Are you a weekend mechanic? Or do you love to work on cars on the weekends? Is your free time spent on learning about the latest repair jobs or taking apart an old engine just to rebuild it again?
If this sounds like you then I have something extra special in store for you. Today I want to recommend the top 5 books that will give you just the right amount of information you need to get you excited for your next project.
Top 5 Recommended Car Books
1. Popular Mechanics Complete Car Care Manual - by Popular Mechanics
This is one is a real winner. Popular Mechanics who have been around for more than 100 years have written this car care manual. It's loaded with tips and tricks that will take even a newbie to the next level.
This manual is crucial for anyone who wants to know the automobile’s basic components, from the engine to the electronic systems, and to understand how they work, what can go wrong, and how to make repairs. Find out how to maintain and replace windshield washers, fix steering wander and faulty cruise control, and purge bad smells from the interior. Get smart advice on how to pass emission inspection and find service data online. And because car owners want their ride to look as good as it works, there are even instructions for removing bumper stickers, tinting windows, and adding pinstripes.
via Amazon
2. How Cars Work - by Tom Newton
How Cars Work is a completely illustrated primer describing the 250 most important car parts and how they work. This mini test book includes wonderfully simple line drawings and clear language to describe all the automotive systems as well as a glossary, index, and a test after each chapter.
How Cars Work provides the basic vocabulary and mechanical knowledge to help a reader talk intelligently with mechanics understand shop manuals, and diagnosis car problems.
Tom Newton guides the reader with a one topic per page format that delivers information in bite size chunks, just right for teenage boys. How Cars Work was the most stolen book at Kennedy High School in Richmond California! Teachers like our title and so do librarians. The History channel, Modern Marvels-2000, Actuality Productions, Inc is using How Cars Work to train staff for a documentary on automobiles.
via Amazon
3. Auto Repair For Dummies - by Deanna Sclar
So maybe not your most obvious choice to go with a Dummies book, but I have to tell you that this one is a must read.
It's written by Deanna Sclar, who is an acclaimed auto repair expert (again go figure) and consumer advocate. She has contributed to the Los Angeles Times and has been interviewed on the Today show, NBC Nightly News, and other television programs. Definitely one that you won't want to miss.
This particular dummies book has been the top-selling auto repair guide with over 400,000 copies sold--now extensively reorganized and updated (need I say more).
Forty-eight percent of U.S. households perform at least some automobile maintenance on their own, with women now accounting for one third of this $34 billion automotive do-it-yourself market. For new or would-be do-it-yourself mechanics, this illustrated how-to guide has long been a must and now it's even better. A complete reorganization now puts relevant repair and maintenance information directly after each automotive system overview, making it much easier to find hands-on fix-it instructions.
via Amazon
4. How to Repair Your Car (Motorbooks Workshop) - by Paul Brand
Tracy Martin, an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certified Master Technician, explains the principles behind automotive electrical systems and how they work. This book details the various tools, such as multimeters and test lights, that can be used to evaluate and troubleshoot any vehicle's electrical system. Several hands-on projects take readers on a guided tour of their vehicle's electrical system and demonstrate how to fix specific problems.
via Amazon
Final Thoughts
I know there is a lot to digest here, but these books will give you exactly what you need to do all of the repair work and maintenance yourself.
What I recommend is that you find a simple system where you can read at least one chapter per week. Start with whichever book appeals to you the most and work your way through the list.
Let me know what other books you are reading. Share in the comments below.
