As a welder, you are learning skills that you can trade to other car-guys for work on your car, while you learn, too.
A good welder is worth his weight in silver to racers or customizers. Join the local Sports Car Club of America, visit your local circle track or just attend some local car cruise nights. Lots of opportunities to learn and have fun at the same time.
I agree with @texases. Buy a Bentley-VJ10 2005 - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta Official Factory Repair Manual (hard cover, 1,352 pages). Itāll run you you about 100 Bucks for a new copy. His suggestion to additionally get the other manual(s) is good , too.
Having good manuals doesnāt cost, it pays. As you have noticed the money saved on just one DIY oil change can just about buy your manuals.
Also, having good information will build your confidence and also let you know if a certain procedure looks like something you should be attempting at a given skill level.
CSA
Buy a Haynes Manual for your car. They are around $20, and designed for the DIYer. I have bought one for every car Iāve owned in recent decades and feel they are well worthwhile.
Some classics, entertainingly readable, that have helped me along the way are John Muir (not the conservationist)'s book on how to keep your Volkswagen alive, and a similar title, different author, on Toyota trucks.
Peruse the shelves at your local library. If they donāt have a book you want to read, ask and they can very probably get other titles for you quickly.
Just remember the Muir book is for Beetles. But a good read.
You got lots of great advice.
I particularly liked the key point made by @Mustangman, which was:
Enjoy the journey.That is a critical prerequisite.
Amen to Joeās comment. I traveled to where I am knowledge-wise (wherever THAT is) because I enjoyed the journey. Thatās the single most important thing.
This is a little off topic but it might help the person to ask more questions. He states he asked how much for an oil change and was given a really high amount and apparently did not ask what all was being done for that amount. He also did not indicate if he checked with any other place. Asking questions until you understand what you are paying for or if you are getting what you want is just sensible.
The first factory service manual I bought was for my 68 Dodge Dart. I think I paid $10 for it which was expensive back then. It was really a wealth of information and detailed repair procedures that otherwise were unknown to me. It was very well done with good pictures. They have gone down hill since but are still one of the very best sources of complete and accurate repair information. But, cars are not like they used to be and often now it is just better to let a pro handle some items with the proper tools and diagnostic equipment. The service manual can help make that decision though.
āThe first factory service manual I bought was for my 68 Dodge Dart. I think I paid $10 for it which was expensive back then.ā
I still buy the factory manuals for all my cars. Those $10 manuals now cost $150 -$200 for my current cars, but adjusted for inflation is a similar investment, AND they are now several thousand pages, weigh 5 to 8 pounds and are usually a 2 or 3 volume set!
But, cars are not like they used to be and often now it is just better to let a pro handle some items with the proper tools and diagnostic equipment. The service manual can help make that decision though.
The manuals are a wealth of information in one convenient place. Every set of manuals Iāve purchased has paid for itself in short order. Proper coolant fill procedure, torque specs, brake servicing, jacking points, RPO code lists, and everything in between are in there. Iāve never regretted the purchase and would feel lost without them.
CSA</b>
One note for folks looking for a factory service manual for their own car. In book format they can sometimes be difficult to find for older cars, but they are often available in computer readable format, like pdf files, on CDās you can purchase for less than $50 per set. A few manufactures keep even new-car FSMās available for reading on the internet.
Why the internet FSM method isnāt more widespread, I can only speculate. One reason, the car sales-staff object as they think it might give potential buyers a reason to shy away after they read something in the FSM saying that ā for example ā the engine oil canāt be changed without some complicated procedure.
Volvo youāre right I should have asked more questions but I didnāt simply asked for oil change and I did take it to other place they all said it will be expensive because itās a vw
Oil change is expensive because it is a VW. That is malarkey.
This is an automotive textbook, which I find to be decent
āAutomotive Technology, a systems approachā by Jack Erjavec and Rob Thompson. I have the 6th edition, thereās probably a newer one by now. It covers pretty much everything.
check out tommorowstechnician.com . . . I think thatās got your name all over it
also check out enginebuildermag.com
I like motor.com and autoinc.com . . . but itās geared toward guys that have literally been doing it for decades
Iām veering off of the auto knowledge question and might ask a question about the welding school. Is this one of those fairly high priced 12-18 month schools with promises of high paying welding jobs upon completion of the course?
If so, you may (or may notā¦) be in for a disappointment. There is a large welding school in my state which advertises the goods and is more like UTI in operation.
A lifelong friend of mine is a fantastic welder and torch man. Some years ago he decided to attend that school and thought he might pick up some tips on the more unusual metals and techniques that he wasnāt very familiar with. Great jobs with big bucks was the promise.
The reality wasā¦
His first job they sent him to was a logging plant in SE OK where his job was slop welding equipment as it broke. Sometimes he would work 14 hours straight and then sent home to wait on call for 2, 3 or 7 days until something broke again.
Giving that up, the next place they sent him was to CO Springs in February to do some crude (for him anyway) welding on structural steel. This turned into work for 2 weeks and adios when the work dried up.
At that point he said to hxxx with it and came home to go back welding in the oil patch. He said that the cost benefit ratio of what he learned in that school vs the dent in his bank account was very skewed.
Yeah my welding school was 10 months I was lucky I had a teacher who was real and said donāt believe the hype that in order for us to make money in welding we have to put in the time I have like 3 years experience in still a beginner and will stay a beginner because there is always room for improvement I just want to add more knowledge like cars bodywork and blacksmithing just for myself but yeah I understand what you mean because I am finding it hard to find a good job because I lack the experience hopefully that will change because Iām trying to get out of the job Iām at now
I told the story before but my dad had worked as a welder some before WWII. During the war though he got sent to the shipyards in Wisconsin to weld Navy ships for the war in lieu of enlisting. He thought he was a pretty good welder but the instructor he had at the ship yard exclaimed āwho the heck taught you how to weld, youāre the second guy from the same town Iāve had here. If you stick with me though Iāll teach you how to WELD.ā Then he proceeded to demonstrate his skills by grabbing two electrode holders, one in each hand and doing a vertical weld with both at the same time. The class was impressed. From that my dad went on to be a Naval certified welder later working on missal launchers. I wish he would have taught me a little better though and I wouldnāt be such a hack now.
Same advice everysame advice everyone gives me itās all about hood time keep practicing you will get better
Also want to say thank you all this is an awesome forum great group of people on here thanks again
Yes, as with any job, you get better, the longer you do it
If anybody tells you they were a great mechanic, welder, etc. from day one, that person is a stinkinā liar 
Lol yes youāre right