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Why hasn't there been any newer editions since 1999?
Self-reliance with regard to car maintenance is something that I have always wanted for myself.
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A lot of complaints are written about how dated this book is - well, for a book who's first edition came out in '83, 8 years before the first "for Dummies" title in the series came out, it's pretty good. Remember also, it was written for people with no mechanic/auto knowledge. My father's mechanic friend recommended it to women who came into the shop who were intimidated by mechanics.
I bought this when I bought my first car, in 1983, along with my copy of Muir's "How to keep your Volkswagen alive...". Between the two of these books I was able to keep my car (9 years old at the time) maintained and tuned until it got destroyed in a crash.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn't understand cars, though I would recommend your car's shop manual if you want to do more than basics.
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this is amazing now i can go to the mechanic and actually understand what he is talking about, and avoid being ripped off...
also there are so many tips on how to do it yourself so no need to go c a mechanic ..
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Good advice and clear directions for the novice mechanic.
Highly recommended.
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I put this book on my Wish List at Amazon.com. It is exactly what I need and the other reviewers give it a good rating. But HOLD THE PRESSES not so fast. I went over to the local book store and happened to see a copy, so I sat down for 10 minutes and quickly took in as much as I could.
First of all the title is misleading. It is not about car repair despite the size of the book's big 600 page thickness. It should be called
"Dummies Guide to Car Ownership".
It is like a large owners manual that comes with every new car. This book cannot be used to repair your car. You can use it to understand how the car works, when to change the oil, and what certain parts do but it is (definitely) not a car repair book. Maybe if you bought a used car and it has no manual buy this book, or you just bought your first car and you are clueless, then okay buy the book, but if you are that clueless - do not fix your car. Get help.
It is like a cartoon book on very basic things. For example one section is how to open the hood (I kid you not!). Another is how to change the tire. Another how to check your fluid levels. There are cartoons showing the suspension, the motor combustion cycle, etc. all the things that are basic. It is not a guide to repairing a serious problem or maybe even a not so serious problem in your car. There are a few interesting items in the book like PVC valves and cartoons showing how they bleed exhaust gases back into the input manifold, etc.
Okay so you want to repair your Chevy or your Honda or your VW or your Ford pickup. This is what you do. You go to a store like Autozone or similar (this is not an endorsement) and you buy a shop manual for your exact car - say a 1999 Chevy Lumina V6 3.8 L, that is for the make, the model, with the year and exact engine or the equivalent book for $25-$50. bucks. Maybe you can get it for less. Then you use the shop manual as a guide to determine what to change and how to do it, and buy the parts at an auto supply place. If that manual is too complicated, just go to a garage, or get help from a friend that has some experience.
If you know the basics about a car, skip the book.
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