Newbie looking for advice
 

I just joined this forum tonight and could use some help. I want to know how to maintain and repair a car. Growing up I've always wanted an Eclipse and recently have seen one for sale for $800 it does need some help on the body as all of the color and such is faded. Also the transmission according to the owner is in need of a swap. Any suggestions on how to maybe negotiate a better deal or how I could fix the car up would be great.

Get yourself a haynes or chiltons manual. Read the owners manual for recommended service to be performed. Learning how to properly maintain a car is not something that can be taught to you via an online forum. You gotta get in there and start learning things on your own. We can certainly help you out, but without knowing your capabilities or what kind of budget you are on, it's hard to know where to start. If this is your first vehicle and you are wanting to drive it right away, I think your better off getting something that does not require a trans swap. That is not something a novice can pull off very easily or quickly. What year is the Eclipse and how many miles are on it?

got tools? I would recomend adding about 500 bucks to your budget for basic tools. 1800 if youre serious about it.
Trans swaps are pretty easy.
Paint work is not something a novvy will usually get good results on. (add another >1000$ for a gun and compressor) and you need patience and a dust free garage. For a month if youre doing it by hand.
Dont mean to put you off, but this is old school men's work, not something you can download on your iphone.
(theres a reason mechanics charge >45$/hr)

If you don't know, a turbo Eclipse is certainly not a car you want to start with. Non turbo Eclipses might as well be called Dodge Neons, because that's where their engine/transmission came from... did I mention they're pieces of ****?

Do yourself a favor, and buy a nice reliable Honda Civic, and tinker with that until you're comfortable taking an engine down to it's bare components, then move on.

That's the best advice I can give.

Very good advise. You don't want to start with a project unless your ready for it.