1. Start simple.
Start with the easiest repairs first. Don't dive right into rebuilding your transmission. You'll gain confidence, learn how to use tools, and begin to understand how everything fits together on your car.
Here are some great repairs for novice shade tree mechanics, in order of increasing difficulty:
If you're undertaking a repair that's not on this list and you're just getting started, at least make sure it's a repair that doesn't require you to lie on your back, deep underneath your car.
If you do have to jack up your car to get underneath it, under no circumstances should you use the flimsy jack that came with the car. And never, ever get under your car, unless it's supported by approved jackstands. (Unless, of course, you can get use your mother-in-law to hold the car up. In which case, we'd like to see photos.)
Finally, when you're getting started, try to avoid repairs that involve contorting yourself into an uncomfortable position, which can make a repair vastly more difficult.
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