Justin-
The Bentley and Haynes are nice compliments to one another. The Haynes is
British, and so it is very practical, common sense, and gives methodology
and tools that the home mechanic is most likely to use.  The Bentley, being
the official manual, is extremely specific, gives heaps of detail, and
never fails to tell you exactly which VW tool to use, so you can run to
your toolbox and pull out your VW1203-A....

If this is your first VW, Get the Haynes first, and ask for the Bentley for
a gift, sometime down the road...If you are a mega-meticulous mechanic (you
degrease the grooves in your pliers), get the Bentley, the Haynes wouldn't
provide enough detail for you.

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree

-----Original Message-----
From:   Justin Simpson [SMTP:justin@DIRECT.CA]
Sent:   Monday, August 09, 1999 1:55 PM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        best repair manual?

I am a new member of this list, I have an 86 Vanagon that I bought 1 month
ago.

I am looking for a good repair manual, and the best place to buy it.

I found the Haynes manual at www.busdepot.com <http://www.busdepot.com>  ,
for US$24.95

The Bently book (The official vanagon repair manual)  is US$66.95 at the
same place, which is the cheapest place I could find.

www.jcwhitneyusa.com <http://www.jcwhitneyusa.com>  has a CD for US$19.95
that is supposed to be for all models of Volkswagen, and tons of other cars
as well. I don't know if the info on this cd is taken from Haynes books, or
somewhere else.

I have not been able to find anywhere here in Vancouver that sells any
relevant repair manuals.

I'm hoping to take a bit of a straw poll here.  What manual is the most
popular on this list?  Anyone know a cheaper price than quoted above?

Justin Simpson
'86 Vanagon
Vancouver, BC