type of thing the less often you will be getting pissed off, its just the nature of the work,embrace it, happy zen thaughts)

good luck.

Another thing came to mind, I dont know what your situation is but if you are still in school or just out of school and over 16 get a job at parts store, you'll learn about parts get to meet nearby mechanics and get discounts for the tools and parts you need.

Pretty much what skinner said.....

My thought, find the nearest auto parts store
autozone
advanced auto
napa
or whom ever is near you should stock repair books for your car....look for HAYNES REPAIR MANUAL
They have pictures in the book and it can help you understand where things are and what things are called.Also look into buying some tools......Floor jack,jack stands, open ended wrenches, sockets, ect....

One more thing...I just lookes up and there is a car club for you to look at
www.mercuryforum.com

williamskinner16 and cpujunky both offer good advice.

My advice is simple, start with the basics.

Learn how to change tires, give people jump starts, and change your oil.
Always carry a small emergancy tool kit with a jack, tire iron, and jumper cables. Not so much for yourself but you learn when helping others. (they often toss you money too and won't take no for an answer)

From there you'll quickly learn how to do tuneups, brakes, and most small repairs. Even engine swaps.

Read every tech article that intrests you, and even the home repair section.

And even mechanics working in dealerships ask for advice on this forum when they can't find a solution. So don't be shy even for a simple question.