FIIW I concur.
Having both is more of a 'full set of info'  ( and still lacking really ! )
But Bentley doesn't really tell you HOW to do a lot.
Sometimes, but it's really for techs that already know basics thoroughly and
just need detail testing information, etc.
The pictures are pretty useful.

Haynes attempts to be a 'back yard here's how you proceed' manual.
Like a step by step thing.
I think they are pretty funky sometimes,
And the Haynes Vanagon I have is for British vanagons , shows carbs and
things that we don't have....I don't think it has US model fuel injection
stuff in it ....

( and Hayes are less British than they were....but sometimes....they'll say
'remove the valence' ...I'm like 'what ????' ...or clean your parts in
paraffin. Say what ???? ) 

But the two books combined....
Is a LOT better than either one alone.
In any case, you MUST have the Bentley if you hope to fix your vanagon at
all, except for the most minor and logical things....there are a million
details hidden in that book - I've always thought it was a little funny to
navigate...
But after you have that one, the Haynes is a good addition, and not very
expensive either, as john mentioned.
Scott
www.turbovans.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
The Bus Depot
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:48 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Haynes manual (Re: Noobie Owner of 84 Westy Seeks Advice)

> I'll differ on the Haynes manual though.  I have the Bentley
> and Haynes manual and use both.  They serve different
> purposes.  If you already knew how to fix cars, and just
> needed to know the particulars of vanagons, the Bentley would
> be perfect.  If you're vanagon is the first/only car you're
> working on and would like some hand-holding as you do more
> complicated things, definitely get the Haynes manual as well.
> And come on, its really cheap too, right?  Of course, don't
> trust it to the end of the earth, but then again, don't do
> that with the Bentley either.

I'd second that. I use both, too. While the Bentley is far more complete,
I'm not a professional mechanic, and that's who the Bentley is written for.
The Haynes is written for the backyard mechanic. I tend to use the Haynes as
sort of a "Cliffs Notes" to the Bentley, but refer to the Bentley when the
Haynes' coverage is insufficient (which does happen fairly often).  For the
cost, if the Haynes allows you to do just one job D.I.Y. that you otherwise
couldn't have, it already saved you 3 or 4 times its price.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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