Chrysler Books

If you're looking to give a history buff or general car enthusiast an interesting and detailed, but concise, book on the history of the Chrysler Corporation, this one is a good choice. Dennis Adler does an excellent job in describing the impact that Chrysler, and its divisions, have had on the world from the company's founding in 1926 to its merger with Mercedes Benz that led to the creation of Daimler Chrysler. He acieves this by describing each era important to the company's history through eloquent written word and superb photographs. Anyone who is a fan of Chrysler or simply likes cars in general would really appreciate this book. If, however, one were looking for a book with more specific detail into the company's history, it would be hard to do so in anything less than a full-length novel. Furthermore, if it is an individual vehicle from Chrysler that one is into, then this probably isn't the right book, especially if that person is looking for detailed technical information on specific vehicles. This is a book of history, not a technical manual that you would find at Pep Boys.

This is a nice coffee table book but short on content if you are looking for any real information on the history of Chrysler and the related marques.

You can't cover all that history in a large print book with a few color photos. I was looking for production numbers, VIN codes, engine information. Almost none of that here.

If you are buying a gift for a Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth or DeSoto fan, this is not the book. They will already know more than you find here. If you want a few excellent photos and not much content, this is your book.

Good book easy to read need more in diagnostic stuff. Needs more on how to reset heater calibration test. It would nice to have a section on OBDC II codes and a suggestion for code readers. I found a code reader at WallMart for less that $ 100.

I think this book it's a great tool for the ones that loves do-it-yourself repairs. It's helps you to not only find the "hows to" also helps you on saving big money on labor costs .. tipical $100/hour at a dealer shop ...

You would not be even able to change your air filter if you used this book. I tried to follow the instructions for changing the air filter on my 99 Grand Caravan, but I was left with frustration. This is just one inaccuracy I found. I would'nt be surprised if there are more.

Maybe the book is good for another year not for the 1999 Grand Caravan model.

Save your money on Chilton. They do not hold near the information, clarity and in depth detail, thus VALUE, that Haynes Repair Manuals do. Having said that, I would like to address some complaints I've come across about both Haynes
and Chilton's Manuals.
1.) If your manual suggests at a point to seek professional input it is because MOST NON mechanics don't possess the skill or tools or shop equipment to perform a certain procedure (be it correctly or safely). The publishers' lawyer insisted on the "seek professional input" so as not to take on legal liability for an unqualified person attempting to perform a critical step in their car care. The reason is valid. You can injure yourself and damage your vehicle as well as render your
vehicle unsafe to be on the road.
2.) Prior to purchasing a repair manual, LOOK THROUGH IT. Almost every auto parts store in America sells Haynes and / or Chilton's. If the particular manual you need doesn't have the plastic removed, look for a manual that does and look through the sections. CAUTION most auto supply stores will get mad and make you buy anything you rip open. They're trying to sell information contained in the manual, not give it away. Some copies are USUALLY open and can be looked
at. Does the manual seem logical, good pictures? Thorough? Then CHANCES ARE that brand will be a good choice for your repair. Also READ the cover front & back thoroughly. It will tell you if special vehicles aren't covered (AWD, Alternate Fuel Vehicles, etc) Know what vehicle you have so you get the RIGHT manual. The correct year, make, model, engine size.
3.) If you do encounter a problem in the middle of a repair, it's possible that it is YOUR not doing something correctly. Not the tool, or the repair manual. Go away from the car, get lunch or a cold glass of lemonade, read through the manual. Even start again in the morning.
4.) As automobiles become more sophisticated, there is truly less and less that a vehicle owner can do him or herself. It is a fact, you will need to take your vehicle into a dealership or well equipped shop for more things. In addition, used oil and other fluids are difficult to dispose of. DO NOT THROW DOWN YOUR DRAIN OR BURY IN YOUR BACKYARD!!!. Tires, batteries all have special disposal needs.
5.) There are some people WHO ARE NOT MECHANICAL. Buy them books, audio / video equipment, ties for Christmas. NOT A WRENCH SET!
6.) Neither Haynes nor Chilton are Professional Shop Manuals (these are available for hundreds of dollars).
As for the particular manual for the Haynes (ASIN: 1563923580) Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager and Chrysler Town & Country from years 1996 through 1999: This manual does NOT COVER All-Wheel Drive nor Alternative Fuel Models AND SAYS SO ON THE COVERS. Haynes breaks down into different sections each of the engine options (in this example: 4 cylinder,3.0 liter V6, 3.3 liter V6, and 3.8 V6) If you're say, changing an air filter, make sure you're looking at the right directions for the engine for the vehicle you have. The different engines have important items positioned in different locations and thus DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONS for each item on each engine. You can even utilize Amazon "take a look inside" feature to check out if this manual is for you or not. .I checked it's description for changing wiper blades, oil and oil filters, air filters and general repairs and found it both accurate and easy to understand. I've been happy with Haynes manuals over the years and recommend all vehicle owners purchase one even if you don't expect to do any repair or service yourself. It helps to know the information, to be aware of how your car works and to talk in a reasonably intelligent manner (on your part anyway) when you take your vehicle in for service.

I'm happy with this purchase. And have been with every Haynes manual I've bought and used in the last 20 years.
John Row

This little book was painstakingly created and is hilarious. There are about 30 types of men described, each with the perfect photo, and each (surprisingly) different. Each one receives an exclamation of "Oh, yeah! Him!" The analogy to bird watching is made consistently and convincingly and "works" extremely well. Even if the idea for the analogy is not original, this work is a hilarious and expert execution of it.

An attempt to rip off the old "Preppie Handbook" in style, this silly little book describes "Machoman" vs. "Ths Boggle Brain" (and a whole bunch of other "species") as if they were birds in an attempt at humor. It looks like more effort was made at trying to plug different types of guys into pigeon holes (no pun intended) than at coming up with some real wit. I'll use my old copy to line our hamster cage.

Although this says 2006, I assumed it was for 2006 model vehicles.. In fact it is not. The manual is revised in 2006... the book is OK, covers a lot of territory but not specific for the 2006 model year which is much different than the 2004/05 model years

First of all the physical description of the book. It's slightly too large for a pocket type guide and to small for a catalogue. The pages are glossy with some excellent photos. Considering the collection that this work covers however it is way too thin. I'm not sure how they determined the importance of these pieces as there was no discernable pattern. There are no description of the works of art only dimensions, artist and country. This catalogue has a small introduction and profile of the collector Walter Chrysler Junior. Not a good buy.

He takes many liberties in trashing Chrysler products of the early 80's. For instance, he states that chrysler's 2.2 engine was based on "twenty year old technology" yet he offers no evidence to back up this claim. Mr. Levin also carps about the lack of technology in Chrysler's cars such as using a "beam axle" while conveniently overlooking the fact that other cars of this time frame used solid rear axles quite frequently. Nor does he give much coverage to Chryslers lowest cost per unit, the VNT technology used in its turbo cars, the fact it had OHC engines on the market LONG before GM and Ford, the first domestic auto company to use airbags in its cars, the firs electronically adaptive transmission.
Mr Levin admitted he got little in the way of cooperation from Iacocca and it appears he wrote this tome to vent against a good yet flawed man and a great company.

I really wanted to like this book, but was disappointed with the end result. When the author sticks to the facts of the story, it is a revealing look at the politics of running a struggling auto company. The biographical information of the main players in upper echelons was quite interesting, also.

However, there is a sense of the author's bias lurking throughout the pages. He manages to imply that somehow, once Toyota introduced the Corona in 1966, there wasn't a marketing misstep to be made by the Japanese, particularly Toyota. Do the nameplates "Crown", "Cressida" and "Echo" ring a bell? I won't even mention some of the other sad cars that other manufacturers have coughed up in the ensuing years, and still do occasionally, from both sides of the Pacific.

Every now and again factual errors will appear, but they're so glaring that somebody with even a moderate interest in the car industry will pick up on. For instance, Honda earned customer loyalty because they "never dropped a nameplate." Really? Where did one go in 1987 to purchase a new Honda 600 GT or Sports 800?

More troubling was a hint of elitism that came up a couple of times. Was there (is there) really anything wrong with selling new cars to the blue-collar crowd? I know that some people are consumed by image, but most of us don't care what anybody else is driving, as long as they know HOW to drive it. People without a stratospheric income should be able to make a fully warranted purchase and get "that new car smell", too.

Finally, too little of the book is spent explaining exactly what was wrong, quality-wise, with Chrysler vehicles. Aside from the Aspen / Volaré twins, there was precious little time given to specific examples of lax quality control or design deficiencies. Even the A/V cars were a major problem only in their first year. More detail would have been revealing as to why buyers were steering clear of Chrysler's showrooms in the late 70's, when the whole mess started.

I've always had an avid interest in the auto industry, and have been waiting for somebody to write a book on the true Lee Iacocca to show the savior / charlatan that he really was. Unfortunately, somebody else is going to have to write it. This one falls short.

In case anybody's wondering, I have owned several cars from both American and Japanese manufacturers, including an 80's era Chrylser product. I have enjoyed the majority of them, and the only lemon I ever picked was from a European make.

I found this book provided a quite interesting history of not only Chrysler, but the entire auto industry between the years of '70-'80. I particularly enjoyed the author's insights in to Chrysler's main player Iacocca. The book did however seem to jump around from subject to subject with no clear tie-ins. I found it difficult during some portions of the book to figure out what time frame the author was speaking of, as he tended to bounce back and forth. All in all I found the book to provide some excellent information on Chrysler and the prevailing personalities and values that has kept the organization alive for so many years through so many triumphs and tragedies.

An interesting book that looks at the Iacocca era at Chyrsler. The book reads more like a series of articles (the author is also a journalist) than a novel, but is nevertheless an effective portrayal of Chyrsler, Iacocca and the American and Japanese auto industry of the late 70s thru the early 90s. Lots of background information on the auto industry with interesting historical tidbits as well. The book's only "flaw" is its tendency to tear apart the Iacocca legacy with nasty (but apparently true) stories that topple the former auto industry icon, thus providing a counterweight to Iacocca's own biographical portrayals. While not a tightly woven "can't put it down" book, it is nevertheless worth adding to your collection if you are an automotive buff or Chrysler buff.

i was looking in the manual for directions about how to change belts on my a/c,water pump, etc, and it doesn't say anything about something so simple like that..

I bought the manual to perform a few simple tasks. I had to change the AIR FILTER and the directions instructed me to remove the 2 bolts from the housing and then remove the air filter. What I actually had to do is remove the 2 bolts, remove the 2 air hoses from the engine and the hose from the bottom of the housing. I then had to remove the housing to find the cover where the filter was located. I then had to undo the 2 brackets and then was able to remove the air filter. The book did not explain anything past the 2 bolts...

I received this manual last week. It has been very helpful to me from adjusting the head lights, changing radiator fluid and replacing the PCV valve. I am sure that this book will be a good reference for me to do future maintenance work on my Chrysler Town & Country.

This book is very informative, it had valuable information of electrical panel locations and how to open up certain parts of the dash board. Could not have done this with out it.

I own both the hard copy and the cd version of this repair manual. The cd is exactly like the book, down to the page numbers and photos. I like the cd because you can search a particular item without hunting in the index. I'm restoring a 92 Jeep Wrangler and so far it has told me all I've needed to know.

I purchased the cd-rom because there wasnt a book available at the store for chrysler. I got home and downloaded it on my computer only to find out it wont download correctly. I keep getting that it isnt compatable with ms-dos or windows and will not install. Worst of all there troubleshooting hours are Mon-Fri 8-5. I'm at work, not home how does that help. I suggest the book version and not the cd. because now i own it and it doesnt work!

This product has compatibility issues with Windows 2000 Professional SP4. This product is misleading in its statement of one vehicle per CD ROM. It is ONE MODEL YEAR per CD. I tried to incorporate my Grand Cherokee Limited, 1996, and the Model year 1998. The software refused to allow me to have both models listed. One would expect that the 1998 listing would have the new data IE 5.9L engine in detail as well as the 5.2L engine. The 1998 model year is very vague about updates and/or changes made when incorporating the larger engine.

I suggest the Chilton hard copy books as being a better solution than their CD's. The package I purchased covered through 1999 and the latest file is mid year 2000. I tried the suggested link to ChiltonDIY.com only to discover that it will be "completed sometime soon". A four year old CD with a dead or dying link to their DIY page. Give me a break and a good book.

Of course there is the admonishment that if the package is opened the user now owns the package.

LW Severn, Maryland

If I had known that the Chilton manuals are now published by Haynes, I would have ordered just one and saved some money. The contents of the books are exactly the same except for a slightly different format.

Like all Chilton manuals, this one provides all the necessary details for the serious home mechanic to perform repairs on this minivan. The format of the Chilton manuals are about as easy to follow as Haynes manuals, but generally have a better reputation (I don't know why).

This manual is a blueprint of Haynes manual, but the Haynes manual are
bether print quality and a bether font, easier to read. It's a complete vaste
to buy this manual if you already have Hayne's as all text and pictures are
exactly the same