5 comments about How to Keep Your Subaru Alive: 1975 To 1988 : A Manual of Step by Step Procedures for the Complete Idiot (Idiot Book Auto Series).

1. Walks you thru repairs every step of the way. The author is very thorough. This book has saved me a lot in repair bills for the 3 Subaru's I've owned. It's common for a dealer to charge $1300 to change the timing belts, I did the job on my car and the belts totaled less than $30.



2. I got my Subaru GL used about 3 years ago. It needed a bit of work. After the dealer persuaded my to let him replace all of the gaskets in the engine, I didn't have much money left for any other maintenance. Thankfully, I found How to Keep Your Subaru Alive. Using this great resource as a guide, I've done all kinds of repair and maintenance on my car. Now if only the publisher would update it so I can work on my Dad's '93 Legacy... Oh, well.



3. I never really knew a thing about cars, and received this as a gift 8 years ago. Motivated by limited cash and that nagging sense of being taken advantage of at car repair places, I started making my own repairs and doing my own maintenance. My 84 GL is, now, in way better shape than my dogeared, oil-stained copy of this book, and I feel much more in control
   Owens rules--the book is exhaustive and methodical and, at the same time, entertaining. The advice is wise (like that of a cool older brother, in one reviewer's words), the directions precise, the illustrations great (especially the one with the dogbone, the pie, and the toilet).
   Thanks, Larry & Joe.



4. Being a previous VW Bug owner and having gotten the original "VW Idiot's Guide" all greasy and dirty, I love this book. (It was fascinating to learn that Fuji (Subaru) built their motor based on the original Porsche/VW design but added water cooling!).It puts you in touch with your car...gives you confidence that you can become a hobbiest/mechanic... and you can easily figure out what maintenance you can do at home with minimum tools and which maintenance you should let some real mechanic take on. Best of all: Save money! Do maintence yourself! Spot problems before they amount to big money! As they say in the original VW book: "Know your ass....(donkey)" and it will treat you well!



5. This is one of the single best repair books ever written. I am a rotten mechanic. This gave me enough confidacne to do some work. Plus, the idiot part gave me a lot of knoweldge that has transfered to differing situations. I read the first edition more than 10 years ago and this is still my favorite. Now I just need one to cover my 83 mustang.

No comments about 2003 Subaru Outback Owners Manual.

2 comments about Haynes Subaru 1600 and 1800 (1980-1994) Shop Manual.

1. I have been an avid user of automotive manuals for some time now. I perform all repairs on the vehicals that I own. I have used Chilton's, Haynes, and vaarious other manuals, and they all are about the same. This manual is a little more informative then the others. I really like the way that this manual was organized.



2. Not bad but like most haynes manuals it lacks a certain level of detail that the serious DIY wants. The chapters cover the cars fairly well and should help you do most things.

5 comments about Subaru Legacy, 1990-1998: Includes Legacy Outback and Legacy Brighton (Haynes Manuals).

1. I have owned 3 Subaru Outbacks, 1996, 1998, and 2004, and I have found this manual to be useful with all of them. I am only doing the home mechanic types of repairs, so for things like changing and bleeding brakes, spark plugs, fuel filters, thermostats, it has saved me a lot of guess work. Not sure I would want it if I had to do a timing belt or head gaskets, or any other sort of major engine tear down. Great manual for GENERAL MAINTENANCE.



2. This manual was needed urgently for guidance on performing a front and rear brake pad replacement. The task was made easier by referring to the series of photos showing the steps in removal and replacement of the disc pads. This book will be useful in the future as more systems wear on my 2002 Outback.



3. In my opinion, short of an actual manufacturer's shop manual, you can't beat a Haynes book for completeness. And, given that they are written for the non-professional, in some ways they are far superior. Based on complete engine tear-down and rebuild, and covering standard repairs and maintainence, I never buy anything else.
   If you are even reasonably handy, like to save money on basic (or even complex) repairs, this is the book for you.



4. I have not done as much work as I might have liked, so I have opened the book relatively little. In what little I have used it, it has been more reassuring than helpful--for instance, the book confirmed that the rear hatch lifter supports come without the entire ball-joint assembly, and that there is little one can do about this. Not really helpful, but reassuring for someone who wonders what is going on.
   
   I consider the book satisfactory for its purposes, and I am glad I own it.



5. This is a very typical Haynes manual. Great detail about simple things you could figure out on your own, and then it glosses over complex things that leave you clueless and lost.
   
   That said, I used this manual to work on my Legacy wagon for years before I sold it. I gave the manual to the guy who bought the car from me. It is good for describing things that are unique to Subarus and to the Legacy in particular. It is a great time-saver when you haven't done something before on that type of car. But if you are going to be doing serious repairs on the car, get the manufacturer's service manual instead and save yourself some time and frustration.

5 comments about Subaru: Coupes/Sedans/Wagons 1985-96 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manual).

1. This book claims to cover Subarus up through 1996. The cover shows a '95-'96 Outback, which is exactly what I have. I bought the book to help me fix a faulty power window switch. In the section on removing the door panel around the switches, the newest Legacy shown is a '91, whose door panel does not have power switches at all, and is completely clipped on and must be pried off. After two of us pried around the switch area on my own car with no success, we ditched the book and discovered that the switch area of the door is firmly screwed in, and in multiple layers. Had we followed the book and kept prying, we would have damaged the door. I understand that you can't cover every difference on every model in such a wide range of model years, but I don't think it wise for the book to imply it is complete when following the book could end up in damage to your car because of inaccuracy or incompleteness. I also couldn't find information I needed on the glove box hinge and how the front passenger seat anchors to the floor. I have used Haynes manuals on my two previous cars, and am going back to buying those. They are more model-specific and contain more relevant information.



2. This manual is garbage. I've tried to use it for three separate jobs on my 96 Legacy and every time it has proven worthless. The latest example concerns the camshaft position sensor. The manual lists trouble codes that would confirm the diagnosis, but lacks sufficient info to get the car to display the codes. The book gives only a vague arrow in the general direction of the sensor location. It details the steps to remove the timing belt in order to change the sensor on the Legacy. As I look at it, and as my mechanic assures me, the sensor can be removed and replaced on a 96 Legacy without disassembling anything else. Worse than worthless, this book would have me spending hours on a 2 minute job!

   I'm going to buy the Haynes book, and never buy another Chilton.




3. This book has errors of omission and commission. It will contradict itself from one section to the next, and doesn't portray information in a coherent format. I have learned to regard the guidance given in the book with a certain amount of skepticism. Only recommend this book if you absolutely cannot find anything else.



4. I bought this book to help with some work I wanted to do on my Girlfriend's FWD Subaru Legacy. I highly recommend finding another book.
   
   This book is first, aimed at AWD models, is too broad to cover specifics, and as it is, the pictures are so dark that it's hard to see small pieces. I've done about three minor jobs (replacing the factory rear speakers as they were blown- it didn't even tell you how to take the rear deck apart, drum brakes, and trying to locate the sensor in the gas tank), and all three, the book was worthless, even as a reference point. Aside from basic info, don't count on this book for much, unless you have the exact vehicle they used to illustrate the book.



5. The only thing this book is good for is to set your drink on when working on your car. The instructions are not only confusing. In many cases they are just wrong.

3 comments about Subaru Legacy 1990 thru 1999: Includes Legacy Outback & Legacy Brighton (Haynes Repair Manual).

1. This manual, with flimsy news print pages, is specific to a rebuild and did not have the basic info I needed. If you are going to rebuild your Subaru's engine, this is what you want, if you're just trying to do maintenance and basic repairs, move on.



2. Yes, it is printed on thin paper and it is a paperback, but this is the norm. The directions are complete and basic enough for a non-mechanic to understand. If something is not in here, check the owner's manual.



3. I have generally preferred Haynes manuals over Chilton's but the first time I used this it has some incorrect information in it. The headlight adjustment screws on a 98 Legacy GT I had just bought were rusted and could not be turned (both lights were pointing right at the ground in front of the car). I removed both headlight assemblies and sat the screws in penetrating oil to free them up. However, the manual had reversed which headlight controlled the horizontal and vertical adjustments. While this is faily minor and obviously easy to figure out, it has reduced my confidence in the rest of the book somewhat.

4 comments about Subaru Legacy & Forester 2000 thru 2006: All models (Haynes Repair Manual).

1. to tell you the truth, it is quite lacking. important things like how to change the cabin filter were omitted completly. actual pictures on how to change spark plugs and many other reasonable chores on this car were not present. haynes really needs to do some work to get this manual up to par.



2. Despite RnB's negative review of this manual, I went ahead and got one and it's fine for what I need. It's up to Haynes normal standard, i.e. some good clear parts, some confusing ones, some good photos and some unclear ones, but there is enough in here to get most jobs done without too much pain. I have used it to work on the cooling system successfully.
   
   By the way, there are 2 pages on spark plug replacement, with photos, and the cabin air filter replacement is covered in the Subaru owners manual, so don't be put off. Subaru's are pretty bullet proof so you shouldn't need this too much, but it's always good to have a manual like this on the workshop shelf.



3. Typical Haynes fair. For basic maintenance, this will help you get the job done. Don't expect this to be a factory manual.
   
   This book is identical in content (word for word) to the Chilton manual. Their layout is slightly different. Buy one, but not both. Chilton seems to have larger diagrams, Haynes has more efficient print layout. Take your pick.



4. Amazon's performance was trouble free and quite easy, but I certainly wish I would have been notified that my engine, a 6 cylinder, was NOT included in the book. I'll still hold on to it as a reference for other repairs, but I'm pretty erked that my motor is not covered in the book because that's the reason I bought the book. Oh well.

5 comments about High-Performance Subaru Builder's Guide: Includes the Impreza, Legacy, Forester, Outback, WRX and STI (S-A Design).

1. This book is an informative read. While it is not a "How to" book, it does offer interesting ideas, with brief descriptions of the wheres & whys. The photograhy was done well. If you want some ideas as to what you can do to customize your Subaru, this is a good book to take a look through.



2. I was looking for a book with good information specific to my Impreza WRX. This is an excellent source of information. It shares some specific upgrade information, which is OK, but also goes into specific differences between various engine/chassis specifications and their positives & negatives, which is an invaluable.



3. This is a very nice book if you don't know much about cars. If, like me, you were hoping for a more in-depth type of content from that offered in Subiesport magazine, don't bother. I learned absolutely nothing that I didn't know before. For me it's pretty much useless, but I do want to emphasize that the author has good intentions and that it is a well crafted book. I used to love this kind of book when I was 12.



4. That book is simple to read and understand for an owner that is learning the basics and the how to do. Information is sufficient to make good and safe choices for any level of upgrading
   Highly recommend to buy
   Jacques Dufresne



5. This book is a high-level overview of different directions you can go in when it comes to modifying your subaru and an overview of available parts & manufacturers. Do not buy if you are expecting a step-by-step guide on how to do anything yourself. As far as what the book IS: It is (I guess) a pretty good product overview. However, you can get all that online, in much more detail and with individual people's comments about each part of type of modification. I have been a WRX owner for only 4 months now, and didn't find any new information in this book (new from research I already did online). In my opinion, this is just not worth buying.

5 comments about Subaru Legacy & Forester: 2000 through 2006 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manuals).

1. Pros: This manual can show you how to do just about anything in a fast\easy manner for your Subaru. Used it recently to learn all the tricks for changing headlight bulbs, took me a matter of minutes.
   Cons: I have a 2000 and didn't like waiting so long for this manual to be released, I blame Subaru for making 6 years of similar cars, not Chilton.



2. this manual is nothing more than a haynes with different covers! shame on you people!!!! why can't the repair car manual producers create a decent manual!!!



3. Typical Chilton manual. For basic maintenance, this will help you get the job done. Don't expect this to be a factory manual.
   
   This book is identical in content (word for word) to the Haynes manual. Their layout is slightly different. Buy one, but not both. Chilton seems to have larger diagrams, Haynes has more efficient print layout. Take your pick.



4. This manual is significantly better the various other Chilton/Haynes manuals I've owned over the years. Usually it doesn't take long to discover critical information that's been left out- but I've had no such problems with this one. The photos and illustrations are plentiful and helpful.



5. In my opinion this manual is lame at best and largely useless to me because it does NOT cover all models. I bought it because I have a six cylinder L.L. Bean Outback and have waited 6 years for this to come out, and guess what? There is absolutely no mention of this engine in the manual and this engine has been around since 2000 or 2001. (Apparently I have a top secret engine in my 2002 Outback.) I guess if you have a four banger, it may be alright but I resent being snookered by the deceptive description of the contents. Shame on the author and Chiltons. Pass on this "manual." Spend your money on the shop manuals from Subaru and get something useable.

5 comments about Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living.

1. Doug is very clever with words making this book hilarious. his adventures of going green are inspiring and informative. it was really real to read about his blumbers and trials.
   clever.
   highly receomend this book. i read it amazingly fast and then wished i had more of it to read!



2. Easy to read. This is a good story about a successful fulfillment of a dream. This is not a technical book--there are plenty of those around. This is the story of personal tribulations and adjustments. I recommend it to anyone who is considering living off the grid or just going back to the land.



3. I purchased the book after I heard on on-air interview with the author. The author made the book sound like it was a trip down the lessons learned trail on the subjects of switching to Bio-Fuels, Solar Power, and Wind energy. I was sadly mistaken. A book that had the makings for a really good read turned out to be an ego trip for the author. It was as if the author wrote one-half of it and sent it off to be printed. A large portion of the book was a weak attempt to chew anyone out who does not use bio-fuels or who does not believe in what the author believes in. It was a very quick disappointing read. I am not sure if his "scientific" facts are correct.



4. 
   I stumbled across Farewell last weekend while looking for something to read on a flight back home. I was truly inspired by what Doug is trying to do. The thought had not struck me that making a change to better the environment, or at least slow down the destruction, didn't have to mean giving up all the other things we enjoy. I too enjoy my Netflix and video games and would have to talk to myself far more often if i were without my laptop and internet.
   
   My one other sanity has been working an a 74 Chevy Blazer I had wanted since I was a kid. Now I find myself wanting to sell it and explore the munchie causing exhaust of a Veggie ROAT.
   
   Thanks Doug for your inspiration. And I will continue to follow your experiment on your website, as well as pass your book around to as many as possible, and tell the ones with money to buy it.
   
   -Jeff



5. I would not describe myself as environmentalist but after I saw Doug Fine on Jay Leno I was curious about what he was doing. I read the book and loved it. It was hard to put down. There are many humorous references to pop culture that I really identified with. After finishing the book I have found myself looking for ways to cut back on my own "carbon footprint" because this book really puts things into perspective in a lighthearted manner. He even has a blog that continues where his book left off.