Autos Books

Over the last ten years or so Haynes manuals have steadily gotten more and more generic and unfortunately useless, with that comment in mind this particular manual on the beetle scores as above average. It still has a few weak areas but the other reviewers covered them well enough.

I own a 1967 Karmann Ghia and my dad owns a 1968 Karmann Ghia. We are both very disappointed in this book. I did a lot of research before I bought it, and it seemed to have all the information that I needed. The wiring diagrams are weak, and it does not give any direction for rebuilding any of the components. The wiper motor went bad, and the book only said that it would be easier and cheaper to replace it. Once I opened it up it took me less than half an hour to fix, and that's including the it took my to fabricate one of the parts.
This book does have a lot of good general information (torque specs, type of oil/ gear lube needed, etc.) but it is far from a full restoration guide.
I have never used this book for a Beetle, but I imagine I would run into similar problems

Its been almost 40 years since I last owned a beetle. I wanted to drop the engine on my 71 super beetle. It gave great instructions on how to do that with the least possible pain. Success.

the book is fantastic explanation is good ,may be some diagrams in showing all components in order will help people that dont like reading much
thanks

I recently purchased my first Beetle, a 1961 model year. I intend performing a ground-up restoration. I just received my copy of this book and have read it cover to cover. This is a very honest book and offers easy step by step guides in servicing the vehicle and carrying out all mechanical repairs. What it doesn't cover in sufficient detail is any sort of body / interior restoration, but then it doesn't claim to do so. A great book and I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty.

Let me congratulate the author for the thoughtful and simple layout of the book first. It covers the beetle's mechanical history in a concise manner as well as instructs the "will be modifier" of the pitfalls and of all that is involved in undertaking a modification. Chapters on suspension, transmission and brakes are extremely well written and aided by lot of useful pictures. I'd very much recommend this book to any body who wants to undertake any modification to his/her beetle as well as to anybody who owns one.

The VW Beetle Performance Handbook was for someone more technical than me.

This is a good book for a green v dubber. There isnt enough info in this book to build your own hot vw with out buying other books also. You could with a little talent put an engine together as described here but it probably wont run or run well as there is no mention of how to set up carburetors here only a heavy emphasis on weber and dellorto carbs. If you are on a budget then this book is not for you as it has no mention of how to modify solex carbs or how to adapt them for a little more power etc. Somethings in this book directly contradict things the author mentions in his other book VW aircooled engine intercgange manual so which is correct? confusing

I found VW Beetle Performance Handbook a very informative book especially for a beginner. It had musch usefull information that I will surely apply to my car. Yet I feel this book lacks in description. It lays out the preliminary knowledge but in no way talks about wether larger carbs or cams will affect driveability. It's engine enhancements advice are definetly dangerous for example it tells you for the ultimate motor an 84x94, 48 Weber IDA, 44x37.5 heads, large cam, MSD 6al ignition, and merger header with a turbo. He left out such important things such as the valvetrain geometry and the connecting rods. With this combination an engine could easily make 3 times its original output yet with no modifications to increase the valvetrain strength the most likely recourse would be for your engine to suck a valve and shoot a piston through the case effectively wrecking the piston, rods, head, and maybe even the case. So in summation good information yet a little vague I would suggest this book to gain a preliminary knowledge but consult something a little descriptive like the VW Interchange Manual.

I found Vw Beetle Performance Handbook by Keith Seume the perfect book for a beginner. It has valuable information on all aspects of building a car Suspension, Brakes, Transmission, and Engine. I will definetly use much of the upgrades he described. Yet I find many of his engine modifications dangerous. What I mean by this is he says for the ultimate motor. Get an 84x94 engine, 44x37.5 heads, MSD 6AL, merged header with turbo muffler, and Weber 48 IDA's. This is all in all good advice yet he completely neglects valvetrain geometry and connecting rods. Without strengthening the valvetrain you will most likely suck a valve putting a piston through the case and wrecking the rod. Without stengthening the rod the most likely reaction to this would be a snapped connecting-rod effectivley wrecking you crank, head, and case. His vague descriptions could ultimately wreck YOUR case, connecting rods, piston, heads, and your bone-stock valvetrain geometry. In summation a good beginner book but his vague descriptions could paint you into a corner. I would definetly recomend you read a more specified book like VW Interchange Manual before attempting any major modifications.

These full-speed monologues by native speakers are designed to give advanced speakers practice listening to unscripted French and its various dialects. But the poor quality of Barron's audio recordings is very distracting. The natives seem to have been recorded in a large, echoing room. After I turned up the volume to hear them, the "instructor's" voice blasted me out of my chair. I wish the same concept would be re-recorded professionally, using a real recording studio, and re-released.

I loved this product!!! Good ADVANCED study materials are hard to come by, and this is just about the best I've seen yet.

The tapes are more-or-less as hard as the average French movie. The speakers do indeed sound very different from one another, so you get a good exposure to different "accents". THIS IS IMPORTANT: knowing that you can understand some Frenchmen at least some of the time gives you enough confidence to "challenge" the others: "Please talk slower. Please speak more distinctly". These tapes will help you develop a feel for the appropriateness of such a "challenge".

The tapes feature delightful sound effects. As to production quality, they sound best on a stereo tape player. (I tried an old mono cassette recorder, but the sound degraded quite a bit.)

I rate this product as an excellent value for the money!

Auto French Advanced is just what I have been looking for: a challenging and interesting course for the truly advanced learner. The content of the authentic interviews is interesting, and the native speakers respresent a variety of accents from many different regions of France. I like the fact that the tape can be used on its own. Highly recommended.

This course was an excellent preparation for my recent trip to Paris. It was somewhat beyond my level, but organized such that, with persistence, I was able to grasp it. A very realistic French experience.

After you have listened to the beginning and intermediate tapes, and once you have mastered the rules of French grammar and pronunciation, try this one. It is composed of 18 authentic conversations with French men and women, speaking on a variety of interesting subjects, such as the city of Paris, the different regions of France, and cuisine. Talking with a variety of accents, sometimes very fast, you may understand only bits and pieces when you first listen. But try again, and read the French text (without translation) in the little booklet that accompanies the tapes. Then you will catch what is being said, and your French will be improved immensely.

These are different that most language tapes, and more should be produced of this type.

I bought this book because we were planning a trip to Munich and took daytrips by car almost everyday. This book does not go into great detail about anything. There are several driving tours that last 2-3 days, however, no mention of how much time to expect spending in each location. Almost every driving tour does not start from a base city like Munich, Frankfurt, or Berlin either (like most people would start from and want to return to). I would rather recommend Earl Steinbicker's Daytrips Germany. That is a great book and gives you vital information about each location.

My wife and I know Germany pretty well, but this guide was an excellent addition for our next trip there. It is very upbeat and informative, with just the right amount of detail.

I've just returned from my first trip to Germany, and the Best-Loved Driving Tours was among the three books I toted along. This book was an excellent tool for planning our trip -- the photos are beautiful, and the tour layout helped us figure out where we should go and what might be worth seeing. Its short descriptions of each stop helped us grasp what a place was about, and as a result we budgeted about the right amount of time for each stop.

As a tour book to take along, though, it's not nearly as helpful. On the plus side, it's the only book I encountered that imagines you might actually be *driving* through Germany (the rest of them start describing a city beginning with the train station, with no clue for car drivers on how to get downtown). Also, most of the other books don't quite grasp that you might explore outside the big cities; this one does just the opposite, which I appreciated. However, the directions from place to place are a bit sparse, and it provides almost no useful information about lodging or dining.

This is a good guide book. But don't let it be the only one you carry.

This book has lovely photos and some good suggestions for driving to places not listed in every guidebook. It also talks a bit about the various towns and cities along the routes, which makes it easier not to miss something that you otherwise would not have known about. And descriptions do not start out in the center of each town, by the train station, very useful if you are driving, rather than traveling by train. However, the actual driving directions themselves are a bit sparse - you need a good recent map of Germany to accompany the book. And there are no suggestions in this book for places to stay or to eat - unfortunate - as sometimes the book takes you to off the beaten path locales, and suggestions on where to grab a bite or a bed would be helpful.

This review is for the 5th edition, 2002 printing. A newer edition is coming out: 7th edition to be released on March 20, 2006.

Excellent guide to seeing Germany with a sports car or a BMW motorcycle. You will enjoy some great driving tours and routes through this historical region of Deutschland.

Frommers has recently come out with more "Best-Loved Driving Tours" series ... guides that are not very inexpensive, but are very well researched and quite comprehensive. One will have plenty of driving tours and routes to chose from, whether you like arts and museums, scenic roads and breathtaking views, urban towns and shopping, or just want to experience a regione's culture and life.

Unlike the other Frommer guides that are fatter and heavier, this little book gives you not too many specifics on lodging or eating. It is geared strictly for the person behind the wheel and her or his passengers.

I have had a great experience using this guide and will recommend it to anyone who can afford it. Also, you might want to check to see if your library carries it and check it out for the duration of your visit abroad.

When I backpacked 4 months through Europe I had a copy of the Lonely Planet for Europe (a thick and heavy book) because it covered more cities and esoteric towns, a ripped chapters of all the international youth hostals Europe of the countries I visited, and as primary guide for nominal cities and capitals I used Frommers (ripped the book and kept only chapters of countries planning to visit - so I can keep the weight down).

This manual covers too broad a vehicle spectrum and lacks detail necessary to do a serious repair with confidence. Diagrams are spotty in their coverage and references to obscure tools like "noid lights" are not explained.

As always, the Chilton's manuals are pretty comprehensive and easy to follow. However, Honda changed the style of the Odyssey from a four-door to a minivan in 2000. This manual doesn't cover the 2000 minivan in spite of what the title says.

this was the closest manual I could find for my '96 Isuzu oasis-unfortunately it did not address the reasons I ordered it-repair of cruise control-defroster & heating controls - I'm always amazed by some of these DIY manuals that go into rebuilding an engine but overlook many simple maintanace items-I would go to the OEM service manual for anything complicated-I just needed a clarification on some issues so as not to have to pay someone else for diagnostics. it's an OK reference for tune-up specs & wiring diagrams-would have liked better coverage of diagnostic codes.

GOOD TO HAVE, IF YOU NEED TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND FIX IT YOURSELF

GOOD TO HAVE, IF YOU NEED TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND FIX IT YOURSELF

This book is what every prospective karter needs.I simply used the lists provided and went on to buy the right parts and equipment. Saved me a lot of time and money. Every prospective karter should have one.

The book is well written, the photos are clear and very helpful.

This is a good book for learning about Karting. It was published in 1999 and is somewhat outdated. No mention of the new TAG type motors or racing classes. If your new to karting and want to learn more the book would be helpful.

Terrible ! The worst book ever. DO NOT PURCHASE!

Very old, not good information and very out of date. A complete waste of money.
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Basic informations. I'm happy I read it, to prepare my transfert from interior karting to exterior karting. A lot of small details that give the direction about what to check and not forget.

Being new to the sport and needing many questions answered I went for this book. I got everything I needed including lists of the local Karting clubs in the area and karts/parts supliers.

Despite the different makes and models of scooters, there are many similarities between them. This book takes advantage of that, and instructs you on how to service the various components generally, and not specifically; service information specific to a particular make and model is not given. For example, in chapter 10 ("Electrical Systems") figure 7.1: "Wiring diagram for a typical turn signal system". Diagrams specific to each scooter model are not given. The idea here is after reading the manual, you should be sufficiently familiar with the components of a scooter that when you service yours you won't have too much difficulty, even if your scooter's engine and drivetrain isn't exactly like the one in the pictures. This does mean that there isn't a lot of hand-holding; if you want service details specific to your scooter model you'll have to buy the official service manual from the manufacturer (and pay the high prices).

The list of specific models covered by this book is derived from the "Data" section, where information (torque settings, bore and stroke, etc.) specific to each model is listed.

It would have been nice if time were taken to explain the operation of parts that are unique to scooters. For example, the variator (part of the CVT) is not something found on motorcycles and most cars. Chapter 6 (covering the transmission) explains how to remove and service the variator, but does not explain how it works. The addition of this information would strengthen the book considerably, as it would educate the reader as to the "why", and not just the 'how".

The content is a few years old, and more recent models are not included. This is something to keep in mind if you have a recent scooter with an unusual engine, such as a Yamaha C3, which is fuel-injected.

One thing to be aware of is this book is apparently written for a British audience (Haynes Publishing is a British company). This means that British English is used throughout, as opposed to American English. You'll see "spanner" instead of "wrench", "petrol" instead of "gasoline", "tyre" instead of "tire", "circlip" instead of "retaining ring", "renew" instead of "replace", etc. This isn't a big deal, but may take some getting used to. Reference section 18 is about the MOT Test, which is given in England and not the U.S.A.

In all this is a very handy and useful reference. Combine this with parts diagrams for your particular scooter (obtainable online), and you should be prepared to tackle most service tasks.

The Lovely Pearl ET4 on the front cover is not one of the models covered, a bit misleading. If you have one of the later L.E.A.D.E.R. engines, any engine work should be doable, since the ET4 and the LX share the same engine.

this book provides all the info you need to disassemble and rebuild most scooter motors as well as tips and methods to make it easier

Well written (just have to get used to some of the English terminology) and well illustrated covering many maintenance items,repairs and overhauls to 2 and 4 stroke, air and liquid cooled scooters. You will need your owners manual for specifications though, as only a few brands are listed. Manual also covers safety items,as well as tool and workshop tips.

this book almost was what i was looking for i still had a lot of good info tho the shipper sent it out super fast and it showed up faster then i thought it would i very surprised at how fast it got here

This CD is amazingly helpful and the Griswolds are very supportive. I listen to it 1-2 times a day while driving and it is making a real difference (along with diet and exercise). Appropriate no matter what diet you are following. One of the best.

It would be lovely to play this audiocassette and achieve weight loss "automatically". But as most of us know it doesnt work like that in the real world. The cassette is ok to listen to, but has a few problems. Its designed to be used in the car and the authors state this. However, their voices are so relaxing I found myself having trouble staying awake when I used the cassette. Secondly, its obvious they are very happy with each other and they indicate this with comments to one another that really detract from the point of the cassette. The premise of the cassette is that feeling good about yourself will help you lose weight and once you feel good about yourself the weight will come off "automatically" but then they go on to recommend a 40/30/30 diet! Thus the message of the cassette isnt quite what its supposed to be.

A co-worker lent me this CD and after listening once, I immediately went out and purchased my own. This is a training session for the mind, and if you don't think you have to train your mind while your training your body (trying to lose weight), then think again. There is vital information coupled with a series of affirmations that actually change the way you think about your body, about diets, and about exercise. It made a huge positive difference in my program.

I have been listening to the CD now for about a week and I find that what they say is true. If you listen to it daily, the affirmations become planted in your mind and it really does make it easier to make healthier eating choices and to exercise. I have tried other cd's like this but had difficulty getting past the speaker's voices on them. The Griswold's voices are comforting and soothing just the way they should be. I recommend this to anyone wanting to improve themselves.

I feel the other reviewer on this book/tape seemed to be confused about the word Auto-matically, which is printed on the cover.

I just begun to listen to this tape mid December and I do like it. You can listen to this tape while driving (the main reason I purchase it). I believe it's a play on words. Auto-matically does not mean that weight will come off automatically. I've read the back cover on another similar self-help tapes and they stress "DO NOT use their tapes while driving it can cause drousiness etc. This tape YOU CAN DRIVE and listen. Read the back cover and decide for yourself.

You must be open mined about how this tape works and they do stress that. They use affirmations (positive assertions) mostly throughout the tape. You may feel corny at first, (I do) repeating these affirmations to yourself, but maybe this IS what I/we need to "win the mental game of weight control. I know I can't achieve a better me soly by listening to this tape alone. In the short time of listening to this tape I can already see that mentally I'm more positive about wanting to improve myself. I've begun to re-read my ol' shelved fitness books and look for an exercise routine and ways to cook healthier meals. See it has helped me already.

i like the way it show how to do thin

i like the way it show how to do thin

Using this manual, I have r&r'd clutch, axles, timing chain, valvetrain, door hinges, oil pan gasket, chain tensioner, oil sending unit, water pump and many other maintenance repairs. Although the manual was useful, it was very clumsy to get around. You cannot reference a single repair without skipping around to 3 or more different chapters. Necessary details were often omitted, and special tools which are required to do the job are not listed. All though the manual was of assistance, I much preferred the Nissan Mfg. service manual.

how to replaced the front head lligh

This is a general-purpose, well-written, easy-to-read workshop manual, especially suited to amateur mechanics. This is a how-to manual, not a reference book, with many photographs to aid the less-experienced.

Although a very useful manual, it has an inaccurate and misleading title. For example, it doesn't even mention the 1.4L Sentra engine, nor is it aware of right-hand drive models (used in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the UK). An extension to the title of "for the USA and Canada" would make things clearer. Perhaps there is no 1.4L option in North America. As you've probably guessed, I have a 1.4L right-hand drive Sentra.

This manual is a general-purpose book, and skips some of the more complex procedures. For example, it completely ignores the maintenance and repair of the automatic transmission. It also neglects the interior trim and upholstery. On the positive side, it gives a complete, do-it-yourself guide to panelbeating.

Overall a good workshop manual for back yard mechanics. International shoppers need to be aware, though, that it is intended for the North American market.

This book is absolutely worthless. The information is ridiculously vague. For example, if you wish to remove your radiator and install a new one, the steps basically say:
1) remove radiator.
2) install new radiator.

No kidding! I couldn't have figured that out myself! And most of the book is like that. I don't know how you can cover model years 1967-89 and say anything of value.

This may very well be the best investment I have ever made. I almost purchased another name brand manual and I am glad I didn't. I found the information in it to be vague and confusing but with the Chilton's everything is easy to find and understand. I have saved over $300 so far by doing the work myself and am about to save $200 more this weekend. I would recommend Chilton's to anyone who is working on a car expert or novice. It's well worth the price!!!!

This book was very helpful to me because it helped me fix my own ca

I'm loking forward to reading and getting plenty of know how from this book. I've been looking everywhere for a book on my year's model which is an '89 Sedan deVille. I also have a '78 Ford Fairmont station wagon.

This is a very informative book, but if you are looking for something specific on a given model, you may be out of luck. In fact, I got the Haynes manual from the library, which covers less models and years, and that still didn't mention the vacuum pump for an 86 Sedan De Ville, which is the part that I need to replace. I guess I'll just wing it. Neither book addressed the removal and replacement of the antenna, either, but if I were to do that incorrectly, the worst would be lack of radio reception, or maybe a short in the stock "Symphony Sound" cassette deck, which wouldn't affect me too much. Maybe the Chilton's editorial staff book would be more detailed.

All in all, it's a very informative book, with a lot of general troubleshooting information. Also, it's going to help me remove my engine from my '70 Eldorado quite nicely. I'm going to keep it, if for nothing else, than as a guide for the Eldo engine and as a generic book on automotive mechanics. All the specs are there, and that's nice.