If you have no auto repair experiance, and want to learn the basics and learn to do some things on your own, I would say look into a non credited course at one of the local trade schools and take an intro class.

Doing the basic things such as changing oil and breaks can be done by anyone with the right tools. I think to work on a car you have to first start with the fundimentals on what parts do what and how they operate.

I have spent years around cars and could build you a pre computerized car from the ground up. Modern cars still stump me, not because I don't understand how they work, but just like everything else, you throw electronics into it and things are not as clear. Bad thing is, I work with compters for a living as a Systems Analyst.