Haynes repair manuals rant

[CaptainStoner]

Ok, this isn't in the highbrow science category, but on an earthier note:
Fuck you, Haynes repair manual. Fuck you very much.
Fuck you for saying things like "The top bolt will be difficult to remove."
And offering no other input on the subject, other than to "remove it from above", which is 100% impossible.
Yes, I got it out, thanks to internet forums, but sheesh. There's a million to be made in a new line of car repair manuals. In the Haynes the pictures are grainy and often of no use, and when you have an idiosyncratic difficult spot on a commonly backyard mechanic item (starter motor) there is no text or photo even describing where the component can be found, much less anything useful in removing it.
Rant over. Back to work.

 

[farmkid]

I'm not familiar with Haynes manuals, but from what you describe, they sound just like the Chilton's manuals. I agree, they are absolutely horrible. I bought one once. Never again. I now laugh at the poor suckers who do buy them. I think they must be published by some pro-mechanics group in the hope that people will buy them thinking they can fix their own cars, then when they really screw things up, take the car to a mechanic and swear off ever trying to do it themselves again.

 

[CaptainStoner]

^ it's mainly the inconsistency, and the failure to focus on common backyard mechanic items. Although the manual I picked up for the 80's Toyota Van was a lot better than this Saturn book.
Anyway, it's always gratifying to fix something and save few hundred along the way. There are things I like about the Saturn design - like the drain plug and screw-in filter for the transmission (was useful in flushing it out to alleviate a reverse knock) but the starter was quite difficult with the car only on front jackstands.