Never has the dream of maintaining your own car been more attainable. Sure, they have become much more complicated, but unlike 10 years ago you can now get all the information you need via the World Wide Web. Auto mechanics used to pass along their years of experience to young apprentices who aspired to see their name on a shop door someday. This "database" took years to download, and you had to be in the room with the guy to get it! Now you're a click away from the truth. Or are you?

With the power of the Internet come a new barrel of problems. While there are thousands of very qualified mechanics participating in forum discussions or maintaining websites, there are an equal number of idiots, wannabes and trouble makers ready to make your job even harder. One piece of wrong info, for instance the firing order of your engine's cylinders, can really set you back. Like any automotive tool, you need to know how to properly use the Internet as an auto repair reference.

More and more mechanics are taking their laptops into the shop. A PC can be set up as a complete diagnostic tool, and in some cases can even re-flash your car's ECU to new specs. If you've got WiFi at home you can even surf for more info while you're staring right at the problem. The internet has truly revolutionized home auto repair, and we thank Al Gore for this every day. However, being the luddite that I am, I feel there is no substitute for a good ole repair manual sitting on the fender. There are going to be things that you need to look up, and surfing the web with gear oil on your fingers will guarantee that you've just donated a perfectly good laptop to full-time garage use. Besides, greasy fingerprints on the pages of a repair manual are like little black badges of courage.

Definitely use the web for research, troubleshooting and general learning, but keep in mind that something you read on the internet is only as good as the guy that put it there. You should follow a few Internet Car Repair Rules to be sure you aren't led astray as you dive into the Automotive Empowerment Zone.