Cars, huh, what are they good for?

As a single girl in her 30s (very early 30s by the way) I feel fairly confident in handling most things that come my way.  I pride myself on being pretty handy when necessary.  Leaky faucet?  No big deal.  A purchase where "assembly is required", no sweat.  Flipping my mattress, or moving a heavy piece of furniture, it may take me a while, and I will most likely break a sweat and cuss like a sailor, but I will accomplish the task.  Ten bags of groceries, three flights of stairs, one trip?  Done it countless times.  There is one thing in life that gets this single girl nervous though, car trouble.  I hate dealing with car issues.  I know the bare minimum about cars.  I know how to check my oil, check my tire pressure (even own my own tire gauge), and if you give me enough time I can more likely than not change a flat.  However, when my car starts shaking or jerking or rattling, I have absolutely no idea what to do except call my dad.  "Um, Dad, there's something wrong with my car.  It's doing something weird.  No, I'm not sure what, some kind of jerky thing, or you know it's um.....it feels like it's uh, lurching maybe?  Okay. Yep. No, I don't know when I first noticed it, it's been doing it a while.  Why didn't I say anything sooner?  I thought it would just get better on it's own.  Yes, yes, you did raise me common sense.  Okay, great, I'll bring it home this weekend thanks!"  This conversation did not actually take place yet, but it likely will tomorrow.