Repair manual -what one?

[Next]

Looking for a repair manual for 2000 Mustang GT.

I want a comprehensive manual, including body panel if possible.

Chilton, Haynes, or save up and find a Ford shop manual or something else?

What does the Ford shop manual include or what should I look for?

 

[rlitman]

Can't speak for your model, but in general, there is no comparing a Chilton/Haynes with a real FSM.

It's like comparing a Saturday newspaper with the Yellow Pages.

 

[Davefr]

Can't speak for your model, but in general, there is no comparing a Chilton/Haynes with a real FSM.

It's like comparing a Saturday newspaper with the Yellow Pages.

^^^Exactly.

Chilton/Haynes are too watered down and generic to be of any value.

Go with factory manuals.

 

[justme-]

Buy Ford - it's several inches thick. Nothing specific for the GT, it's in the regular Mustang manual and any specifics they released later would have been in service bulletins.

Chiltons and Haynes have been recycling some of the same information and images for over 30 years. BTW, Ford (along with other oems) usually have multiple manuals - later year models would be up to 5 books to cover one vehicle, not including the wiring/electrical manual or the OBD diagnostics manuals (which were 3 ring binders, usually 2 per set that covered all cars for a model year with a separate set for trucks)
My last place of employment was with one of the nations top oem auto manual resellers.
If you want to fiddle around on the auction site you can get one relatively cheap, but if you just want to call and buy PM me and I can recommend a couple places.

 

[David Jackson]

It is interesting that when Haynes first began I got a manual for Velocette motorcycles which was excellent; and I mean that sincerely. A few years ago I got a Haynes for my little Toyota wheelbarrow; and it is almost, not quite but almost, worthless; about as worthless as a Clymer.
I did have one good Chilton, on motorcycles in the 1970s; a general book but really good! Unlike most worthless Chiltons it really was a useful tool.
Otherwise don't waste money; get factory manuals if you can.

 

[David Jackson]

Something you should know, if you don't already; there will be more than one factory manual. One will cover the engine perhaps, another the body and frame, and possibly a third for the electrical system; not always, but sometimes; just so you know.

 

[jchetty]

Always go factory. If you eye eBay, you can sometimes find them at a great deal. I have for my 00 Ford and it was worth every penny....all 3 books lol

 

[quattroJoe]

You can get a 1 year/1 vehicle subscription to Alldata for $26. If you add additional vehicles or pay for multiple years they cut you a break. Great thing about it is that you always have up to date info- new TSBs, etc, are added as they come out. A paper manual can't do that.

 

[Wamsutta]

Here's a link to the real actual Ford factory service manual that the mechanics use at the dealer. The price may seem expensive, but it comes in two volumes and each volume is about two inches thick. The manual tells you EVERYTHING about a 2000 Ford Mustang.

http://www.helminc.com/helm/product...ype=K&mscsid=75SAJ9NQGCNL9N24WKRVRW34AQ1JAJS7

 

[rlitman]

Always go factory. If you eye eBay, you can sometimes find them at a great deal. I have for my 00 Ford and it was worth every penny....all 3 books lol

My Lincoln MKZ was two books (about 3" thick each). Ran me around $50 for the pair. My Wrangler has one slightly thicker book. I have the PDF electronic version for my Impreza.

You can get a 1 year/1 vehicle subscription to Alldata for $26. If you add additional vehicles or pay for multiple years they cut you a break. Great thing about it is that you always have up to date info- new TSBs, etc, are added as they come out. A paper manual can't do that.

This is a VERY good point. The FSM will be missing TSBs, and TSBs often cover the most common failure modes you will experience (and updated repair procedures, etc.). For my part, I've gotten TSBs directly from NHTSA. You can request documents for a modest fee (they mailed me a few for free, since I didn't ask for too many). That, or serious googling can turn up some.

Here's a link to the real actual Ford factory service manual that the mechanics use at the dealer. The price may seem expensive, but it comes in two volumes and each volume is about two inches thick. The manual tells you EVERYTHING about a 2000 Ford Mustang.

http://www.helminc.com/helm/product...ype=K&mscsid=75SAJ9NQGCNL9N24WKRVRW34AQ1JAJS7

Yeah, that's the retail price. Once it's been out for a few years and the paper copies hit eBay, it drops. Still, for what you get, the full price is not that crazy.

 

[joe_padavano]

Yeah, that's the retail price. Once it's been out for a few years and the paper copies hit eBay, it drops. Still, for what you get, the full price is not that crazy.

There's a set on ebay right now. If you plan to do anything more to the car than change oil and maybe brake shoes, don't waste your time or money with anything less.

 

[Sk8Crash69]

Definitely go factory if you can, but if you had to choose between Haynes or Chilton, I always go Haynes.

 

[Next]

Thanks, looking at Ebay now.

 

[espyking83]

Alldata or Mitchells.

 

[jmm]

I keep the factory service manual AND a Haynes manual. If I need to find something simple, quick, I'll use the Haynes. For things I'm unfamiliar with, there's the FSM. Just *****, because navigating a GM manual is a real pain.

If I only had one, it'd be the factory manual. Haynes/Chilton manuals are only like 300 pages, whereas my factory manuals are spread across 3 books with well over 1000 pages.

 

[SMKS]

If you do some googling you can sometimes find the factory manual in PDF form. I've bought them on ebay in the form.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

There's some pros and cons to Chilton, Haynes and OEM.

Chilton: Cheap, available in most auto parts stores on a weekend when you need it- or discover you're in over your head and need it. Uses information based on what the OEM makes available, including many diagrams and photos from the OEM. Rehashes what the OEM has.

Haynes: They buy the car being covered, tear it down and take photos of the process. Some OEM photos and diagrams, but mostly they cover what actually happens in reality when you take a car apart. They do advise things like pulling the radiator to get clearance to get to water pump bolts for example. OEM and Chilton assume you already knew this and removed the radiator as part of a tear down. Assumes you're working in a driveway with jackstands and a creeper. A bit too amateur at times and can demonstrate shortcuts without explaining the reasons why.

OEM: Best coverage and photos, based on proper shop teardowns. Makes a lot of assumptions that you are working out of a full service bay with full height lift, transmission jacks, engine hoists, and two helpers. Repairs specify using highly specialized tools such as the NZE2-LL4 removal tool (pry bar). Can be a bit daunting if you don't speak the lingo.


Ideally you have all three, since any one problem can offer challenges that might be covered by the three sources differently.

**** EXTRA ****

Today we have another resource that wasn't around not long ago. The internet. Not sure about taking apart that dash board? Go to Youtube. Someone has taken a video of how to do it, and will mention that special hidden bolt that isn't covered in any of the manuals because it was a retrofit in production that the books don't know about. I learned that one the hard way.

 

[rlitman]

If you do some googling you can sometimes find the factory manual in PDF form. I've bought them on ebay in the form.

But the paper manual sits nicely open on my bench. I don't have a laptop or tablet in the shop, so when I want to use the PDF manual, I'm printing the pages that I need.

OEM: Best coverage and photos, based on proper shop teardowns. Makes a lot of assumptions that you are working out of a full service bay with full height lift, transmission jacks, engine hoists, and two helpers. Repairs specify using highly specialized tools such as the NZE2-LL4 removal tool (pry bar). Can be a bit daunting if you don't speak the lingo.


Ideally you have all three, since any one problem can offer challenges that might be covered by the three sources differently.

**** EXTRA ****

Today we have another resource that wasn't around not long ago. The internet. Not sure about taking apart that dash board? Go to Youtube. Someone has taken a video of how to do it, and will mention that special hidden bolt that isn't covered in any of the manuals because it was a retrofit in production that the books don't know about. I learned that one the hard way.

References to special tools in the FSM are sometimes comical. Here, the internet is really your friend.

Removing the valve cover gasket on my Chevy inline 6, the FSM shows 14 nuts (IIRC), but there's a 15th (or something like that) hidden way in the back where you can't see it directly. Internet didn't help either. That one left me wondering why the cover was stuck, and I only found the nut with a dental mirror.

 

[dclassical]

FSM is best, I have one for each of my vehicles. I also try to get both the PDF and paper versions. If they are too expensive I will just get the PDF as it makes searching for words very easy and I can just print what I need.

 

[PBCampbell]

Chilton and Mitchell both used to publish shop manuals that were comparable to the factory manuals as well.

 

[joel63]

There's some pros and cons to Chilton, Haynes and OEM.

Chilton: Cheap, available in most auto parts stores on a weekend when you need it- or discover you're in over your head and need it. Uses information based on what the OEM makes available, including many diagrams and photos from the OEM. Rehashes what the OEM has.

Haynes: They buy the car being covered, tear it down and take photos of the process. Some OEM photos and diagrams, but mostly they cover what actually happens in reality when you take a car apart. They do advise things like pulling the radiator to get clearance to get to water pump bolts for example. OEM and Chilton assume you already knew this and removed the radiator as part of a tear down. Assumes you're working in a driveway with jackstands and a creeper. A bit too amateur at times and can demonstrate shortcuts without explaining the reasons why.

OEM: Best coverage and photos, based on proper shop teardowns. Makes a lot of assumptions that you are working out of a full service bay with full height lift, transmission jacks, engine hoists, and two helpers. Repairs specify using highly specialized tools such as the NZE2-LL4 removal tool (pry bar). Can be a bit daunting if you don't speak the lingo.


Ideally you have all three, since any one problem can offer challenges that might be covered by the three sources differently.

**** EXTRA ****

Today we have another resource that wasn't around not long ago. The internet. Not sure about taking apart that dash board? Go to Youtube. Someone has taken a video of how to do it, and will mention that special hidden bolt that isn't covered in any of the manuals because it was a retrofit in production that the books don't know about. I learned that one the hard way.

Excellent reviews about the 4 sources.
I have referred to all of them anytime I need information on what I'm working on.

 

[SMKS]

But the paper manual sits nicely open on my bench. I don't have a laptop or tablet in the shop, so when I want to use the PDF manual, I'm printing the pages that I need.

My laptop sits nicely on my bench. I bring it in the garage all the time.

I actually only see downsides to printed versions. I will take a PDF version any day.

 

[justme-]

There are many, like myself, who absolutely hate PDF manuals - something about having to scroll to see the whole page, or zooming out then needing to zoom in to actually read the section I am interested in... I have to use PDF manuals at work. I know how filthy my phone case gets daily, my laptop would be trash in a week.

Subscriptions to Mitchell or alldata are expensive - Chrysler has a subscription service as does GM since they no longer publish manuals on paper. TSBs are not all that necessary for the average home mechanic - those are intended for dealers who see lots of the same cars or will be required to look for and repair a specific problem on a time sensitive basis.
As to pricing of paper manuals - Helm is the Ford authorized publisher - they print them. That is dealership retail cost from them, and yes after they car is out a while they average price drops, but the converse also happens. When a popular model car has been out for a while the manuals on the secondary market are all sold and the price increases.
I can tell you 2001-2002 F250-350 OEM manuals are scarce and very expensive. I used to get $300 a set for beaters when I was in that line of work just a couple of years ago.