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From past experience, I've had varied success with the "Dummies" series, therefore I was somewhat doubtful when I ordered this book. Based on the previous reviews here at Amazon.com, I ordered it and, after reading the book, I was not disappointed. I bought the book primarily because I wanted a source I could use to help teach my 14 year old son about automotive repair - he just bought his first car (with my approval, of course). The author did a good job of explaining basic automotive repair & I did find much of the book to be useful in helping me explain many things to my son. I too learned a couple of things from the book, having spent several years maintaining various vehicles. A few of the illustrations are poor, but most are either adequate or good. The author does an especially good job of convincing the reader that simple automobile maintenance is doable if you know what to do (following her detailed instructions), use common sense & have the right tools. I wish more people were "car maintenance savvy" and the author's attitude strongly reiterates this theme. I also firmly believe in doing your own repairs - it's convienient, money and time saving, satisfying and you have peace of mind knowing the job is done right - the author does a good job of emphasizing these points. I disagree slightly with the author in regard to repairing older cars. True, most older cars needing an engine rebuild should be terminated, however, I've found many older cars ARE worth rebuilding and can provide reliable and very inexpensive means of transportation. As rebuilding engines is totally beyond the scope of this book, and in most cases the author is correct, this is a very minor point. Overall, I'd still highly recommend this book to anyone who either wants to know the basics of automotive repair - either for the do it yourselfer's, or for anyone who wants to become more knowledgeable about maintaining your expensive investment & understanding your mechanics recommendations and expectations. If you have any intentions of working on your car, I'd recommend getting a manual specific to your car make & model to accompany this book (like a Haynes manual, or similar).Read full review
The book does a nice job explaining the basics in a fair amount of detail. I skipped the first few chapters that explained the really simple things, but the remaining chapters gave me a little more knowledge on some things I already knew a little about. I wish it would provide more detail on some of the systems, but it is a book for "dummies" so I guess I shouldn't expect much more out of it. This is a good book for anybody looking to save a little money by doing the simple vehicle maintenance that just about anybody is capable of without major training.
I borrowed this book form library at first. The content is enough for a beginner like me. Including jacking my car up, changing tires ... Friendly wording, detailed description and some figures for readers. Learned a lot from it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
It's just what I was looking for and will probably save me money, not running to the shop so often.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned