Workshop manuals

Technical Area Routine Servicing
2

Please don’t flame me for asking a question asked before!
Which workshop manual would you lot recommend for somebody with fairly basic mechanical knowledge, but who does know a clutch from a cam cover? I’m just looking for maintenance and removal/refitting sort of stuff.
I am considering Rod Grainger, but there is also the (much derided) standard Haynes, the Haynes ‘Do it up’ which gets better reviews, the Liz Turner one and the Motorbooks Workshop book. All have positive and negative reviews.
Non-flaming opinions would be highly appreciated [:D]

3

Still a newbie but bought a copy of the Enthusiast’s Workshop Manual for my 1.6 at Belvoir (MX-5 Parts stand) and it seems to tick all the boxes.

Peter

4

 

 Yes, I bought one of these as well.    http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/28

   Does exactly what it says on the tin.    [:D]

5

I have both. The Haynes is useful as it has wiring diagrams & Rods is easier to follow for DIY jobs

Always come up on Ebay. Here is a couple of Rods for a 1.6L (first one finishes any minute). There are some for the 1.8L too.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mazda-MX5-Workshop-Manual_W0QQitemZ160310972857QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET?hash=item160310972857&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1299%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-MX5-1-6-WORKSHOP-MANUAL-NO-RES_W0QQitemZ220349982822QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET?hash=item220349982822&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1299%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

 

6

Heres a bargain Rods manual if you havn`t found one yet.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-MX5-WORKSHOP-MANUAL-MX-5-EUNOS-MAINTENANCE-REPAIR_W0QQitemZ260358752730QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET?hash=item260358752730&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

7

 I just got a shiny new copy of Rod’s manual from Dandycars. I’ve been reading a little bit this evening, it seems great IMHO, really nicely written. Includes amusing asides, such as in the section on clutch pedal adjustment, “adopt a position that a contortionist would be proud of”. Lmao.
 
Thanks for the advice, duley followed!!

8

Thought I’d resurrect this topic rather than start a new one, as it seems relevant …

I’m a mk.2 owner looking for a manual to cover basic DIY servicing/repair jobs at a level suitable for someone with reasonable engineering knowledge but virtually no experience of car maintenance. I’m definitely veering towards Rod Grainger’s Enthusiasts Manual - but can someone (ideally mk2 owners!) please answer this question once and for all?

Given that the book’s written primarily with mk.1 in mind, is it useful for the mk.2? This question seems to have been asked quite a bit on various forums, and plenty of people have implied that it might be a worthwhile purchase for the mk.2 owner, but for some odd reason no-one ever actually seems to be willing to lay their cards on the table and actually say yes, it is.

If it was just a tenner or whatever, I’d happily take a punt on it. But at 25 quid, plus the inevitable P&P, I don’t want to end up with something that’s of limited use to me.

Any of you mk.2 owners out there got this book? Is it a worthwhile purchase?

9

I have a 1.8 Mk2 and have all the relevant books for the 1.8 car. I find that all the 1.8 manuals are usefull, but the Rod Grainger one probably has the edge.  Buy the manuals direct from Veloce where applicable, if you subscribe to their newsletter you will get a discount.  Also, as said earlier, buy on ebay or Amazon.

Alan