Where do i learn to maintain a car in Leicester area?

[eltax91]

Bit of a long shot, but i've tried all avenues i can think of. Local colleges, council, university's, schools, everything! But i'm thinking: PH - lots of people who know about cars!

What i basically want is to learn to fix/ service my own car with a view to building my own kit car (once we buy a place with a garage!). I have just two stipulations:

Needs to be within 30 miles of Leicester & needs to be evening classes.

I don't care if there is a qualification involved or not, or how many weeks the course runs for. To a certain extent i don't even care how much it costs, i'm just desperate to try and learn!

I'm an IT professional who has a degree, so i think i have all the basic starting skills covered.
Is this lack of course availability a general problem, or is it literally just my area?

Anybody got any suggestions i might have not thought of?

[wildcards]

Southfields College now Leicester College always used to do something like this, have you asked for the latest prospectus? Is there something in a open university type of thing that you could do?

Or, work at a garage on Saturdays for free or buy a simple scrapper as a project and see if you can build it up.

[eltax91]

Didn't think open university would have been my best bet, simply because it would not be hands on, which is what i was after. I tried what is now Leicester college, and to be honest pretty much all the colleges in L'boro, Charnwood and north Northampton. Found one in Brum, but there was no way of making it by 6 o'clock as it was 40 miles away!!

that's a very good thought about the working at a garage. Any Leicester based garages out there that fancy some free IT help/ consultancy in return for a few Saturday mornings teaching me basics about mechanics?

I have thought about buying a scrapper and playing around, but really wanted to learn the basics ahead of getting new house with garage etc (probably a year from now) so that i could jump in feet first, order a kit and get building!

If it comes to move time and i've still not managed to get any experience together, then i guess i'll be buying a scrapper first and learning the hard way!!

Edited by eltax91 on Tuesday 3rd April 16:18

[petclub]

Hi, Longslade near me used to do night school course, don't know if they still do (Birstall). I think Wreake Valley at Syston did as well.

[eltax91]

Cheers for that petclub, they both appear to not do vehicle courses, nevertheless they'll both be getting emails tomorrow to ask!!

Anyone else know of anywhere that i may be able to study?

Eltax

[Mrs Fish]

James here:

Clearly you have the intellect, you may learn faster using a haynes and just getting into it with a set of tools. Have fun...

[Bob the Planner]

Mrs Fish said:

James here:

Clearly you have the intellect, you may learn faster using a haynes and just getting into it with a set of tools. Have fun...

Thats how I learnt on a Mk2 Escort including an engine re-build. The important thing is to have the right tools and taking your time to get it right. I'm sure once you started you could post specific questions on here and get a sensible response. TBH the only thing I get checked by someone else in the brakes - I don't mind the bits that make me go breaking because I've been an idioy but I want to be able to stop reliably.

I hope you find the right course or start on the DIY method and end up building the car you want.

[eltax91]

Thanks for the support guys! i was thinking the same thing really, if i don't get to find a course be September this year, then i'll be renting a garage and buying an old car to strip down/ rebuild engine etc. Most probably going to be an old shed of a Ford Sierra, as this is what the kit car i've chosen is based on. Will get the engine bored, ported & polished etc and have it mega-powered ready for the kit!

What do you guys think to a Sierra? Good to learn on? Is the best one to get a 2.0 pinto for uprating ability? (Can't get the 4x4 as it is not accomadated for in the kits)

Edited by eltax91 on Monday 9th April 10:58