Yeah I second this. I could diagnose a PC problem, pull it apart, swap hardware out, put it back together again without a second thought. But something goes wrong with my car and I'm all like "car's broken, better call the mechanic". Can anyone recommend a beginner's guide to mechanics? I feel like even some basic knowledge would go a long way.
Buy a cheap car (i.e. a MX5/Miata) and go racing (on a racetrack). Stuff will break and you will have to fix it, since it's not your daily car there is no pressure in having it fixed on time, just take your time and figure out how to fix whats broken. Youtube is a great source for instruction videos. Even if the car does not break, you will still need to wrench on it to upgrade the brakes, engine, transmission, suspension etc, make it more suitable for racing. In the end you'll have the knowledge, a racecar, a great new hobby, a lot of fun and meet a lot of cool people.
Or next time you buy a new car, just keep your old one as a project.
That's what I did when my old car died. I was originally going to sell it for parts on Craigslist, but then I got the crazy idea in my head to buy some tools and attempt the repair myself over the summer. Got it back in working order and I've been wrenching on it ever since.
Like you said, no pressure in having it fixed on time if it's not your daily driver.
This is actually how I became a programmer; cutting my teeth on problem solving physical systems, and learning how to self-teach using Haynes manuals fixing a classic F-body Trans Am.
I would start with a cheap OBDII reader ($50 or less) that has a real-time feature that can show you what all the sensors (o2, intake temperature, etc) are saying.
That's a more fun start than a book, and it might lead you in a certain direction as to which book you might want to read.
Also seconded. Tracking down the root cause of a check engine light is very similar to debugging. What the code says...say "Catalytic Converter Below Efficiency" isn't necessarily what's wrong. Often times, that means "bad o2 sensor". As in our space, picking the right tool makes a big difference as well.
