Hi everyone, I'm a 28 year old computer engineer, currently voluntarily unemployed, and planning a trip to New England for leisure purposes. Where I live I'm a public transportation user, and when I travel I usually rent a car. However, given my status, I am planning to stay longer than usual (5 to 8 weeks), and the costs of renting for such a long time are bigger than my budget allows for. I am thus considering buying a second-hand car, fixing and improving it as much as I will be able to, and selling it before I leave at a reasonable profit. I believe I am a fast and autonomous learner in regard to all things technical. I've been interested in auto mechanics for a long time without having the time to delve into it up to now. I am willing to spend a lot of time doing the required reading and research in order to achieve this project, and I think I would enjoy doing so, it would be like starting a new hobby for me. I enjoy learning for myself, and I am the type of guy who asks for help in understanding his problems, as opposed to requesting solutions from other folks. However, my experience with under-the-hood automobile issues is very minimal. I also know very little about the economic and commercial aspects that relate to motor vehicles, so I will be seeking some advice in that field as well as purely technical help. Hi everyone, I'm a 28 year old computer engineer, currently voluntarily unemployed, and planning a trip to New England for leisure purposes. Where I live I'm a public transportation user, and when I travel I usually rent a car. However, given my status, I am planning to stay longer than usual (5 to 8 weeks), and the costs of renting for such a long time are bigger than my budget allows for. I am thus considering buying a second-hand car, fixing and improving it as much as I will be able to, and selling it before I leave at a reasonable profit. I believe I am a fast and autonomous learner in regard to all things technical. I've been interested in auto mechanics for a long time without having the time to delve into it up to now. I am willing to spend a lot of time doing the required reading and research in order to achieve this project, and I think I would enjoy doing so, it would be like starting a new hobby for me. I enjoy learning for myself, and I am the type of guy who asks for help in understanding his problems, as opposed to requesting solutions from other folks. However, my experience with under-the-hood automobile issues is very minimal. I also know very little about the economic and commercial aspects that relate to motor vehicles, so I will be seeking some advice in that field as well as purely technical help. In a nutshell, I'm wondering if this is the right forum for me. I'm perfectly willing to hear that it isn't, and that it is a purely technical-focused place. More precisely, I am wondering whether there would be people in this forum who would be willing to counsel me with the buying part of my project: steering me clear of brands or models for which the spare parts are too hard or expensive to purchase, giving me a general idea of the consumer demand for certain models so I can manage to sell the thing before I leave, etc. etc. And although it may be premature at this point, I also am interested in member's opinions on how realistic this all sounds. Thanks for reading ! All answers, reactions, observations and pointers will be greatly appreciated.