Customer Reviews

Volkswagen Vanagon Official Factory Repair Manual: 1980-1991

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Bentley does NOT give step-by-step troubleshooting advice. It *assumes* you know what "it" is, where "it" is & how. Hard to follow (this said from someone who did mechanical design for a living). NO INDEX. Generally vague Table of Contents. But, since there is no alternative repair maual available, it is the only game in town, and thus a "must have." Be prepared to be frustrated! Good luck!

This repair manual tells you just enough to get you into trouble.The Air conditioning section is incomplete, and offers nothing for prior to 86 models!The ignition switch area is incomplete, and leaves you hanging.Many sections leave a lot to the readers imagination.Not very complete, and not a good value.

I almost didn't buy this book based on the other, negative reviews. I am happy that I went against their advice.

The lack of a real index proved to be a major pain in the rear. The book is stictly a reference manual, and as a reference it is quite good. The pictures, drawings and diagrams are worth the price alone. There is little troubleshooting advice. I just completed some major overhaul work on my engine, and I could not have done it without the book.

The bottom line is that the book is a reference, not a how-to manual.

To troubleshoot the fuel injection/electronic ignition I bought another Bently book: Bosch Fuel Injection and Engine Management by Charles Probst.. Maybe its because I knew almost nothing about EFI, but I thought that the Bosch book was the best auto book I've ever purchased. I give it 5 stars and consider it an essential companion to my Bently Vanagon book.

No better manual exists for the Type2(T3) Vanagon. Like others here, I feel the negative reviews need to be addressed for their incorrect assumptions regarding what a Factory Repair Manual is.

"Factory Manual" = Not For Beginners

When you read a manual that details factory repair procedures, the presumption is that you are a mechanic. The manual is not there to hold your hand and explain what a pickle fork is and how to use it. Instead it will simply say "remove ball joint". Likewise, troubleshooting procedures will assume you understand the basic operating principles of the various systems and simply provide you with the details. If your tachometer drops to zero and your engine dies, you won't find a factory repair manual anywhere that'll tell you what this means. You are expected to know basic things like that already, in which case the manual tells you all you need to know: the wiring layout and operating parameters of the engine ignition system so you can test it.

I am a competent amateur mechanic at best. With nothing more than the Bentley I was able to install a rebuilt engine, replace the transmission, refit the fuel tank seals, replace the radiator, and restore the AC to functionality. There are very few errors or omissions in this manual, and Bentley Publications maintains a lively and informative discussion forum on their website where any vagueness can be easily clarified. Compared to Haynes manuals, which are not just rife with minor errors and omissions, but are frequently outright WRONG, the Bentley's errors are mere niggling inconsequentialities.

Frankly, many of the specific complaints in the preceding reviews are themselves mystifyingly inaccurate:
-The Bentley manual does NOT tell you "go to the dealer" to change the brake fluid-- it is itself the dealer manual, after all-- but in fact spends two pages on the procedure (47.8-47.9).
-No index? There's 10 pages in the front of the book, with categories in alphabetical order, with each page labeled at the top "index" (where does it say that an index MUST be in the back?).
-The cooling system isn't sealed? I'd love to hear how he thinks it operates at 14-17psi hot without being sealed! Or if what he means by "sealed" is "factory sealed/maintenance free", then he's clearly an automotive dunce, as NO cooling system is made that way.
-AC service section incomplete because it contains no information for AC systems before 1986? That's because pre-86 AC was a dealer installed add-on only, the parts made by a variety of aftermarket companies, shoehorned in in whatever way the dealership's greasemonkeys could manage. VW Germany had nothing to do with those systems so OBVIOUSLY they'd have nothing to say about them in the Factory Service Manual.

In short, this manual is exactly what it claims to be, and nothing more. If you want to learn about Vanagons and you're not an experienced mechanic, it would behoove you to consult the myriad of online user groups (the vanagon mailing list at [...], for example) in addition to buying a Bentley. The Bentley alone won't do it.

Let's get something straight right off the bat about this manual, it's the Factory Repair Manual, originally intended for mechanics at the dealership. It assumes you are experienced and already know which end of a screwdriver works. Its not going to teach you 'how' to work on your Vanagon, it's the 'bible' on the repair procedures on for your Vanagon. I suspect the negative reviews for this manual are mostly from 'newbies' and novices. What this manual is most useful for is the factory approved method for servicing your Vanagon, not "Auto Mechanics 101'. So if you're looking for a manual to teach you how to work on your Vanagon, THIS IS NOT IT! On the other hand, if you looking for a manual that explains the factory approved method of working on your Vanagon, with all the necessary details and specifications, "BINGO". Naturally, its a translation of a German manual so you have to take that into account too, a translation is only as good as the translator, trust me, I work for a German company in their US plant and this is a very common problem. So be warned about what you're getting if you order this manual.

This book is a must for every Vanagon owner. It contains detailed technical diagrams and all the info you'll need if you're a do-it-yourselfer or if you just want to have a better understanding of how your vehicle works.

This book is a favourite of the Westfalia Owners Web Site... , a not-for profit web site for VW Westfalia camping van enthusiasts.

The Bently book is by far the most descriptive. the pictures and diagrams are concise and clear. I have purchased many others but found the official manual the best. the only negative aspect of this Bently books is that you should know the procedure well and use the book as a templet for clarification.

I have a Vanagon, I have this book. Sadly, the book doesn't ever help me fix it. This book is an endless source of frustration for me. It's impossible to find what you need, the pictures are clear images, but unhelpful. If you aren't a shop mechanic skilled with Volkswagens and you are trying to do it yourself, pay a mechanic, expensive as it may be, and save yourself the frustration and cost of this book. I could use some very bad words to describe this book, but I'll refrain.

The book is the official factory manual for the vehicle. This book was written for use by technicians at your local dealership so it is technical in nature but it does have great information that is hard to get anywhere else. If you are trying to keep a Vanagon on the road then this is a must have either for your knowledge or to lend to your mechanic while he performs the repairs. The wiring diagrams in the rear of the book are worth the price alone if you have an issue. I have read other reviews that are critical of the layout and information. This is no 'step-by-step' guide to auto repair but does give great information on the whole vehicle. Anyone with a basic mechanical knowledge can see what is being discussed and follow what is being explained.

Any book of information is a compromise depending on the readers point of view but the information contained in here is always (in my experience) correct for the application. This makes it invaluable to own if you have a Vanagon.

This item is an excellent source especially when you don't have a manual for the vehicle. It is meant for a mechanic and has lots of diagrams. For non-mechanic with some car experience, it can help when you go to your mechanic.