RE: Manuals/Bentley vs. Haynes

[Aleksander Mierzwa <alex@matrix.com.pl>]

Brett wrote:

	>Yes, but on the other hand, the Haynes tried, in under 200
pages the 5000:
	>-CIS
	>-CIS-III
	>-CIS-Turbo
	>-Diesel
	>AND:
	>-quattro
	>-fwd
	>AND:
	>-5000S
	>-5000CS
	>AND:
	>-auto
	>-manual(and all variations of both!)
	>AND:
	>1983 through 1998

Maybe we have different edition of Haynes, but mine does not cover
quattro or diesel versions. I doubt if there are serious differencies
between S and CS models, as well as between 83 through 88 model years.

	>What were they thinking?  The Bently does a _fair_ job at
keeping you
	>straight on what notes are for what models/years, but the
Haynes is
	>horrible.  I remember, before I got my Bently set, looking in
the Haynes to
	>try and find the hydraulic fluid container.  Good luck.  The
(ONE!) picture
	>in the manual showed a 1984(?) 5000-non-turbo-quattro
compartment.

There's a detailed drawing of the container, showing all the inside
parts. There's no difference between model years, quattro and turbo
regarding this part.

	>I consider my Haynes manual a worthless piece of crap.  Good
for
	>Joe-the-gas-station-guy-who-needs-to-know-where-the-battery-is
and that's
	>about it.
	>[...]
	>You know it's bad when...
	>...the first few pages contain a

>This-is-what-an-Audi-looks-like-in-case-you-didn't-see-the-big-rings-mo
ron
	>guide :)
	>[...]
	>I also enjoyed the section on setting stupid Americans straight
on what a
	>"torch" is :)_

Brett, I don't want to insult anyone, nor to start any international
battle, but in country where a person won a court case against McDonald
for serving too hot coffee (she was stupid enough to hold the cup
between legs while driving the car and she scalded herself), I can
understand the publisher being a little over-protective ;-)
I'm not saying that Haynes is better than Bentley, I understand that the
factory manual is a factory manual, period, and even number of pages
speaks for itself, but even a not too good manual is better than no
manual at all. Haynes has helped me many times, let take the wiring
schematics alone. Consider the price issue, too, I got my Haynes for 20
bucks or so and for a Benley I'd prolly have to pay at least $100 more.
I also have Haynes for the Renault and it was very helpful in repairing
the other car in family.

Aleksander Mierzwa
Warsaw, Poland
mailto:alex@matrix.com.pl
87 Audi 5000CS turbo (mine)
88 Renault Medallion wagon (mom's)
91 mountain bike (just in case both cars broke at the same time :-)