I feel like I don't know shit about cars. I drive a 2008 Toyota Camry. Never been on the highway. Never changed a tire. I don't parallel park. I don't speed.
I just feel so disconnected from my car. I got it about 8 months ago. I bought it so I could see a woman more often but she friend zoned me and I cut contact. Before that I was taking the bus which was a curse and boon.
Basically, how do I feel like less of a bitch when dealing with cars? I just don't want to break it.
Get a repair manual, and set of tools and start doing basic maintenance on your shit box, like oil and filter changes
That's how almost all of us all learned.
If you can get a second car, get a really cheap shitty car you won't mind breaking, preferably manual. Then proceed to have fun in it, stomp on the gas at highway on ramps, take turns extra hard, do stuff in empty parking lots.
>driving for 8 months
>Never been on the highway
Literally how. Do you just not go places?
I go to work and to the gym. Ever since that woman friend zoned me... I realize exactly how little I have to do. I just have no where to go. Everything feels like a chore.
buy a bmw e36 (a 3 series from the late 90s) and any time something goes wrong or needs fixing, look up how to do it online, buy the tools and parts needed, and just follow the guide.
you'll get pretty good at wrenching pretty fast, and have an absolutely excellent daily driver
>Everything feels like a chore.
You have bigger problems than no car skills, get checked for depression.
Highways are actually the easiest thing to drive on, a newer driver just has to get used to the speed. Don't worry about that so much. Cars are like dirty, rusty Legos, if you have the tools you can do a lot yourself. I don't blame you for not parallel parking if you don't live in a big city, I rarely have to and will find a better spot just so someone doesn't box me in or dent my car.
Don't get an underpowered 4 cylinder one though, they're slow as balls.
The 6 cylinders are by far the better engines.
>I drive a 2008 Toyota Camry.
>I just feel so disconnected from my car.
Working as intended.
>guys I want to be a better care owner
>BUY A BMW IS GUD RACEKAR
I don't mean to turn this into an autistic shit fit but it's kinda funny is all.
Go on the highway.
Just go.
Stomp the gas on the on-ramp.
not even a racekar thing, the 4 cylinders are borderline dangerously slow. and not slow car fast entertaining.
the 6 cylinders are all you should consider
He does have a point though, an E36 is a pretty good starting point for anyone wanting to get into cars. Not too expensive, easy enough to work on, lots of aftermarket and a very good chassis.
also the amount of support online is staggering. i knew the e36 scene was big but their forums are blazing fast active and you can get an accurate diagnosis to almost any rattle or noise or groan in minutes
Doesn't surprise me that much honestly, they're basically Europe's S-chassis.
... i think you missed the point
"getting into cars" is not always "i want to build a racecar"
some just want a cute / unique little run about they look after.
The beauty of the E36 is that it's a really versatile platform, you can turn it into pretty much anything you like. Track rocket, drift missile, comfy highway cruiser, all viable possibilities.
Although I do love me some tiny funboxes as well.
Easy, set yourself a goal and do it.
People always ask "How do i get more into cars" but its up to you. You need to tell me what you want to do.
Going on the highway? go try it!
Changing a tire? its a simple affair my friend. You have a tire changing kit in the boot?
if in doubt look in the manual that comes with the car, it includes some basic instructions on changing a tire, it should also tell you when you need to do maintenance.
Parallel parking? Youtube.
infact, the majority of tasks you want to do on your car can be referenced on youtube.
Im guessing youre american, what state are you in?
Nobody ever said anything about building a race car you fucking sperg
Realize a car means freedom, the bus doesn't dictate your life now. Go on an adventure, explore, just take a day and drive. Get lost find your way back. There's much more about owning a vehicle than the maintenance. You'll learn your cars limit with experience and the majority aren't made of glass so it'll probably surprise you what you can do with it.
>Everything feels like a chore.
That's something bigger, hopefully it's the girl so it will pass.
Also, just get on the highway,go about 10 exits and see what's there. Bonus points if you leave your phone in the back seat out of reach so you can't check the map until you really need to.
Also, how old,op?
Op here. I understand what you guys are saying. I am 26 by the way.
Also, are 4 cylinder cars bad? My Toyota Camry is 4 cylinder. Is that not okay?
Nah, 4 cylinder cars aren't inherently bad. Some of the most fun cars ever made have 4 cylinders.
4 cylinder E36s are just hugely underpowered because they were strictly economy variants and were pretty much an afterthought. The 6 cylinder variants are the ones to go for.
The number of cylinders doesn't really matter unless you're a muscle car guy.
You can have fun in all sorts of vehicles. I have a Veloster Turbo right now and everyone says it's a boring, ugly piece of shit. They might be right, but I'm having a blast driving it. Turns tight, peppy as all hell and fun to take out driving in the range.
You can have fun in all sorts of cars. I personally wouldn't modify a Camry but it's your car.
What I would do is once you have $2k-4k, go on Craigslist and start looking at what's available. Try and find a car that pops out to you. Find something that you look at and go "I want it". Try and get a manual car. You'll feel more in control and more connection to the vehicle. The engine size is pretty irrelevant if you're buying what you like.
2vz-fe and 3vz-fe engines are way fun, but the size of the Camrys engine bay makes maintenance and repairs are a bit tedious and the 4 bangers are better for learn2wrench
>plus way better MPGs vs the Toyota V6s
>not doing that stuff in your main daily.
hell turns out sanic is a touge monster
it is insured for 4k more than i paid for it and i have large accident forgiveness so if i go full guardrail its not a big deal
>get checked for depression
Is this contagious? I saw someone unhappy this morning and ever since then I've also felt unhappy. How serious is it??
It can kill you in a matter of hours.
You just need to go do something. Go outside right now take a tire off and put it back on. The tools and instructions are all inside your car/owners manuel and you have the internet. Next timw tou need an oil change do it yourself over the weekend. Its a 15-20min job and if yoi fuck it up so bad you have the weekens to tow it to a shop if you are really that inept. 2ND option would be buy a motorcycle. Learn to wrench on that since bikes are just toys for adults. You don't even have to go fast or lean deep on a bike to have fun.
If you are asking how to get into cars you actually dont really want to do it because there is tons of info how to all over the internet.
Sell it. Buy a cheap Panther.
Its still a shitbox, but its rwd and has a huge engine bay thats EXTREMELY easy to work on. IMO theyre the best newish cars for the novice mechanic who wants to learn but needs something reliable enough to daily drive.
just gotta do little stuff until you get more comfortable