Customer Reviews

VW Rabbit, Jetta (gas) '75'92 (Haynes Manuals)

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

 

 

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I'm kind of an idiot, so something like tightning the alternator belt needs to be explained pretty clearly for me. This book shrugs that type of basic adjustment off. It spends a lot of time on things (like rebuilding the transmission) which I am never likely to do. .

Hint for publishers: Maybe what we need is better description of the basic things people might actually do: change belts, tighten belts, change and gap plugs, change rotors, charge batteries and so forth. Think of the Reader's Digest car guide, but focus on specific details of a given model.

Assumes too much previous knowledge. Lacks basic description of what you're actually doing to the car, and why.

Like all these manuals that cover many models and years, they are forced to focus on the service procedures that are common and you shouldn't expect this manual to give the details on how to take YOUR dashboard apart. Instead it gives a lot of specifications and tips on tuneups, brakes, shocks, engine work, etc. It assumes that you are going to remove the engine from the car and rebuild it, so they don't tell you how to do anything major with the engine still in the car. They do also assume a fair amount of mechanical experience and knowledge of cars, and even with though I have that, I still found their procedures confusing at times. Sometimes this was due to drawings rather than actual photos; sometimes it was due to photos being unintelligable due to bad photography.

At one point in this book, they incorrectly pointed to a screw on the manifold and referred to it as the idle adjusting screw, when in fact this screw should only be adjusted by the dealer using special equipment. I wrote a letter to Haynes about this and I felt that their response was a bit defensive.

I don't know much about cars and this book really reinforced that. I've had it for several years and it really has been no help at all.

While the Haynes Manuals sometimes omit certain information, a quality repair job can be completed using this book. AND it certainly is cheaper than the Bentley manual (which I own, of course, because there is no substitute)

haynes mauals are absolutly indespinsable for anyone working on their own cars. No other manual gives you the step by step detail and photos to do the job yourself. This manual if for the kind of person who would attemp to fix their car themselves and needs a little more information. Has a great section for trouble shooting one column shows the symptom of your vehicle the next shows possable causes. Shows how to rebuild the engin in detail. But also every other system in your particular vehicle. the chiltons manuals dont have pictures or step by step instructions they are spec books for profesional mecanics. this book is for the do it yourself crowd. you do have to do some thinking and cross reference between chapters and sometimes you have to make inferences about your specific year of vehicle. Feels like doing a college reserch papper, but nothing your averege intelect couldn't decipher. After all a car is complex but haynes makes it about as easy as it could ever be made.
If you own a car buy the book for it and shove it under the seat. Even if you never work on your own car it tells you when to do basic maintanace, how to do it. Litlle things you wouldn't know unless someone told you like, put a little motor oil on the new gasket when changing an oil filter and the like all the way down to how to use plastigage when installing new journal bearings. If you car breaks down it will tell you whats wrong and how to fix it. It makes you immune to shiesty car mechanics that take advantage of your ignorance about you car . So even if you dont work on cars you must have this manual for any car you own. i wouldnt own a vehicle without the haynes manual for it!
besides on amazon its just a few bucks and all the used ones i'v bought have been in great shape not greasy or torn at all. Sometimews the pages have yellowed from age but as good condition as any book in a used book store.
So don't bust a knuckle or you wallet use haynes instead ( not paid for promotion- just a long time fan)

As long as it isn't a huge problem and you are good at diagnosing the problem,these manuals can really help. It def saves you from having to shell out all the cash on a garage for the little things.