shop manual

[southpier]

Hayes or Bentley?

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Neither, get the factory issued reference that the dealers tech are using (ebay). Life is too short for the plagiarized condensed version. If you have never had access to, or never used the factory books, you have absolutely no idea of how much info you are missing out on, plus the tools to do it right, at least you know what you should have, or can use to "get by".

 

[Shadowdog500]

I always get the factory manuals. You can find electronic ones pretty cheap on e-bay.

I also got the factory parts manual when available. The illustrations with referenced part numbers come in handy, especially when trying to get parts for something that is 35 and 57 years old. It also helps (sometimes) to see exactly how things go together.

[UPDATE]
Damn, I type too slow. +1 above post. Once you get a factory manual you will probably never go aftermarket again.

Chris

 

[1969]

What they said........ factory manuals.

 

[farmall]

Bentley is 10 times better than Haynes or Chilton wich are the same now I think.
FSMs are the best of course.

 

[ghnl]

Many factory manuals assume a full complement of factory tools.

Bentley will either show work arounds or explain why it'd be better to let the dealer do certain jobs.

 

[reznunt]

F A C T O R Y! happy thxgiving. =)

 

[Stuart in MN]

You didn't mention what vehicle. For BMWs, the Bentley manual is usually very good and the Haynes manual is not (and in many ways the Bentley is better than the factory manual too; it's easier to read and has better photos.) Having said that I have all three manuals...you can't have too much information.

 

[ket-tek]

For my long termed owned vehicles, and especially if it's a project vehicle I pick up real factory service manuals. They can get pricey, but as mentioned you can get PDF version off ebay for like $5-10 sometimes that have the entire factory manuals on them. The vac and electrical/wiring diagrams can be a huge help when building a custom car.

Like mentioned to, those manuals do refer to specialty tools and test equipment expected to be at the dealerships, so that is a good point about the others being geared towards a DIY guy. I've haven't had much problem with the chiltons/haynes/bentley books for routine maintenance they all should get you through most basic stuff.

 

[LawnDart79]

Here's an example of what an aftermarket service manual looks like inside.

1) Disconnect negative battery cable.

2) Since different vehicles may have different options, remove all necessary parts to facilitate component removal.

3) Reverse procedure to install.

...well maybe a little exaggerated but not too far from the truth.

So, I recommend buying factory books as well.

 

[Gary S]

Check here.
http://www.factoryautomanuals.com/
They sell used factory manuals. You might find the one you need without paying full price for a new one.

 

[KrisKustomPaint]

If you are mechanically inclined you don't really need the "factory" manual. I've worked as a body man and upholstery for years and there is no service manual for how to take a fender off of a 2006 BMW, or how to align the convertible top frame on a 2003 Eclipse. You just figure it out. If the part doesn't come off then you figure out whats holding it on. I've gotten by with Chilton manuals for years. They aren't an exact step by step, but they get you in the ball park. If you need someone to hold your hand and tell you which screwdriver to use on what screw, you probably shouldn't be working on your own car. That being said BMW's are a royal pain to take apart and sometimes I wish I would have had a more in depth reference, it all depends on the car you're working on.