Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999 13:48:31 -0400
Reply-To: "Joe L." <jliasse@TOAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Joe L." <jliasse@TOAST.NET>
Subject: Re: repair books
In-Reply-To: <v03102806b3b0f923d743@[209.86.79.97]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
As far as I know there are two books that cover the Watercooled Vanagon;
one being the Bentley, the other being a BRITISH printing of the Haynes.
This Haynes is not usually available at the usual places but can be had
through the Bus Depot.
The Bentley seems to have been written for the expierenced mechanic who
already has a good knowledge of things automotive but needs info on this
particular vehicle. The "whats" and the "wheres" are all there but the
"hows" are rather scarce because it assumes you, being a mechanic, already
know "how".
The Haynes, on the other hand, assumes one knows nothing. Because of the
assumption those areas that are covered include many of the "hows" left out
in the Bentley. The unfortunate thing about the Haynes is that the folks who
wrote it decided that there were cretain repairs that the rank amature
should not be doing at all. Little information is given on these systems
beyond some general outlines and friendly hints to "Take it to a real
mechanic" Go to the bookstore and look at pretty much any Haynes and you
will see what I mean.
Another thing about the Haynes is that NOTHING is in there for ANY of
the systems or additions that make your Vanagon a Westy. If you need to pull
the Dometic Fridge or take out a cabinet you will get NO help from the
Haynes. The Bentley has all of this.
Which one should you get? Depends on what is going to break on your
Westy and what you plan to do about it when it does. I have both books. I,
like you, like to restrict my activities to "piddling" but sometimes Murphy
shows up and I have to really get "in there" and actually fix something. For
these times of Major Surgury I want all the info I can get to hopefully make
up for my lack of expierence. With these two books along with occasionally
driving the folks on the list nuts I have made repairs on my 83.5 I would
never have thought I could do. Much to my surprise I now find myself
perfectly willing to get into just about anything on my Westy except the
transmission. Having done all the repair work for the last seven years I
also get a kick every time I start the old girl up. The $120 or so that the
books cost has so far saved me several thousand in labor costs and THIS, I
believe, is the key. If something breaks you ARE going to pay for the books,
along with tools and such needed to fix her; either YOUR books and tools
that YOU keep or your mechanic's books and tools that HE keeps.
One last thing. My small local library has THREE copies of the Bentley
down there. Yours may have one as well.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Jim Cain
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 1999 10:19 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: repair books
I've had my 85 Westy for about six months now, this is my first vanagon. I
had early 70 Westys before. I'm not a complete mechanic, but like to
piddle some. In the past I have used the Chilton repair books and they
were adequate for my level of fixin'. So, when we bought Herbie, I looked
to get the Chiltons for him, but it is not yet in the stands. Publication
date of Feb 99 and it is still back ordered at the local Chapter 11
bookstore.
I keep seeing references to Bently on the list, is he a butler or a garage
owner? I see on Busdepot.com several books listed, Bently being the most
expensive.
Question: Since I will not rebuild an engine, but may do tune ups, and
minor repair/replace things, is Bently too in depth? What about the
Haynes, since Herbie seems to be included.
Suggestions, comments on any of these?
TIA
| 
