Vehicle Service Manuals: OEM vs. DIY Aftermarket

So you’ve decided to learn more about your vehicle, and are looking for the best manual you can find. But where do you start? You’d like to get an original factory manual – but is a less expensive aftermarket DIY manual from Haynes, Chilton, or Clymer exactly what you need? The Motor Bookstore examines the upside of each.

OEM/factory manuals

OEM, or “original equipment manufacturer” manuals, offers the most information you can find about your vehicle. They’re written by the company that built the vehicle and are aimed at professional technicians and advanced mechanics. Different types of OEM manuals can include service manuals, wiring manuals, unit repair manuals and owner’s manuals. These manuals are usually hundreds and even thousands of pages. While they can be expensive and harder to find for older vehicles, and the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming for newcomers,….

The Motor Bookstore recently reviewed the 101 Sportbike Performance Projects book, published by Motorbooks and written by Evans Brasfield. Towards the end of this review we provide our independent opinion

There is no more powerful feeling of freedom than driving down the road on your own sportbike. Modifications on these masters of speed are common, but require an expert or access to 101 Sportbike Performance Projects: Suspension, Fuel, Injection, Exhaust, Clutch Brakes, etc.

There are many projects you can do to make the sportbike customized to your tastes. These projects can change the look and feel of the bike and provide boosts to performance and even longevity. Without a resource like 101 Sportbike Performance Projects, you’d be hard pressed to do them on your own unless you had an intimate knowledge of the bikes.

It outlines everything from simple everyday maintenance projects like oil changes and chain replacement to getting your hands dirty with….

The Motor Bookstore conducted a thorough review of the Clymer M471-3 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Repair Manual: 1996-2008.

From 1996-2008 The Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Series cycles were not only great performing cycles, but also very classy looking models during those years, and stands the test of time today.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Repair Manual by Clymer

The Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Series, Classic, Drifter & Nomad Series 1996-2008 is an extensive Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Series repair manual designed to make it as simplified as possible for your repair needs Clymer manuals once again proves why they are the top vehicle guidebook for repairs for any level of  DO-IT-YOURSELF repair expertise, from basic maintenance, troubleshooting, to all major repairs.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Repair manual covers the Vulcan Classic D1-D2 (1996-1997), Vulcan Classic E1-E7 (1998-2004), Vulcan Classic N1-N8 (2000-2008), Vulcan Classic T6(2006), Vulcan Drifter J1-J2 (1999-2000), Vulcan Drifter R1-R5 (2001-2005), Vulcan Nomad G1,G1A,G2A,G3 (1998-2001) and the Vulcan Nomad L1-L5 (2000-2004). With easy to read colored wiring diagrams,….

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Who is Steve Magnante?  Why should someone trust his book, 1001 Muscle Car Facts?  Turns out, Steve is a complete gear head who is obsessed with the Detroit performance scene. He worked at Hot Rod Magazine as a Technical Editor, and then moved on to working for Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction. He is also a spokesperson for Dodge and the Dodge Scat Pack. Given his first love was a stack of faded “vintage” car magazines discovered in 1974, along with his impressive work experience, Mr. Magnante indeed has the knowledge and experience to author, Steve Magnate’s 1001 Muscle Car Facts.

Above: 1001 Muscle Car Facts by Steve Magnante

This incredibly thick muscle car trivia book is divided into four parts: General Motors, Ford and Mercury, Chrysler, and then American Motors and Studebaker. Each chapter is broken into five parts like,….

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Repair Manual Review

The Motor Bookstore participated in a review of the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Repair Manual, published by Clymer Manuals. The book review thoroughly covers the contents of the book from a do-it-yourself mechanic’s utilization perspective. The book review concludes with our overall rating of this Clymer repair manual as it relates to like products in its category, including price.

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Repair Manual Review

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic in all its variations has been considered one of the best two-wheeled motor vehicles on the road. First hitting the tarmac in 2006, it’s still a popular motorcycle choice today.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic, Classic LT & Custom 2006-2013 is a comprehensive Kawasaki Vulcan 900 repair manual designed for the hogster that prefers keeping that bike up to par with their own greasy hands. It’s a vital resource for anyone that owns one of these beauties. It’s from Clymer Manuals, a provider of top vehicle guidebooks for the DIY motor enthusiast. The 2006-2013 Vulcan service….

The Motor Bookstore recently conducted a book review on a book about Ford Mustang 5.0 Performance and Mustang 5.0 Specs. The title of the book is The Official Ford Mustang 5.0 Technical Reference & Performance Handbook, 1979-1993 written by Al Kirschenbaum and published by Bentley Publishers. The book review covers the overall contents of this handbook, the benefits to its readers and a little background about the author. This book review concludes with our rating based on our analysis and feedback we received over the years from our customers about this very popular Mustang 5.0 Performance and Technical Specifications Guide.

The Official Ford Mustang 5.0 Tech Reference & Performance Handbook is the bible for anyone that wants a comprehensive Mustang 5.0 performance guide. This tome is the ultimate resource for anyone lucky enough to be behind the wheel of a Capri or V-8 Mustang.

There may be other books on these beloved models but none of them can save you the….