Customer Reviews

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Petrol and Diesel (1993-2000) Service (Haynes Service and Repair Manuals)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this publication to be very general and it doesn't even recognize the C230 Kompressor. For instance I'm having an EGR problems (P0410) the manual only has a paragraph with absolutely no troubleshooting instructions.
I would more think this manual as a general owner's manual on checking fluids and tire pressures. If you need schematics and troubleshooting procedures you will be disappointed.

When I read the book my first impression was that the pictures were either too close-up so that I could not locate its location or the pictures were too dark. Unfortunately, there are very few arrows in the illustrated pictures that point to the right parts in compare to other Hayes or Chilton manuals. Furthermore, many hand drawing pictures are not as clearly drawn as in other Haynes manuals.

Most of the time, the book omitted in details the instructions on how to disconnect a connection.
When I changed the car's spark plugs, my first struggle was that the book said something like "disconnect the electrical connector". It seemed easy but when I tried to disconnect the connector, there was a tab that prevent me to disconnect it and the book did not tell me either to press the tab or or I have to use a screw driver to pry it off.

I changed my cabinet filter and realized the book skipped lots of steps. Sure, it's better than nothing but there are many websites dedicated to Mercedes that have a lot of well written instructions from average Mercedes owners.

I have been working on car maintenance on the Infiniti, Toyota, and Acura and still find it difficult to follow the book instructions. One of the most frustrating about the instructions is that you have to go back and forth from one chapter to another because the book doesn't list all the steps in one section. For example, if you try to replace your serpentine belt, you will have to go back and forth between chapters. One of my favorite book with better formats and better pictures is the Chilton's Toyota Camry 1997-2001 Repair Manual. Chilton and Hayes are now owned by the same company and I hope they will follow that book's format.

By the way, if you want to change the serpentine belt, you don't have to remove the fan. Even if you have a gas powered Mercedes, I would recommend you to read the diesel section because the two design are similar and the book has more pictures and better explanations in the diesel section.

This is the UK version. Notice the steering wheel position and the words MOT at the cover. It was recommended by one of the owners' clubs. Most of the car parts are at the same place as the US version but there are mirror images.

There are more detailed versions people speak of but they are much more expensive. This one covers detail instructions with photos for all the regular services and parts replacement that the car needs, and much more. There are instructions to disassemble and assemble all the major parts of the car. There are extensive electrical wiring diagrams. The very useful steps with photos of how to remove and put back the interior panels. The author advices you to go the the dealers for many specialized tasks, but include the contents anyway. So I doubt if most people need more than what the book offers. I also have the WIS CD for MBZ mechanics so I hope everything are covered.

I recommend this for novice who never did oil and filter change. I looked at write ups on the net about oil change for example, and I wished I had the book before I did it. You can see all the photos of what you will be getting into, without opening the hood and more importantly, jacking up the car and crawl under it. The WIS is very hard to use for newbies.

There are enough general car care knowledge, but specific to your model. It tells you where exactly to jack up the car and where to put the stands, with pictures.

The good things are the plenty of pictures and that they are numbered according to the steps, not a sequence of it's own.

The bad things are that the pictures cannot be zoomed in and out like an online map. As a newbie, I prefer a complete photo of the underside of the car, and maybe a clear simplified diagram. When I need something, I can zoom in to see the details. This way I wouldn't need to find my way around under the car for the first few times. But nobody else do it in a book I suppose, and nobody else give it away online. So this is as good as it gets. Once you started to get under the car, there's no need for the "whole picture".

I purchased this guide to my car on a recommendation from a friend, and I am happy with this purchase. I am learning about my vehicle, and feeling empowered! The black and white illustrations are great, a detail that will help me understand how things work. I am going to attempt an oil change soon! I'm hoping to save money on repairs and maintenance by utilizing this guide.

The factory shop manual costs over $100 which is a lot of money. This has a lot of pictures and illustrations. It is good enough for me as a novice mechanic to replace brakes, struts, fluid maintenance, tune up etc. It also has a lot of other information which I wish I never need to do such as engine overhaul, transmission replacement....

This manual is as thorough as others in the Haynes Library.
A must-have supplement to the owners manual and contains additional information useful if only to recognize which procedures are DIY and which ones require professional help.

This manual includes all similar world-market models as it is a UK version;but then I ordered it from a UK vendor! I may reorder a single model US version if one exists only because some of the procedures are non-US-specific, possibly of no consequence when actual repairs are made.

All in all an excellent transaction!