Anyone have any experience with this manual?

http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/BO.../InvDetail.cfm



I still have a way to go before brakes are necessary, but I was thinking I might try and do it myself if I can get the parts and a service manual cheap enough. The above book isn't cheap, and I probably wouldn't use it beyond doing a brake job so I'm wondering if it would be worth purchasing. What else is available for someone wanting to do just routine maintenance?

Any comments on the idea? Thanks in advance for any info(!)

 

I've had the Bentley manual for a few years now. It's pretty comprehensive, lots of notated pictures, pretty well laid out procedures. Not a lot of diagnostic help, but if you are any kind of motorhead, the book will serve you well.

 

I have a Bentley manual, and have been disappointed with it. It has a lot of information, but I have not found it much help. One major thing important to me that it omits is dimensions, measurements and specifications. I have also found that in some sections it shows some of the "special tools" needed, but no explanation on how to use them. An example of this is in the section on the suspension and alignment it show a tool for adjusting the rear toe, but does not have any explanation on how to adjust the rear toe. It is a big thick manual, but not a great value in my opinion. The situation is that there is not much else out there except for the newly released Haynes manual. I am going to look into that one to see what it is like.

 

Lots of people poopoo Haynes....but the classic crowd relies on them

I've the Haynes for my 02 and am happy with it. I don't care for the layout/organization but all Haynes are laid out the same....Chapter 11 is bodywork etc....so if you have several it is handy to find brakes always in the same place anyway. I've three on the shelf right now, MINI, Mini and Miata.

I've been able to answer a number of questions with the Haynes....and it costs less than the Bentley, altho sellers are starting to dump the Bentley (does not apply to GEN 2) so you might find a comparable deal. It covers Cooper and S, but not JCW.

For brakes on a Gen 1 - get Octaneguy's "how to" here (search for it), it's pretty good, if that's all you plan to do. If going into other stuff...invest in a book.