Customer Reviews

Jeep Wagoneer/Comanche/Cherokee 1984-98 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manuals)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I own a 1998 Jeep Cherokee (new model). Altough this book claims to cover this model and year, I didn't find anything about my car in the book. For me this book is of no vallue.

As we're not talking about an expensive book, it's OK to buy it as long as you include the Haynes Repair Manual (Jeep Grand Cherokee 1993-2000) in your cart as your primary Choice.
Chilton's tries to cover way to many models of different cars and fails miserably in some aspects. Haynes, in the other hand, deals with Grand Cherokees only, making it much more accurate for ZJs (all the info applicable) and WJs (some info applicable) owners. In case you don't know ZJ stands for Grand Cherokees manufactured between 93 and 98 and WJ stands for Grands made in 99 and after.

When I bought my 88 Cherokee, it had no manual and I had no idea about the maintenance points and intervals. This book provided the crucial maintainance information. It also contains troubleshooting chats and inspection guidance. Pictures really help. Book does not include off-road section.

Typical Chilton book, tells you everything about the car you could possibly want to know except the thing you're looking for. I recently bought an old (1988) Jeep Comanche; wanted to replace the speedometer cable...using this book I could replace the transmission, overhaul the engine, re-build the differential, but no where could I find any info on the speedometer. Line drawings are crude and difficult to interpret, photos are worse. The text is good and gives adequate instructions. When I go to grind the valves, I'll know how!

The book is very generic and spends a lot of time trying to cover all models and then fails in some cases. It is OK for general maintenance but I find it lacking in detail for real troubleshooting. The real detail needed for a specific model is not sufficient or sometimes totally absent. Considering the price (fairly inexpensive) of the manual it is probably still good value for money.

It beats the Haynes Repair hands down! I'll never buy a Haynes Book again afte checking this repair manual out. I received this also in the mail in just a couple of days! First Class Service from Amazon - First Class Book from Chilton's.

Contains a lot of basic info, I found it to not be very useful. The wiring diagrams are very weak, they lack almost any thing but the wiring required to run the vehicle, no diagrams for the radio, or a lot of other little items which sometimes you need to know. This book also does not show you how to take apart a lot of your jeep, it sticks to the basics and that's it.

A serious do-it-yourselfer better buy a factory service manual for his/her specific vehicle from Chrysler. It costs $90, however, non-factory service manual is a waste of money for most of buyers. You just don't find information that you need to repair your vehicle.

I found the electrical and vacuum schematic section's to be very precise. The symbols were very standard and easy to follow. Granted they do not lay out the stereo system to help install a new radio. But if you don't know how to use a Meter then you shouldn't be working on cars. The book was extermly useful in step by step procedures of the dash removal. Also it goes more in depth on the ABS brakes with very useful info on proper bleeding. In my opinion the only manual which may offer more detailed info would be a manufacturer's maintenance manual accompanied by an IPC.

This book is garbage, innacurate and misleading. Like frustration-then buy it. A jeep mechanic told me this book was a great source of customers for him. The Haynes book is no better. These companies just copy errors and inaccuracies from each other.
Another experienced mechanic called it propoganda, just enough truth so people can't tell what is lies. Maximum frustration. Example- just try to replace a front axle u joint using this books method. Their method works only on new cars. You won't be doing work on new under warranty cars. 5 year old cars rust. The Chilton new car methods in this book just don't work. This book will make you think repairs are simple, until you get half way into it and it just does not work.