David Lock

I want to get my daughter and her chap a book on basic car maintenance and roughly what goes on under the bonnet and beneath the car.


My gal knows little about cars so somet5hing not too heavyweight could be suitable.


It would include problem solving issues, unexplained rattles etc etc. It should include, by way of example, what an alternator is, what it looks like and what it does. This should cover petrol and diesel engines but not fancy stuff - just runabouts such as Fiestas, Peugeots etc.


Ideally it would include a chapter on pitfalls when buying a cheap vehicle.


Suggestions invited before I wave a tenner at Amazon.


Thanks, David

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

Autodata is good, has tips on testing bits and bobs rather then just fitting new parts, it has specific information for most cars from 1960 onwards,they do sell a paper version but most use an electronic version, its a haynes manual for mechanics.

David Lock

Thanks - I'll investigate. But that sounds a bit too technical. I don't envisage my daughter wielding a spanner but rather learning a bit more so she is not taken to the cleaners by her garage.


She drives a diesel 306 at present with 176k on the clock which she has been told must be on its way out. I said bollocks if you look after it, and remember to put some oil in every now and again, it should sail past the 200k mark


Cheers, David

john banks

They probably won't read it. Lots of free info via google, better than a book and model specific or generic.

andy97

iTrader: (1)

Join a forum specific to the car they own, then research common faults. If they want to learn they will, but most don't and will always pay extra through ignorance

dpb

Lost count the number ex Haynes manuals ill never look at again ( and hardly did at the time) for different cars Iv had over the years

wayne9t9

Probably seen as sexist by some but here goes.

https://wordery.com/womens-car-diy-m...Vb8aAjD38P8HAQ

David Lock

Thanks Wayne. Nice old fashioned title. Love it and will make my daughter smile. Looks the bus' too.


Cheers, David

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

Not totally sure if this is legitimately free from this source, but gives you some idea of the content in the 'for dummies' format.

http://www.hroscklub.com/index.php?o...d=2&Itemid=174

Paben

iTrader: (5)

Having the confidence to work on vehicles require that you actually work on vehicles! All the theory in the world, book or google obtained, won't help one bit otherwise.