Why no Chilton/Clymer for the C5?
02-26-2011, 10:53 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Why no Chilton/Clymer for the C5?
I have owned a few cars and always had a Chilton or Clymer (Haynes for my TR-7...don't ask) DIY manual. These were great books, they took the car apart, put it back together and wrote the how-to. Everything from routine MX to swapping the engine. Can't get one for my C5 or even my wife's 09 Subaru.
WTFO?
WTFO?
02-26-2011, 11:21 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I DID by the service manual...it's like three volumes of the Boise phonebook...the Clymer/Chilton books were way more user friendly (and I don't have a TECH-2)
02-27-2011, 02:01 AM
#4
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Apparently it's because the number of Corvette users (presumably who will work their own car) did not make it viable or cost effective to produce the manual.
The cost of the Helms manuals is high but the Techline ESi CD is a good compromise and has all the procedures for any GM car as well as the C5.
The cost of the Helms manuals is high but the Techline ESi CD is a good compromise and has all the procedures for any GM car as well as the C5.
02-27-2011, 08:52 AM
#5
Melting Slicks
The Chilton manual that covers my 1980 is approximately the same thickness as the 1980 GM Service Manual. The GM Manual for my 2003 is about 5 inches thick. This growth is tied IMO to increasing sophistication of our cars. How many folks are going to purchase a 5 inch thick Chilton manual vs the OEM, or what would be left out in a "mini" manual?
You don't take your car to a "mechanic" anymore, they're "auto technicians". And rightly so, yesterday was REPAIR, today is REPLACEMENT.
The secondary manual writers today face competition from the OEM on one side, and internet web sites on the other.
You don't take your car to a "mechanic" anymore, they're "auto technicians". And rightly so, yesterday was REPAIR, today is REPLACEMENT.
The secondary manual writers today face competition from the OEM on one side, and internet web sites on the other.
02-27-2011, 01:14 PM
#6
Most won't even read their owners manual much less a Service Manual of any kind. Everyone wants instant answers from the Internet for free anymore. Take a lot of money to make one of those manuals, if the markets too small it isn't worth it to make books anymore.
02-27-2011, 02:52 PM
#7
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I'm on the OP's side on this issue. The factory manuals have crappy drawings, confusing orientation views, not enough detail, no real pics, a bazaar numbering/cataloging system, tons of repetition i.e. there is no need to spell out all the steps for reassembly after you've followed all the steps for disassembly. I could go on, but there is no substitute for high resolution color pics to aid the backyard mechanic...I would buy a Chilton book in a heartbeat, and, yes, I do own the factory manuals and use them often, but in this age they leave a lot to be desired.
02-27-2011, 03:51 PM
#8
Race Director
I'm on the OP's side on this issue. The factory manuals have crappy drawings, confusing orientation views, not enough detail, no real pics, a bazaar numbering/cataloging system, tons of repetition i.e. there is no need to spell out all the steps for reassembly after you've followed all the steps for disassembly. I could go on, but there is no substitute for high resolution color pics to aid the backyard mechanic...I would buy a Chilton book in a heartbeat, and, yes, I do own the factory manuals and use them often, but in this age they leave a lot to be desired.
