Autos Books

I look forward to Autocourse every year. My first hint that something wasn't quite right, was a pre-production photo I saw of the cover: Lewis Hamilton/McLaren. This was after Kimi Raikkonnen already won the WDC.

So I order anyway. The copy I received had a different cover, appropriate to the World Champion. But almost every single race report begins with ecstatic ravings about Lewis Hamilton, whether he won the race or not.

Even worse, Autocourse gave Hamilton the #1 driver position in the annual top ten rating! The guy blew the championship! Kimi fought hard and won it, yet he gets #2 status.

Alonso, the reigning WDC is treated as an afterthought throughout.

Buy it for the history, but you can't overlook the blatant favoritism throughout this issue. Not balanced reporting at all.

Great pictures and commentary. Great coffee table book. Tons of stats and info. on F1 teams and drivers. I bought 2000-2001 through 2004-2005. I've enjoyed these books and look forward to buying future and some older issues.

Autocourse remains the finest of all F-1 season reviews being published. Because it has a 57 year history (as of 2008 ) it has become a collectors item that ranks it a must have for any F-1 aficionado. The photographs are the years best from all of the who's who of F-1 photographers. Paul Henri Cahier, Darren Heath, Patrick Gosling, and Bryn Williams all are represented here in stunning fashion.
The reviews of the races and the stories that made the year in F-1 what is was are condensed brilliantly between the covers and make great reading even years later. Any person who is an F-1 junkie and is looking for something from his era of F-1 to pass on to the next generation with pride, Autocourse is it.

The blatant pro-McLaren, anti-Alonso bias of this book is unfortunate, and stands out all the more with what has happened since the book went to press. For example, the book states, as purported fact, that Ron Dennis and McLaren management were entirely innocent in the Stepneygate affair, and were unfairly dragged into the matter through no fault of their own by the actions of a single bad apple.

The rules of objective reporting exist for a reason, and this book's editors would look a lot less ridiculous had they followed them.

i remember buying the 2005 official book and this autocourse 2005, i was dissapointed with the official book because they dont have pictures of the most important events from the races, like kimi raikkonen's last lap pass on fisichella at suzuka. the offical guide didnt even have a picture of it! while this autocourse book, had a two page picture of raikkonen just inches away from fisichella's renault about to take the lead. it blew my mind. if youre a rabid formula 1 fan that just loves a lot of photographs, this is for you. ive been collecting formula 1 articles and i must say this is definitely what i wait for every year. theres so much more on offer with autocourse!

I liked this book. I think it damns Firestone and Ford's policies of good manufacturing standards and design. I think it leans too heavily toward the lawyers and customers on this book, but it is evident these manufacturers did not have the best interests of the consumer in mind. It also paints the plaintiff's lawyers as do gooders, when most of these people are getting 40% of their clients settlements.

The Ford SUVs were clearly dangerous cars that should have been redesigned in their early product lifecycles. What Ford did by specifying a 26 PSI in the tires offset the stability problem and created another more serious problem. The friction these tires went through at the lower PSI resulted in tread separation. Throw in poor manufacturing standards and you have a situation that caused 300 deaths. The author should be commended for writing a readable account of what happened.

Since I worked for a tire manufacturer (Uniroyal-Goodrich), I found the explanation of tread separation rather simplistic. The author should have consulted a tire engineer rather than tire builders in detailing what effects tack has on a tire. Also lacking was what Firestone took out to reduce the tire weight. More detail needed to go into why the tires were unsafe, rather than just saying it was old rubber or not enough material.

Overall, this was a good book about poor manufacturing design and standards. If these companies really believed that Quality was Job 1, they would not have manufactured and sold these products.

Penenberg's account of Ford and Firestone and the battle to illuminate their malfeasance is driven by a transparent passion for justice. It is impossible not to become angered by the equally transparent desire of both corporations to put profits ahead of the wellbeing of the people who were killed or maimed by their products. It's not a new story in that regard, but this one is told so well, with such thorough research and excellent writing, that it ranks with the best of the genre. This is a fine fine book.

Penenberg deserves congratulations for taking a story that could have been as dull as a stretch of Kansas highway and telling it so well it's hard to put the book down. The facts are all there, but the author has taken the time to lay them out artfully and judiciously. This has been an entertaining and elucidating read.

I have always thought of Penenberg as the Michael Moore ("Bowling For Columbine", etc.) of investigative reporters/authors. He really, truly knows how to write page-turning revelations on his subjects (in this case, he's moved from the Stephen Glass case, to the auto industry) which are informative WITHOUT sacrificing style.

It is heart rending to read about the lives torn apart in these horrible accidents. Mr. Penenberg writes effectively and persuasively about the pain, loss, and struggle of those injured as well as the pain and struggle of their loved ones. However, his emotional style, while effective in producing sympathetic emotions, in the end undermines the case he is trying to make. Not that the case is necessarily wrong. It is just that he does not really prove it beyond an emotional conviction.

He does not use his journalistic detachment to let both sides speak and let the preponderance of the evidence fall where it may. The author wants to convince us that Ford is wrong (and I am not saying they are or aren't) and that the lawyers are good. A couple of examples about the lawyers: Early in the book he introduces Tab Turner has having a private jet, but not a flashy one - the author calls it a Plymouth with wings. A few pages later he reveals it to be a Cessna Citation. This is a very nice jet and Turner is a very very rich man who for all his protestations of not caring about fees gathers them by the truckload. And it isn't until the second half of the book that we are shown the fighting over fees and the skullduggery in getting the client to unwittingly sign a new contingency fee arrangement without her healthy caregivers around. It is sickening.

But we all love our own lawyers when they help and protect us (as we should), and we think the other guy's lawyers are scum (unless they lose). That is the way it goes. And friends eventually become targets of suits in the name of justice. Again, it is hard to take, but it happens.

I believe that the book would have been stronger if he would have actually presented both sides of this issue fairly and completely. While the emotions of the case would then be a bit more confused, the reader would be better equipped to make a fair and clearer judgment about the case rather than the one the author wants you to make.

We all despise corporate decisions that expose people to death and injury to save a few dollars or because of carelessness and callous disregard. But we also despise attorneys making huge fees from tragically injured clients and stepping on endless numbers of people, justice, and truth to claim those fees. It isn't that this is a bad book. Rather, it could have been stronger by being more objective. Almost certainly, Ford and Firestone would not have been very forthcoming for interviews. However, when I was reading I kept hoping for more complete information about the accidents from multiple perspectives. The book is worth reading if you are interested in this story, but I could have used less direction from the author on how I was supposed to feel and more information about the facts - not just the defense lawyers' arguments.

This is a very informative book, only downside is that author seems to talk to casual and not formal enough, very rough writing needed a few more revisions. Very informative if you can get past the odd grammar. No color pictures, the technical data in this book is what saved its score, it goes into some very good ideas about how to make your rx-7 go faster and if you dont own one they have alot of information on the history of the rx-7

if you have basic car knowledge, you'll pick up some of the general tuning tips on this book is inaccurate. but this is a revised version, so maybe something got lost in translation. however, its great on everything else you need to know.such as where your local tuning shops are and rotary only aftermarket product suppliers, etc.

Fun to read, but not really a handbook.
More of a discussion of his experience. I was hoping it would be more like "Porsche 911 Performance Handbook" or "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive". Worth the money to me.

This is the best book on rotary performance that you can buy on the planet. I even emailed the author and asked him for the 3 mystery chapters (that were cout from the final draft of the book) and he sent me a link so that I could view them (mike @speednation.com)

It gives you a good basic about Rotary engine. But it won't give you any secrets. It just that same old information. No step by step methods. Just some same old information. Nothing more, nothing less. If you think it's like "How to Modify your RX7" by Al Downing and Dave Emanuel book. No, don't count on it.

I believe this book holds up to its name. Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care is a book that helped me better understand cars, their parts, and the importance of servicing. I also found the tech tips and web links useful. This book contains a lot of practical information. For example last month I needed a new set of tires for my 2000 Toyota Camry. Auto Upkeep clearly explained the tire buying process and gave me the information I needed to feel confident when I went to Sears to purchase a set. Recently I had a specific car question so I tried out their online "Q & A" guide at rollinghillspublishing.com and I got a quick personalized response. I would recommend Auto Upkeep to any car owner out there.

Recently I attended a Saturday auto clinic that was held by a local repair shop. The technicians went over the basics of how to change a tire, inspect belts, check oil, and other general car care tips. At the end of the session I asked if they had any recommendations for a good book to continue learning about how to take care of my car. They suggested Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care, so I bought a copy. I like how this book sticks to the basic things that I need to know. It is definitely a good resource to have.

I am a high school tech teacher. I purchased this book as a resource for my junior classes. I am very impressed with the time and effort that as been spent on this book. If you are just starting out and want to learn more about your car than I suggest this book, you will not be disappointed.
The web site and the CD are a great resource as well. I spent hours just surfing the links and informaton. (Bravo, Bravo)the book is a class act.

Thanks for the excellent resource and best of luck on future text.

I bought this book with my 16-year-old daughter in mind. Since she used half of her own hard earned money to make her first car purchase she is interested in knowing how to maintain it properly. She started asking me questions and I didn't know all the answers, so I decided to buy Auto Upkeep: Basic Car Care. I didn't want a book so mechanically complex that she wouldn't read it, so I'm glad I found this book! The pictures and illustrations are excellent. The author of Auto Upkeep simplifies complex automotive systems in a way that keeps her attention and mine. My 14-year-old son has also begun reading it!

My only regret is that I didn't buy this book before my daughter bought her car. I know it would have saved us some money. I never took "auto shop" in school, so I learned things the hard way. It's great to know that I am helping my kids learn the basics easily and early in life.

I highly recommend this book!!

I decided it was time to teach myself the basics of car maintenance. As a single mom I have to save money any way I can. I bought Auto Upkeep to become familiar with the basics and now I feel a lot better. It was really easy to read and I have enough information to feel more confident about asking a mechanic to explain to me what needs to be fixed on my car. I'm not planning on doing my own oil changes, but now I am checking my oil and I know how to add some if it is low. Knowledge is power - thanks for a great basic car care book!

this of little use for anyone who needs indepth info.
most of this is in may car books with better detail

Very informative book. Covers the history of fuel injection on Fords from the years 80 thru 87. If you have a newer Ford than 1987, I would suggest you buy the newer version of this book namely the 88 thru 93 version.

DO NOT let anyone ship your merchandise by DHL! DHL does not have a clue as to how to find the destination! Then DHL winds up mailing it via the Post Office and the whole process takes forever!

If you're a 5.0 owner (88-93) this is a perfect book to help decipher what controls what and how. I particularly used it to measure and test voltages from various sensors to verify proper operation and resolve some issues. Nice book & definitely worth the read...

But if you want a solid understanding of how everything works, so you can fix it, this is the single best book on the subject. It answers many of those those arcane questions that crop up when you're really digging into a problem. As many of us have learned, the error code is NOT a recipe for a repair. It is simply the place to start.

As an example, my F-250 4.9 started stalling when warm. I had also noticed an occasional gassy smell & my mileage had dropped noticeably. It also failed emissions on NOx. Later, I pulled a code pointing to the engine coolant temperature sensor (ECT). Since the problem only occurs when the engine is fully warm, I checked that strategy & saw that the ECT is indeed involved in managing engine performance. Probst describes the effect of a low or high reading, provides a table of expected voltage and resistance values at specific temperatures, and the pin locations on the connector.

If the ECT isn't the exact problem, there's enough meat in this book to figure out what is.

Last time I had to take my car into Ford, I found I knew more about oxygen sensor operation than the service writer. It saved me $150.

No matter what you want to do with the Ford EEC-IV computer (88-93) this is the book for you. This is a very indepth book that dosent just tell you how to do somthing but it also shows you why it does what it does and why it will do somthing else if you mess with it. He explains how everything works, from the sensors to the computer and then to the acutators, he explains how the work together and he writes very clearly so it is easy to understand and to put into action.

The product was in excellent condition and was received on time. I will definately purchase from again from this site.

As a male, I felt a little bit self conscious checking this out at the local library, particularly when the librarian shouted the title across the room to another librarian to get it from the hold shelf! Yes, that actually happened.

Oh well. As a new(ish) fan of NASCAR, I needed a good general overview of the rules, cars, point system, etc, and found Allison's guide to be better than any of the others I've seen. It's well written, well illustrated, and about the right length to give you a good BASIC education without boring you with too many details.

I have to say, however, that Ms. Allison seems to assume all of her female readers will be interested in the sexiness of NASCAR drivers. There are numerous lists of the Top Five Dream Dates, Top Five Dream Kissers, Five Drivers To Make Daddy Get His Shotgun, Five Drivers to Take Home to Mama, Five Drivers to Make You Say "I Do," etc. It just goes on and on. I often wondered how one list was really all that different from another, but alas I am not in the target audience of "girl" fans. I see that Ms. Allison is also writing a book called, "The Girl's Guide to Winning a NASCAR(R) Driver: Secrets to Grabbing His Attention and Stealing His Heart." I don't believe that one will interest me as much. And I do wonder if Ms. Allison is stereotyping her own gender a little too much.

But don't get me wrong! It would be pretty stupid of me to read a book called "The Girl's Guide to NASCAR" and not expect some "girly" elements in it. The lists made me chuckle a little, but were not annoying. Overall, it's a great introduction to the sport for either gender to read.

My son, daughter and myself are huge NASCAR fans. My son was coming to me and asking questions and I wanted to know the answers myself, so I got this book. I highly recommend this book for the fan who likes knowing all the technical terms. We do go to the races & there are lots of helpful hints that she shares for taking kids to the track like things to pack, safety issues. There are phones numbers for purchasing tickets, places to stay and eat. I usually carry this in my backpack to the races......Great book!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved this book. I have bought a couple for Christmas presents. It was very informative and put into terms that I could understand. It's not just a girl book either, I even caught my husband reading over it too. As far as DW is concerned, I WOULD vote for him for being the sexiest former driver in NASCAR. BOOGITY BOOGITY BOOGITY. Keep up the good work Liz!!!!!!

Having been a NASCAR fan for a few years now, but still knowing very little "technical" information about the sport, I was excited to find this book. I certainly learned a lot from reading it, and it even convinced me to buy tikets for my first ever LIVE NASCAR race...however, I found myself wanting to learn more than just the basics that were discussed in this book. I wish there had been a "basics" section in the front of the book, and then a section with more detailed information in the back. Still, it's hard to complain about a book that taught me more about NASCAR than watching it or asking my husband questions has over the past few years!

This is the best, by far, of 3 books I have purchased on automotive painting. It is very current and well written. The book details multiple examples of painting scenarios from touch-ups to frame-off paint jobs. There are numerous examples of cars painted by the author and others in their own garages, just like most poor car junkies would do. Great examples of equipment, paint products, proper use, safety concerns, etc. He really leaves no doubts as to what you need to know in order to pull off your paint project. I have a car torn down to paint and as I do it, this is the book that will be my guide.

Easy to read and full of good information. Author has a sense of humor that makes the book much more entertaining than I had anticipated! Perfect for the person who wants to paint their own car on a budget!

Excellent book for a beginning at home painter. I'm in the process of restoring a car at home and this is the best DIY book I have read on autobody and paint.

Great book. Very informative and easy to read and understand. Will help alot with the painting of my husbands project car. He was scared about painting his car but after reading this book, he says it will look real good.

This is a good book that has the basics on "How to paint your car". I would recommend it beginning and intermediate home car painter.

I haven't gone through full detail reading the book, but it'll make you feel more confident in rebuilding the engine. It'll also make you more weary about starting because it shows how much meticulous effort you must put in order to avoid future oil leaks.

What I don't like about this book is that it makes you need to buy his other book (101 projects for your porsche) if you do not already know how to remove the engine. Removing a porsche engine requires more work than something like a chevy small block because you must lift the car up and remove the engine from underneath. I don't see why the author just didn't include the few extra pages in this book as it is required to rebuild an engine.

Wayne Dempsey has done it again: the ideal birthday present.
This and "101 Projects" for your Porsche are "must haves" for anyone interested in his aging aircooled 911 and capable of holding a wrench.
I discovered "101 Projects" after having done the first 96 on my own. "911 Engines" covers what is beyond "101". Even if you can not/will not work on the engine yourself, it helps you ask the right question.
Given the many factory updates, plus the fact that typically the official dealerships wants to sell new cars and will not permit you access to the greasemonkey who does the real work, and that the manager is primarily interested in management (extracting work from the monkey and money from you), this knowledge is crucial to the owner of the 911 as these get even older. Asking a lot of questions is not what the manager likes, and most will find a stopgap quick answer.
Dempsey's color photographs truly explain, and his arrows detail where 'it' is.
His text, short clear sentences, passes the "Napoleon's corporal" proofreading. He is not in a hurry - the text covers it all, patiently and without short cuts.
USA centered (but that's where 50% of all Porsches reside), the author provides sources for specialized services or hard-to-get parts.
Get it, or ask it for Christmas. It is a pleasant juicy read.

One of the best 911 books out there. Suprisingly clear and easy to read. If you've never torn down your 911 motor because you always thought, "I'd should leave it to the professionals" read this book. It will show you, with lots of great pics, how to do everything in a step by step way and give you the confidence to tackle your motor. I read this book then bought five more for my other 911 buddies and have since tackled complete rebuilds. If you only buy two book, it should be this one and '101 Projects for your 911'.

This is a great book for the enthusiast or for those with an interest in Porsches. I rebuilt a 911 engine without this resource; it would have been so much easier and faster with this book as a reference. I bought this as a gift for someone that acquired a 78 911SC -- he thinks the pictures are exceptional.

I bought a 1974 911S Targa last year with a blown engine. Deciding to tackle the re-build myself, along with help from my Dad and advice from Porsche mechanics we know, I purchased this book. All I have to say is Awesome! Wayne Dempsey has really put together a comprehensive way of showing you how to do your re-build, as well as giving you some real simple yet totally worth while modifications. After studing this book for about a month, I even found were the last builder of this engine made mistakes and corrected them.

If you are going to build your engine, novice or not, I recommend this book.

It is a book with mostly general info, not much of a true restoration book such as what head light was used for this year, good general vw shop book.

This is an excellent book for anyone starting a Volkswagen restoration project, even for those with a Karmann Ghia and not a Beetle. The pictures were plentiful and very detailed. Definitely one of the best books I've seen on this topic, and a fun read as well.

Book was in good condition and has some good info.

My son tells me it is good but he needs to get a more basic book of how you do things before he can gain the full affect from this book.

Very nice text for working/restoring a Volkswagen Beetle, and even other air cooled relatives (mechanicals, headliner, door overhaul, and others). It is almost full color, which is a treat. The only problems I have with it is it is a soft cover (can get damaged easier) and some aspects are left to the experts. Oh, and it is in British English, which is not really a problem, and makes the text more interesting. ;-)

The Miata is a great car off the lot, but everyone has different ideas of perfection and the canvas that the Miata provides is perfect for people to create their own vision of automotive perfection. As an autocross racer I'm obviously biased toward performance rather than comfort, and with the help of this book, I've been able to modify my car (and maintain it) to the point where I'm winning at the races. A good purchase, it's saved me hundreds in maintenance fees by being able to do the work myself. Well worth the money!

This book is great for anyone who intends to do repair on their Miata. Much clearer instructions tha most manuals, and written by someone is is a Miata entusiast.

This book is great and written in a very easy to read and understand manner. If you actually do things to your Miata to improve performance or if you just dream about doing these things, then this is the book to start with.

The projects range from cheap and easy to expensive and involved, but they are all explained and illustrated in detail.

For those who don't know, the author works at Flyin Miata; the premier Miata performance supplier in the US. His knowledge is extensive; so much that I consider him the most knowledgeable Miata enthusiast around. It shows in this book.
The book is well written, easy to understand, and effectively helps the reader tackle projects normally left to a professional. The most common projects are covered.
A must have for those who want to save money and work on their cars on their own.

If there's anything you want to do with your Miata it's probably in here. It doesn't go into heavy detail on each job, but it sums it up well, lists the needed tools and tells you about things you might encounter and how to handle them. If you are absolutely clueless about mechanical work you can't use this alone, but it's very nice for something Miata specific and how to do things easily well described by an expert that have done it many times. Keith Tanner uses easy to understand words and it is all basic enough even for us that haven't got an engineering degree. I recommend it for all Miata owners, worst that can happen is that you just look at the pictures.