Where do I start learning about my car?

Some of my friends at college know a lot about cars, and I envy them. They pretty much self-taught themselves everything they know and I would like to do the same, but don't know where to start.



I just ordered a haynes manual for my 2003 ford focus, and am wondering what small repairs or replacements I can start doing that might teach me a thing or too?



I thought I could change the spark plug, but a lot of questions such as "how do I change my spark plug" here on yahoo answers mostly get answers like "leave it to the mechanics". Then how will I bloody learn anything?!



My car hasn't been serviced in a while so any suggestions of stuff a begineer could do would be great. Bearing in mind I am expecting to have to read up on whatever I have to do.Where do I start learning about my car?
A Haynes manual is a great thing that I recommend much here on answers. Also there is Chilton of course. The best thing ever though is alldata.com which is much more expensive but way beyond the books. For a beginner I would recommend taking digital photos of everything along the way if you are going to tear into your vehicle as this will give you reference on how things were before you started tearing into it. Too many pictures is not a bad thing at all. Take all angles. If you have 100 pictures there's no way you can put something back together wrong! Just make sure you use the proper tools to put stuff back together like a torque wrench etc... Very essential tools! Good luck and you'll be fine. I used to be you...Where do I start learning about my car?
Changing oil,spark plugs , bulbs would be all simple things to start learning.With any of this all you need is mechanical ability.Spark plugs the only thing really is i would change the wires at the same time.Take one wire off and switch one plug at a time that way the firing order does not get messed up.Make sure you use a spark plug socket, hand thread them first to avoid cross threading and just snug them with a ratchet.Your haynes manual should help you a lot as far as how to replace things.If you go to a book store they should have a car guide for dummies kind of books which will teach you about different systems,parts and trouble shooting problems.What good is it replacing an alternator if you don't know what it does.That should help with the knowledge part of it, i myself take a class at a vocational school where you learn about these things and i have learned a lot.Where do I start learning about my car?
to me working on a car/truck/suv is very easy but i have been doing that since 6-7 now 17 i have learned alot and working on your own car can be very rewarding. when im at school i get asked hey mike my car is doing this what could it be and i love that every one comes to me for answers. start out by doing oil changes. spark plugs, belts,hoses. it will take a awhile to know everything about cars. i often watch power block(on spike tv sunday at 10:00) because i learn stuff that i didnt know before. once you do this for a year or two. you will understand everything's purpose in a car. this year for my very first time i got a 78 jeep cj5 i did a full restore on it and i love to just go out a look at it plus its really fun to brag about it.