Review on 📚 Haynes Repair Manual for Ford Pick-ups & Expedition: 1997-1999 (Haynes) by Oren Perry

It's a blessing, sometimes a shame, that Haynes signs various writers/mechanics for their manuals. I usually buy a Haynes manual every time I buy a new car. I'm a backyard mechanic, which means I do everything except transmission repairs. I have 23 Haynes manuals. The best manuals are of course European since Haynes is a British publication. The ones I bought in Europe are all hardcovers, an option not available to us here in the States. But the best thing about Hein's guides is that they actually strip down and rebuild every car in Europe (as they claim on the cover), so you get ideas, tips and tricks from real spanner-wielding mechanics. Sometimes writers also have a sense of humor, like "don't say we didn't warn you about this" or "don't be scared of the next part, it's not as hard as it looks." By far the worst are those american models. This is an example. The worst thing about this Ford manual is that Haynes capitulated to Ford (like Chilton did in the late 1970's) by filling 90% of the book with technical instructions and blueprints. If I wanted to I would buy Chilton's. Something as simple as accessing the heater core is completely lost because the book requires you to skip through many different sections, which ended up forcing you to sort out what you don't need while leaving out the absolutely essential things you do have done. I've seen the gradual replacement of detailed vehicle-specific information in Hein's manuals with useless general factory guidelines that apply to most models, but probably not yours. As I will never stop doing my own maintenance, the death of Heine's historically helpful guide to American cars will affect my next car purchase abroad. In the meantime, vote with your wallet; Buy a Chilton for your Ford. It doesn't matter why you buy a repair book, and maybe America's declining sales will make Haynes realize they're doing something wrong.