I couldn't really think of anything more specific for the title since this is my first post, I'm soon to be a new driver, and honestly, I want to try and get a good start on taking care of my vehicle, now and in the future.
I'll start by saying that I do not have my driver's license yet, but thats by choice. I honestly do not feel I am ready for the responsibility of driving, and as such, its put my career dreams on hold as well. (I aspire to work in the Veterinary field). During the downtime, I would like to start learning more about this car, and understanding how things work, learning to fix things on my own. The car needs a lot of work, thats undeniable, but I'm beginning to suspect that some of these repairs are going to be very expensive, and given the mileage on the car (~161,250mi on the engine/body. Stock, original engine, headgasket was replaced recently, if I'm not mistaken, or it may have been the master cylinder, I wasn't really interested in knowing at the time.)
Essentially, I want to know where to start. I know that initially, the car is definitely going to see a mechanic, that much is certain, but beyond that, maintenance, future mechanical upgrades, etc, I would like to learn to do on my own.
What car repain manual companies would you recommend? I've been told Chilton's is a good start.
Its a 1997 Black V6 Mustang Coupe, Automatic Transmission, it was purchased as a repo from an auction, and thus, the car has suffered from various plights as a result of the repossession process.
Currently, the issues that are readily apparent are as follows:
-Coming out of the driveway, and sometimes over bumps, the car squeaks, if I'm not mistaken, its mostly from the front end. My suspicion is that the shocks or suspension need work.
-Oil leak. Not very big, but its still leaking nonetheless.
-The doorpanels are loose. I intend to replace the sound system (the car still has the original tape deck and CD player, as well as speakers) and would like to know if there is anything I can do to tighten these panels up. This is likely from the repo.
-The driver's side window is off track, and whatever means was taken to repair it left the driver's side panel incredibly loose. The window/lock panel is loose, and well, its just loose.
-The alarm likes to go off on a whim (random. Some days it doesn't, other days it does. As you can imagine, this is a pain in a parkinglot, earning the looks and stares of passersby) if you open the passenger side door without the key in the ignition and the electrical components powered on (that stage between starting and being completely off. I'm new to this, so bear with me
). Is there any simple means to disable the alarm completely?
-Seats need replacing. Well, actually, only the driver's side seat. The fabric is splitting and the foam is as well, leaving the left side lower than the right. Very annoying. Any brands/models that you could recommend as a decent replacement? The interior is black, with the seats being mostly greyish black.
-Stuff has managed to get down inside the different gaps in the center console/e-brake housing/shifter housing. Not interfering, but its unsightly. Is there an easy method to pop the panels off or something?
-Pulls a bit upon braking, not to mention the car is slightly out of alignment anyways. Steering is also a bit loose. Thats better left to a trained professional though.
-How do I change the oil? Is it a simple process (unscrewing something on the bottom of the oilpan like on even older cars) or should I just ask to sit in on its next trip to the mechanic to get a better understanding of how to do it myself?
As I'd imagine, I'm sure most all of this is covered in a car repair manual, so if thats the case, then by all means, don't bother to reply to each one individually. The squeaking problem and oil leak, as well as steering and alignment issues are likely to be a mechanic's job though.
Either way, I'm looking forward to getting my license when I feel I'm ready for it, and taking care of this car. It really needs some TLC. Paint is starting to peel, lots of chips and scratches. Its got a lot of miles, but I think if I clean it up, it'll last me many more years. I intend to keep it for the long haul. I can't imagine it has much trade-in value because of underlying problems and the age. (its been rear-ended, as far as I know, when it was inspected, there was no damage found)
Anyways, sorry for the long, and probably mostly uncessary writing of information. I'm sure I could have just asked about a car manual, but hey, if I can get more answers too, I'd like to learn about the rest too while I'm at it.
Oh, one final question: I don't know anything about how to implement a sound system, but given the compact size of the car, I'm sure i could go with a smaller set of subs and mid-range speakers. What size would work best/would you recommend if I opted to keep my rear seats? I've been told two 10" subs would work well, but then it comes down to quality/price, as well as what mid-ranges and amps to look into. Knowing nothing about who makes good speakers, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. I honestly don't trust a salesperson to give me unbiased, informative answers.
Basically, I'm wanting a system with good quality, a bit heavier on the bassy (yeah, I'm at that age where I like loud music, what can I say?) side of things, but not something thats going to completely overpower the rest of the system, while remaining reasonably priced. I don't know what kind of money I'd be looking to spend, but my lack of knowledge in wiring means I'll probably have to pay to have them installed too, as well as figure out an enclosure that works best. Ideally, the deck would have some form of EQ, as well as the ability to play CD's and utilize a line-in from my MP3 player. All in all, I really don't know what kind of money I'd have to have available to make this happen, but I'd imagine it isn't cheap.
Ahh, that ended up being much longer than I wanted it too. Sorry again, but for what its worth, I'm eager to learn, so at least all your reading/potential responses won't go to waste!
Thanks for your time, look forward to hearing responses.
1997 Mustang needs a lot of work, I'm looking to learn about doing my own maintenance 
