Part 1: Generic Manuals | Part 2: Generic Manuals | Part 3: Vehicle-specific Manuals | Part 4: Vehicle-specific Manuals
Two down, a couple more to go. Welcome back to our Online Auto Repair Manual types series here at Repair Manuals Online! We're going strong now at part 5, and we've got an exciting topic coming right up. On this post, we'll be tackling another type of online car repair manual: the diagnostic manual.
You may be wondering what's so special about online diagnostic manuals. After all, some of the more thorough online auto repair manuals already come with their own diagnostic tools and troubleshooting guidelines.
Well, specializations exist for a reason. Diagnostic manuals cater to the needs of many a DIY auto mechanic. As vehicle components and systems become more and more complex, so does finding out what's wrong with them. You'll need to know exactly what part on your vehicle is affected based on the symptoms that you observe. If you've watched those old G.I. Joe cartoons from a decade or two ago, you'll see that knowing really is half the battle.
When you have the information needed to know what's really bothering your car, then you can fix the source of the problem. If you're unsure of the cause, you can end up causing bigger damage, and you'll have wasted a considerable amount of time, money and effort on a wild goose chase. That's where diagnostic manuals come in.
These online auto repair manuals that are specifically geared for diagnosis will ensure that you have the right troubleshooting methods and that you can get the proper results when it comes to identifying the root of your vehicle's problems.
We've got another post on diagnostic manuals tomorrow, then we'll move to the next online vehicle repair manual type on our list. Make sure you get back to us for more information regarding the types of online auto repair manuals available to DIY mechanics.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Types of Online Repair Manuals part 4
Part 1: Generic Manuals | Part 2: Generic Manuals | Part 3: Vehicle-specific Manuals
In the previous post, we've talked about those vehicle-specific manuals that are particularly suited for those who seek in-depth information about particular vehicle makes and models. The devil is in the details, as they say—and DIY auto repair is all about details. After all, you won't want to be removing a certain component when you're supposed to be working on another. That's only going to mess up your ride even more.
Of course, this type of online repair manual isn't limited to just those tried-and-true manual books that come with gadgets, computers and vehicles. You can also get vehicle-specific information from online documents and articles from websites. All you need to do is to filter your search so that you can tailor-fit your Google search results to match your ride's year, make and model information.
Once you have your search results, you can filter them further by looking for specific types of file formats. Manuals and similar documents can be in Adobe document format (.pdf) or text format (.txt). Some are even zipped to be compressed (.zip, .rar). You can also refine your search by limiting the search terms to include only the system or component that you need to work on for your next DIY endeavor.
Pro tip: Remember to have your computer's firewalls up to protect you from malicious files like trojans, viruses and malware when you download seemingly trustworthy documents and files from the Internet.
In the future, we'll go into more detail about vehicle-specific online auto repair manuals. In the meantime, we'll just head on over to the next type of online auto repair manual on our list. We'll be discussing diagnostic and troubleshooting tools in the next post, so watch out as our Types of Online Auto Repair Manuals series continues!
In the previous post, we've talked about those vehicle-specific manuals that are particularly suited for those who seek in-depth information about particular vehicle makes and models. The devil is in the details, as they say—and DIY auto repair is all about details. After all, you won't want to be removing a certain component when you're supposed to be working on another. That's only going to mess up your ride even more.
Of course, this type of online repair manual isn't limited to just those tried-and-true manual books that come with gadgets, computers and vehicles. You can also get vehicle-specific information from online documents and articles from websites. All you need to do is to filter your search so that you can tailor-fit your Google search results to match your ride's year, make and model information.
Once you have your search results, you can filter them further by looking for specific types of file formats. Manuals and similar documents can be in Adobe document format (.pdf) or text format (.txt). Some are even zipped to be compressed (.zip, .rar). You can also refine your search by limiting the search terms to include only the system or component that you need to work on for your next DIY endeavor.
Pro tip: Remember to have your computer's firewalls up to protect you from malicious files like trojans, viruses and malware when you download seemingly trustworthy documents and files from the Internet.
In the future, we'll go into more detail about vehicle-specific online auto repair manuals. In the meantime, we'll just head on over to the next type of online auto repair manual on our list. We'll be discussing diagnostic and troubleshooting tools in the next post, so watch out as our Types of Online Auto Repair Manuals series continues!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Types of Online Repair Manuals part 3
Part 1: Generic Manuals | Part 2: Generic Manuals
Welcome back to our series on the types of online auto repair manuals! We're now in part 3, and since we've spent the last two parts discussing just one type, perhaps it is high time that we moved on to the next one. Today, our focus will be on vehicle-specific manuals.
Vehicle-specific manuals are those that cover the technical data of a particular vehicle make and model from a particular model year. These online car repair manuals provide the right kind of info for those that are having issues specific to their car model.
Such online vehicle repair manuals provide a wealth of information when it comes to the particular model's common problems, along with diagnosis and troubleshooting of known issues. In addition to that, there may also be vehicle-specific solutions provided or suggested by the publisher itself.
What you can bank on when it comes to vehicle-specific manuals is that these provide information that is unique to your vehicle's make and model. That is, you'll be getting accurate data about your vehicle—from where this or that part is specifically located to which components are actually included in a certain system within your ride. This way, there won't be any confusion when you need to deal with a certain part or system, and you'll know that this part is really what you need to replace or fix.
We'll continue this discussion in the next part of our Types of Online Repair Manuals series of posts. We've got loads more in store for you, so make sure you check back in to learn more about the available online car repair manuals. Stay tuned for the discussion only here at Repair Manuals Online!
Welcome back to our series on the types of online auto repair manuals! We're now in part 3, and since we've spent the last two parts discussing just one type, perhaps it is high time that we moved on to the next one. Today, our focus will be on vehicle-specific manuals.
Vehicle-specific manuals are those that cover the technical data of a particular vehicle make and model from a particular model year. These online car repair manuals provide the right kind of info for those that are having issues specific to their car model.
Such online vehicle repair manuals provide a wealth of information when it comes to the particular model's common problems, along with diagnosis and troubleshooting of known issues. In addition to that, there may also be vehicle-specific solutions provided or suggested by the publisher itself.
What you can bank on when it comes to vehicle-specific manuals is that these provide information that is unique to your vehicle's make and model. That is, you'll be getting accurate data about your vehicle—from where this or that part is specifically located to which components are actually included in a certain system within your ride. This way, there won't be any confusion when you need to deal with a certain part or system, and you'll know that this part is really what you need to replace or fix.
We'll continue this discussion in the next part of our Types of Online Repair Manuals series of posts. We've got loads more in store for you, so make sure you check back in to learn more about the available online car repair manuals. Stay tuned for the discussion only here at Repair Manuals Online!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Types of Online Repair Manuals part 2
So, we've already discussed one type of online auto repair manual in the previous post. However, before we move on to the other stuff, let's keep discussing about the first one we've already tackled. After all, general online repair manuals are like the DIY mechanic's ABCs. These manuals cover the big fundamentals and the basic principles and the common issues that one needs to know before tweaking or replacing anything in a vehicle.
I've already given my first experience with repair manuals, with a generic book called the Popular Mechanics Complete Car Care Guide. Such generic repair manuals may not be as in-depth or as thorough as many experts would prefer, but then again people do have to start somewhere. You can't just read up about something in Wikipedia and expect to be able to grasp the fundamental concepts needed to take the next step.
It's not a bad thing if you want to go the generic route first before going to vehicle-specific manuals, and these generic car care manuals do offer a lot of advantages. For example, the language is plainer than more advanced books, as these generic variants are really intended for beginners or novices. It's all about using layman's terms.
Another advantage is that such generic online repair manuals can be cheaper, as those vehicle-specific manuals took more time and effort in terms of research and study to know the ins and outs of a single vehicle year, make and model. If you want physical manuals, they are also more accessible compared to those that are geared for certain makes and models.
If you're already well-versed in the basics, you can most certainly use a vehicle-specific online auto repair manual. But we'll be discussing that at in a future post. Wait for it!
I've already given my first experience with repair manuals, with a generic book called the Popular Mechanics Complete Car Care Guide. Such generic repair manuals may not be as in-depth or as thorough as many experts would prefer, but then again people do have to start somewhere. You can't just read up about something in Wikipedia and expect to be able to grasp the fundamental concepts needed to take the next step.
It's not a bad thing if you want to go the generic route first before going to vehicle-specific manuals, and these generic car care manuals do offer a lot of advantages. For example, the language is plainer than more advanced books, as these generic variants are really intended for beginners or novices. It's all about using layman's terms.
Another advantage is that such generic online repair manuals can be cheaper, as those vehicle-specific manuals took more time and effort in terms of research and study to know the ins and outs of a single vehicle year, make and model. If you want physical manuals, they are also more accessible compared to those that are geared for certain makes and models.
If you're already well-versed in the basics, you can most certainly use a vehicle-specific online auto repair manual. But we'll be discussing that at in a future post. Wait for it!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Types of Online Repair Manuals
In order to get the kind of information you need, you'll also need to know the types of available online car repair manuals. Everything will depend on the problem—whether you'll be looking for a generic manual, a vehicle-specific manual, a diagnostic guide, or a maintenance or service manual.
The first thing we'll be discussing is the initial type on our list: the generic manual, or the general online auto repair manual. These are fairly common types, and you might not even need to buy anything. General repair manuals can also be bought off the shelves of leading bookstores in your area. Still, our focus here is on those car repair manuals found online, which offer not only convenience but a paperless resource that is accessible anytime you have your computer on (with matching Internet connection, of course).
You'll be able to find generic repair manuals online that are basically sorted by the make or by automaker. That's because car manufacturers often have typical things to look out for across a range of vehicle models. In the same vein, certain manufacturing peculiarities or trademarks will have matching issues on multiple models within their product line.
Additionally, there are some online repair manual publishers who really make it a point to focus on certain automakers (depending on demand, most probably) so there really would be a wealth of information on a particular manufacturer (say, Toyota) than others, and this info would be better suited for your vehicle should you own one from the aforementioned automaker.
That's about it for now. We'll discuss the other types of online auto repair manuals as we go along, so watch out for those. Once we've completed the rundown of online repair manual types, we'll round it all up so you can access the articles on one convenient post.
The first thing we'll be discussing is the initial type on our list: the generic manual, or the general online auto repair manual. These are fairly common types, and you might not even need to buy anything. General repair manuals can also be bought off the shelves of leading bookstores in your area. Still, our focus here is on those car repair manuals found online, which offer not only convenience but a paperless resource that is accessible anytime you have your computer on (with matching Internet connection, of course).
You'll be able to find generic repair manuals online that are basically sorted by the make or by automaker. That's because car manufacturers often have typical things to look out for across a range of vehicle models. In the same vein, certain manufacturing peculiarities or trademarks will have matching issues on multiple models within their product line.
Additionally, there are some online repair manual publishers who really make it a point to focus on certain automakers (depending on demand, most probably) so there really would be a wealth of information on a particular manufacturer (say, Toyota) than others, and this info would be better suited for your vehicle should you own one from the aforementioned automaker.
That's about it for now. We'll discuss the other types of online auto repair manuals as we go along, so watch out for those. Once we've completed the rundown of online repair manual types, we'll round it all up so you can access the articles on one convenient post.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Online Repair Manual Reviews: RepairManual.com
Let’s get down to business as we start this new year. Back in December, we promised to bring you more news, information and reviews about the various online repair manuals available to the vehicle enthusiast and DIY mechanic. Our first review of the year is of repairmanual.com, a site that aggregates a bunch of online repair manuals that you can order.
It’s actually more of a searchable database rather than a single online repair manual service. For example, if you go to the menus, you can select the automobiles link and you’ll be directed to an alphabetical list of vehicle makes. Clicking a car manufacturer link will then lead you to a list of that manufacturer’s models. Clicking a model finally gets you to a list of different online repair manuals that you can purchase for that particular model.
It’s a pretty good listing, actually. Most vehicle makes and models are covered, and there are options from a number of online car repair manual service providers. Some model years even go as far back as the 60s, so you can find even some rare stuff and books that are hard to find. You can clearly see that there is an effort to make the collection as comprehensive as it can be.
What the site could use is a bit more description about the manuals on the results page, so viewers won’t have to make another click just to access the summaries. Another thing is that the website doesn’t really do anything to look like a modern e-commerce website. It looks like one of those sites built during the Geocities days of the Internet. Even then, the entire effort is solid and you get what you need out of the site. After all, it’s the content that counts.
If you want a no-frills and hassle-free way to order a online repair manual for your ride, check out RepairManual.com and see if they list what you need. Whether you’re looking for manuals about cars, vans, ATVs, bikes and even snowmobiles, this is one of the best places to check first.
It’s actually more of a searchable database rather than a single online repair manual service. For example, if you go to the menus, you can select the automobiles link and you’ll be directed to an alphabetical list of vehicle makes. Clicking a car manufacturer link will then lead you to a list of that manufacturer’s models. Clicking a model finally gets you to a list of different online repair manuals that you can purchase for that particular model.
It’s a pretty good listing, actually. Most vehicle makes and models are covered, and there are options from a number of online car repair manual service providers. Some model years even go as far back as the 60s, so you can find even some rare stuff and books that are hard to find. You can clearly see that there is an effort to make the collection as comprehensive as it can be.What the site could use is a bit more description about the manuals on the results page, so viewers won’t have to make another click just to access the summaries. Another thing is that the website doesn’t really do anything to look like a modern e-commerce website. It looks like one of those sites built during the Geocities days of the Internet. Even then, the entire effort is solid and you get what you need out of the site. After all, it’s the content that counts.
If you want a no-frills and hassle-free way to order a online repair manual for your ride, check out RepairManual.com and see if they list what you need. Whether you’re looking for manuals about cars, vans, ATVs, bikes and even snowmobiles, this is one of the best places to check first.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
We would just like to greet everyone a very happy new year! We hope you've all had a bountiful New Year feast and let's welcome 2011 with a bang.
In terms of it being our maiden year, 2010 has been a blast! That's why it was a bit tough to let the past year go. But you know what they say, it's time to go into next-play mode. Bring on 2011!
It'll be a new year filled with new stuff and hopefully, a lot of that new stuff will involve online auto repair manuals. Count on us to keep you updated on that front in the coming year. Expect full coverage, insider information, the usual tips and tricks, and a variety of other stuff relating to these wonderful repair manuals that can be found online.
Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some more leftovers to attend tMore power to the DIY enthusiast and mechanic!
In terms of it being our maiden year, 2010 has been a blast! That's why it was a bit tough to let the past year go. But you know what they say, it's time to go into next-play mode. Bring on 2011!
It'll be a new year filled with new stuff and hopefully, a lot of that new stuff will involve online auto repair manuals. Count on us to keep you updated on that front in the coming year. Expect full coverage, insider information, the usual tips and tricks, and a variety of other stuff relating to these wonderful repair manuals that can be found online.
Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some more leftovers to attend tMore power to the DIY enthusiast and mechanic!
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