What is a car workshop manual and how are they used?

Car workshop manuals are the go-to guide for DIY mechanics. It is understandable why you would even think about buying a manual. Nowadays, car repairs are expensive and take up a lot of your time. You can’t use your car for days, which adds to the inconvenience. Although repairing it yourself requires more time, you get the satisfaction of completing the job yourself and you learn a thing or two in the process. What’s more, you save a ton of money that you could better use in other endeavors.

Workshop Manuals

Car workshop manuals are necessary if you are thinking about repairing your car at home. That’s because cars are complex machines with thousands of parts. If anything goes wrong or if you touch something that’s not supposed to be touched several other things can malfunction leading to more repairs. With a workshop manual, you have a clear sight of what you are repairing and you have the direct instructions to perform the job.

Types of Workshop Repair Manuals

As with everything else, there are many workshop repair manuals available in the market but only a few are worth the attention. You can buy both physical and online manuals. It is up to you to decide which one is better based on your needs but we cannot stress enough about online manuals.

Online Manuals

An online manual will go with you whether you are at home or on the road. You are not bound by the manual as it exists virtually everywhere and you can use it on your mobile, your tablet, or your computer based on your convenience. Furthermore, if there are any changes made to the manual you receive them in the next software update.

Physical Manuals

On the other hand, you have physical manuals. These are bulky books that are made of paper and we know that any liquid has adverse effects on it. If you spill water, oil, or any other kind of liquid, you can damage the pages and lose the information and content on that page of the manual. Physical manuals are highly inconvenient since you can't take them everywhere and they are bulky so it's not easy to hold them in one hand while you are working with the other hand. It is possible that old-timers still prefer a physical manual to an online one and that is all due to their preference.

Haynes vs Chilton Manual

There are two main competitors in the market when it comes to repairing manuals. We will take a look at both:

Haynes Manual

It is a great manual for upcoming DIY mechanics that require specific information regarding the maintenance job they are performing. Haynes has a rich history with its first manual releasing in early 1960. Since then they have made detailed manuals for all kinds of like cars, trucks, bikes, and even ATVs. You can find a Haynes manual for all vehicles beginning from 1960 to the present times.

Chilton Manual

Chilton is one of the oldest repair manual publishers. They started in 1904 and since then Chilton has been producing remarkable repair and maintenance manuals for all kinds of cars. Chilton manuals are the perfect tool for DIY mechanics as they are prepared by professionals in the field.

How manuals are used?

Manuals provide in-depth information about common and uncommon problems found in a particular car. If you get a vehicle-specific manual, the information will be in more detail than if the manual is general. If you have a problem you have to fix, simply open the manual, search for the relevant issue and perform the steps described in the manual. Chances are your car will be up and running in no time.