I consider myself a person who does their own repairs. I buy the factory service manuals for my vehicles. Having the factory diagnostic procedures is very helpful even if you decide not to do the work yourself -- it's helpful to know what repairs need to be taken to solve a particular problem.

Car repair can be a fun hobby, but in my opinion it's rarely cost effective. Most procedures require single purpose tools. I elect to do my own work because I'm particular about the quality of the work and I enjoy doing it.