Best repair/service manual

Which Repair/Service manual is best?

  • Bentley

    Votes: 37 97.4%
  • Chilton

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Haynes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other. Please specify

    Votes: 1 2.6%

  • Total voters
    38

Scratcher

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Location
Grand Rapids MI
TDI
2004 TDI BEW Wagon
Ive used Haynes for years but apparently they are not the best. I'm considering Bentley. I'm pretty much a DIY mechanically minded individual who will attempt just about anything! Ive included Bentley, Chilton and Haynes as voting options. If there are more id like to hear about them!
 

manual_tranny

Smyth Performance- Intern
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Location
New Bedford, MA
TDI
2001 Golf @182K; 2000 Jetta @290K
I voted Bentley- but to be honest, the best resources are this site and myturbodiesel.com

The DIY instructions include pictures, specific suggestions about sizes and types of tools and parts to use, and hints about tricky spots along the way.

When using any manual (Bentley included), you unfortunately must be careful that the torque specifications are correct. There are several mistakes in the Bentley manuals for the MKIV and MKV vehicles... not to mention several little suggested torque modifications due to factory-torque spec. failures.. that are mentioned here on the site. For instance, it is generally agreed upon that the camshaft sprocket is safter tightened to 42ft/lbs than 33ft/lbs on the ALH engine. There are quite a few examples like that. I also find it easier to search the forums for a torque than it is to find it in the Bentley... the organization in the Bentley is poor at best.
 

JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
Manual-tranny hit the nail on the head. Of the choices you named the best is, without a doubt, the Bentley. I prefer the paper version over the CD version (I have both). No manual is perfect and most common procedures are well documented either here or on myturbodiesel (or both). The biggest advantage to the paper manual, is you can carry it to the car and get it greasy as you work on the car. I have always been disappointed by Chilton and Haynes manuals. They are incomplete, even when they are correct.

Have Fun!

Don
 

MayorDJQ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Location
Williamstown, Mass
TDI
'10 Golf 2dr 6m, sold.
I had both Haynes and Bentley manuals when I owned my old Rabbits. The one advantage of the Haynes was that it had actual photos, not just schematics/drawings like the Bentley does. There are times when a photo makes more sense.

For my TDIs, I've only owned Bentley manuals.
 

Scratcher

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Location
Grand Rapids MI
TDI
2004 TDI BEW Wagon
I had both Haynes and Bentley manuals when I owned my old Rabbits. The one advantage of the Haynes was that it had actual photos, not just schematics/drawings like the Bentley does. There are times when a photo makes more sense.

For my TDIs, I've only owned Bentley manuals.
So Bentley's have no photos either in the printed or the software versions?
 

MayorDJQ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Location
Williamstown, Mass
TDI
'10 Golf 2dr 6m, sold.
So Bentley's have no photos either in the printed or the software versions?
Very few, mostly in the "maintenance" section pointing out the locations of items under the hood.

The rest are B&W diagrams. But at this point, despite being an amateur mechanic, I have enough skill to understand the drawings fairly well. Plus, the instructions in Bentley are very thorough.
 

Scratcher

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Location
Grand Rapids MI
TDI
2004 TDI BEW Wagon
I may lean toward a software copy of Bentley for the details and a paper copy of Haynes for the photos(The Haynes will be the cheaper paper option) Plus it will give me some good bedtime reading!
 

Sevenjays

Well-known member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Location
Yuba City, California
TDI
2004 Jetta
How about the difference or preference between the "service" Bentley and "repair" Bentley manuals. Below is the link to the Bentley description but what are people actually using and liking better? I have a timing belt to change and clutch. I prefer paper, but I only see the repair manual in DVD whereas the service manual come in a paper copy.

https://wiki.bentleypublishers.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=753692
 

Ryephile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Location
Metro Detroit
TDI
MkVI Golf
I have the Bentley paper manual [for the MkV JSW CJAA, basically the same as my MkVI Golf TDI]. I mainly use the Bentley as a reference for fluid types, quantities, and bolt torque numbers. The rest is a bonus, IMO. Occasionally there's a tip in there that helps improve repair efficiency.
 

Sevenjays

Well-known member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Location
Yuba City, California
TDI
2004 Jetta
They all are crap compared to a Toyota Manual. However the Bentley is best for VW.
Trouble with the Toyota manual is when I tried to overhaul my 6.5 Chevy I kept getting lost on the diagrams. None of the pictures looked like my truck! I then tried to use it on my TDI with similar results. LOL!!!!! Just kidding. Where are the TOs like the AirForce had? If Monkeys could read, they could have easily fixed airplanes those books were so detailed!
 

eutecticpt

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2004 Jetta
I just bought a Haynes manual and found that it doesn't cover the PD engine. Is the manual worth keeping anyway if I don't intend to work on the engine?
 

gmcjetpilot

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Location
Memphis TN
TDI
2010 JSW TDI DSG Matalic Grey
Bentley up to 2010 including Jetta and Jetta Sport Wagon TDI.... I paid a lot less than what they list for now. You might get used from Amazon. Anyone that says it does not apply does not know what they are talking about. This will do Golf as well since A5 Golf and Jetta are same chassis. I have a JSW TDI and it has paid for itself. I recall I paid $60 about 5 years ago.


http://www.bentleypublishers.com/vo...tion/vw-a5-jetta-repair-manual-2005-2010.html
 
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