If you enjoy DIY car repair but are tired of flipping through your old, manufacturer’s auto repair manual, you can find plenty of alternatives to the traditional print manual online. Most online auto repair sites that offer professionally created online manuals with complete model databases will charge for their services, but there are plenty of free options as well. Here is a sample of some of the auto repair manual alternatives you’ll find online.

Professional Guides for Non-Pros

The car repair database ALLDATA has been providing auto shops and dealerships with an online library of technical specs and repair information for a wide variety of makes and models. The service usually costs thousands of dollars, but with their site alldatadiy.com, the company offers the public, on a per-vehicle basis, the same repair manuals, diagrams and guides that they offer industry professionals. It’s $27 for a one-year subscription for one car model. You pay extra if you want additional models. You get detailed troubleshooting guides and information on almost every kind of maintenance issue there is. There are also bulletin boards where you can discuss specific issues with other car owners. Worth it if you’re an avid do-it-yourselfer when it comes to auto repair.  

Haynes Online

Haynes has been publishing printed auto repair manuals for many years. On their website you can order them for $25 plus shipping. They have a fairly comprehensive selection of makes and models, and the guides are accurate, easy to use and contain detailed pictures and diagrams. But the unique thing about the Haynes online is that they also provide visitors with very well produced, free auto repair videos. These videos take you step by step through a wide array of maintenance procedures, ranging from easy to advanced.

User Created Manuals

There are also plenty of user-created auto repair manuals online. Though they might not all be of equal quality, you can find a lot of useful guides and information if you take some time to look. One of the best resources for auto repair advice and guidance is YouTube. Users have posted a plethora of auto repair videos that can teach you how to change your car oil or replace your shocks. There is a fair share of uniquely entertaining car maintenance guides to browse through as well. If you’re looking for more detailed and model specific guides, try freeautorepairmanualz.com. You can download, with Adobe Acrobat, tons of different, very specific repair guides for model specific maintenance procedures, complete with pictures and step-by-step instructions.

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Ryan Frank is a 23 year writer and blogger living in San Diego, CA.