subject: Repair Manuals Online: Are They Reliable? [print this page] Finding a Repair Manual online is easy- but confusing. There are a large number of repair manuals authored by amateurs that dont contain accurate information. Look for manuals that have been validated by manufacturers. A good repair manual will be useful to the beginner, amateur as well the expert. Of course, knowing the make, model and year of manufacture of your outboard motor or motorcycle will help narrow your search.
When in doubt, always go to a professional. While shopping for a garage thats both affordable and gives quality repair jobs, you tend to shop around and ask someone. The same is true online. Go to motor club forums, visit chat rooms that do-it-yourself mechanics go to, and visit manufacturer websites. Though, manufacturer websites hardly ever produce detailed manuals, in-house chat forums or blogs usually give you a hint of what would suit you.
While there are free repair and service manuals available, these necessarily arent reliable. When you want quality always buy an authenticated manual. Several from Seloc are online manuals that are available for a year upto 3 years they cost almost nothing. Such online repair and service manuals are ideal for boat or motorcycle rebuilding projects that can typically last upto a year. Online manuals are less cumbersome than printed manuals, and they dont lie around wasting space after a restoration project is done.
Make sure your online/printed repair manual has a list of parts, schematic, and wiring diagrams. Colored photographs must accompany the manual- the more the better. Clymer produces good printed manuals that cover a single manufacturer over several years. These prove to be good referencing guides for boatyards.
Always weigh the pros and cons of online repair manuals versus printed versions. Most professionals are turning to the online versions as any updates released after purchase are available free for a whole year. Read the fine print, if an online manual insists you pay for updates even after paying the full purchase price, chances are the manual doesnt contain important information.
Most printed manuals cannot be updated once purchased. You may be able to buy appendices for a particular repair manual, if the company prints it. Usually most printed repair and service manuals become collectors items, if they contain valuable information, diagrams and wiring information and are dedicated to a single make or model of motorcycle or outboard motor.
