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Car Manuals. A never ending source of infomation.

Nut Kracker

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I want to point out how handy the Car Maintenance Manual is.
Many questions on this Forum can simply be answered by information contained in these books.
These books are easy to understand and contain a miriad of infomation for the novice right up to the very experienced.
They contain everything from changing a wheel and servicing your car to right up to disassembling the engine. (Not that everyone would attempt that.)
But they do have a lot of simple things you can do or diagnose yourself.

These books don't always replace the experience, knowledge, tricks of the trade and modifications people have gained over the years.

Don't get me wrong, people are are always here to answer any questions you might have.
All I am saying is, it may relieve some frustration.

For around $30, I would highly recommend investing in one of these.
 

Calaber

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They are the best thing since sliced bread - IF YOU CAN GET THEM. And if they are the factory produced manual. Many of the aftermarket ones aren't worth a bumper as they try to cover too many models within one volume and leave important details out or are poorly printed.

The days of a factory workshop manual being readily available are long gone. Most modern manuals are only held by authorised repairers (ie dealerships) or cost a motza as a DVD. Some are available as internet downloads but most of those are questionable or expensive also. Many current model cars still don't have even aftermarket manuals available. For example, VE Commodore. First released late 2006, but still no aftermarket manual available to my knowledge. Ditto my 2006 Captiva. Probably dozens of other examples as well.
 

SavVYute

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Have to agree some manuals are poorly written. When you read them it sounds like a mechanic has pulled the vehicle apart and dictated the instructions over his shoulder to his offsider who writes it all down. Trouble is English wasn't the mechanic's first language.
 

Jonah 101

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I found a few GEN2 commodore manuals in my bosses crap. Really wish i found them earlier, I came when i found the book of wiring diagrams..
 

markbaja

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In our shed, we have a 6 volume factory manual, with $11 price tags for a car we once owned.

Want to know which car?

1979 Chrysler sigma! These manuals have it all, and my dad even stripped the old astron 2 engine down and rebuilt it using the factory manuals.

I'd love one for my vy, and not a supercheap $29 manual with barely basic info.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
 

_R_J_K_

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Gregories seem to be best as far as consumer manuals go.

My Gregories that only covered a VS V6 was the same thickness as the Haynes which tries to cover VR/VS + 3800 + Ecotec + 5 Litre. How can you cover two models and three engines in the same book?

Gregories FTW.
 

SavVYute

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One of the best car manuals I've ever read is "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive". A Manual of step by step procedures for the complete idiot. By John Muir. First published in 1969. Beautifully written and illustrated and a great read even if you've never owned an early aircooled Volksy.
 

Shearer

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I learn to rebuild an Aussie 4 speed gearbox using a Gregorys (mainly cause I didn't want to get my Genuine Holden manual greasy :p)

Annoying that factory VY (or VT-VZ) manuals on DVD cost a bomb..... pity some sneaky bugger can't rip of few copies and wack them on ebay for a fraction of the price of a genuine one :wax:
 

Big-Al

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I rebuilt my first engine - holden 202 Red - from a maintenance manual. was heaps of fun.
 

Nut Kracker

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Many current model cars still don't have even aftermarket manuals available. For example, VE Commodore. First released late 2006, but still no aftermarket manual available to my knowledge.

Haynes and Gregory's do have manuals for the VE Commodore. 2006 to 2012. They are available on line from http://www.haynes.com.au/prod2245.htm or
http://www.pitstop.net.au/view/marques-holden/page/query/plu/25973/

I think they have only just been available at or around the start of this year.
I rang Haynes late last year and they said they would try and have them before Christmas, but didn't like the chances.

When I had my 1989 Nissan GQ Patrol, I purchased a Factory Manual for it from a Nissan dealer in Bendigo (Vic). It cost me $120.00 back in 1990.
It was the best. It had over 400 pages totally dedicated to that model.
 
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