citrin@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Wayne Citrin) (03/09/86)
I'm looking for a service manual for my car (a 1985 RX-7). What is the best manual to get? If it's the factory manual, how do I get one? Would a good automotive book store have one? Wayne Citrin (ucbvax!citrin)
phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) (03/10/86)
In article <12267@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> citrin@ucbvax.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Wayne Citrin) writes: >I'm looking for a service manual for my car (a 1985 RX-7). What is the >best manual to get? If it's the factory manual, how do I get one? >Would a good automotive book store have one? Go to the parts department of your dealer and buy the factory manual. It'll be maybe $30. A small fraction of the price of your car. Also, if you like pretty pictures, you can probably buy the parts catalog for your model. (I have done this for my Honda Civic.) -- "We must welcome the future, remembering that soon it will become the present, and respect the past, knowing that once it was all that was humanly possible." Phil Ngai +1 408 749 5720 UUCP: {ucbvax,decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.dec.com
hedden@atux01.UUCP (D. Hedden) (03/10/86)
In article <12267@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, citrin@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Wayne Citrin) writes: > I'm looking for a service manual for my car (a 1985 RX-7). What is the > best manual to get? If it's the factory manual, how do I get one? > Would a good automotive book store have one? > Whatever the particular car, I recommend the factory service or shop manual. They can be purchased from a dealer parts counter (may have to be ordered, and tend to be fairly expensive, usually $20-$30). The factory manuals tend to have complete information, good instruct- ional diagrams and photos, and parts numbers for special tools required for particular tasks. In addition they usually have complete wiring information, and directions on the body work (where to find those screws holding the dashboard together, the easy way to get to some items, etc.), and they have testing procedures for the systems in your particular car, not generic emissions system testing, etc. In addition to the factory manual, I also keep a copy of Motor's Manual that has my car in it. These are generally available from bookstores. I have found that having a second set of directions on an operation frequently clarifies what I am supposed to do, and sometime tells me how to get by without an expensive special tool. I happen to like the format, style, and writing in Motor's, you might prefer Chilton's or someone elses. The main point is have a second source of info. If all you will be doing is minor tune-ups, don't spend the money on either. The owner's manual and a modicum of mechanical experi- ence will probably suffice. "The moving hand writes ..." Don