Customer Reviews

How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive : A Manual of Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

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Commonly referred to as the "Idiot Manual" or the "Muir Book" among VW fanatics. It covers all air cooled VW models. It is a book that I love and cherish! It is different than any other auto manual you've ever see. It is aimed at the complete idiot! It has NO pictures and only hand drawings and illustrations. This makes all illustrations very clear because it leaves out all the extraneous stuff that photos include. It has lots of text but this is a good thing. John Muir is an old hippie that loved his VW's. He instills this love in all his readers as well. This book's strong point is teaching this love of your car as well as teaching you the ongoing maintenance. I feel the tune-up and maintenance portion of this book is better than the other books. The other big plus of this book is that it's just plain fun to read. I've read it cover to cover a few times. It's that entertaining! The only weak part of this book is for serious (professional) mechanic's who want a technical manual for ALL parts of the bus. for example, here is an actual quote from the book. "The trans (transaxle) overhaul is not in this book. Not only can't you do it but we won't either." I don't mind that one bit! I couldn't do it so I appreciate them telling me. It covers the basic maintenance and repair (99% of anything you will need done on your car/bus) in a clearer, step by step, way than any other book. If I had to have only one repair book, this would be it, without question.

This book is near the top of my all-time best books list. My brother gave me a copy of this book when my first Beetle engine threw a rod. It enabled me (a 17-year-old overhaul virgin) to completely overhaul the engine by myself. 17 years later, it's very dog-eared, but has helped me through several overhauls, and has given me the confidence to tackle a Bug restoration. If you can only afford one VW book, this is it. Doesn't cover body work much, but the mechanical system description and illustrations will appeal to anyone funky enough to own an air-cooled VW. I'm pleased to see that it is still in print. John Muir is gone now, but he lives large in my estimation!

It all began in 1970, with my first VW, a 1967 Squareback, found in a backyard in our nation's capitol. I had to replace all hoses,belts and external gaskets, plus overhaul the dual Solex carbs(not covered bu the Guide!) just to get that babe running. It was worth it! That $200.00 car took me and my sweethart to the Grand Canyon and further, and was sold to a man who had a lot of money and time on his hands. The "Guide" has helped me through 14 or so VW's, including a "66 Ghia, '78 2 liter van and a 412 4-speed wagon(actual German edition). Now I own an '81 Vanagon, an '84 rabbit deluxe, and several parts cars on my property. Thanks be to John Muir

Don't buy a VW until you've got your hands on this book. I found it in Australia by pure luck before buying a bus and setting off with my wife on the northern coastal route from Perth to Sidney. 35,000 km and five months later, I, a total klutz at mechanics, had kept our 20 year old VW on the road, through electrical problems, snapped shock absorbers, oil changes, tune ups, desert bull dust and a two-day destruction derby called the Gibb River Road ("Warning.This road is unsuitable for conventional vehicles" the sign said...). Its descriptions of procedures and the accompanying illustrations are a model of clarity. Its practical advice is cast iron. Most of all, its a joy to read - warm, funny and with a kind of sideways philosophy to it that everyone who runs an old VW will share. Hell, even if you're not planning to buy a VW, get the book anyway. It'll probably change your mind.

Anyone who owned a Volkswagen around 1970 will tell you that this book was more important than Shakespeare's complete works. When I first bought this volume, I too was in addition to being a new owner of an old Volkswagen a mechanical idiot. But soon thereafter when my four-wheeled friend's engine blew up, I opened this book, grabbed hold of each noun and went through the motions of each verb -and when I was through, to my amazement the engine ran! Not only does the book do what it says, it does it elegantly, artistically, and humorously, and it bespeaks a simple & down-to-earth 'road trip' that all of us would be better off to follow. This book also signified the end of my life as a well-educated klutz, and I'm sure it has done the same for others. Finally, when this volume was originally published, it was the FIRST pop science book, and as such it is one of the more important volumes of the 20th Century. Really. Robert B. Butler, Mahopac, NY 10541

1972 and my first VW, a blue Ghia, living at 9000ft in the Colorado hills and someone gave me this book. It saved me money, it saved me time, it made me laugh, it made me cry! It is the best car book ever written. I just passed by here to see if it were still in print. The old (white cover, spiral bound) edition I had I passed on to my brother. He knew nothing, but took off in his 68 bug around the US (not across, around the perimeter). Tuned up in So Dak so well the car made it all the way back to Vt with 2 ignition wires crossed! The frontpiece artwork of John Muir trying to sleep as his thought bubble shows an engine disassembled is worth the price. Excellent gift.

This is the essential manual for all air cooled VW's. Great guide for beginners. Teaches: valve adjustments, timing, clutch adjustments, engine removal, steering box adjustment, brakes, etc. Provides mechanical foundation for any make auto repairs. Must have.

This book, with its tongue-in-cheek humor and fun attitude towards one of the most personable cars ever, literally put me on the road in my first car. A VW Beetle with no floor, a barely-serviceable engine, and a million and one problems was no match for the The Guide, as my dad and I called it. It was by our sides as we rebuilt my first car, then my second... entertaining and informative -- a MUST for anyone who owns an air-cooled VW and wants to perform their own maintenance or repairs.

Definately the "how to" book on fixing the VW. Experience has shown that using this book, I've cut down on maintenance cost as much as 60% on my daily driven 67 Bug, while having pretty basic mechanical skills. This book is a must buy! - Telly King

This is a terrific book to add to your library of books for VW's. The author has a unique style lacking in other service manuals. You will not be disappointed with your purchase. You will save at least the cost of the book when you perform your first repairs. The author gives you the confidence to "go ahead and do it"!