well i do know the mechanic put in a new engine, so that's been taken care of..

i'll ask for service records then and see what they say (and then come here for interpretation )

the cost of maintenance is not the *biggest* concern but i still dont want to be in the shop all the time kwim?

btw, DIY does stand for do-it-yourself right?
i would *love* to do that stuff and am really good at following instructions..that said i have zero car experience..could someone like me really fix minor car issues? are there manuals or books out that could help?
thanks