Hello everyone.

I'm looking for recommendations on the best car repair manuals for DIY car enthusiasts. I’ve been trying to do my repairs but sometimes struggle to find detailed, step-by-step guides.

Ideally, I need a manual that covers both basic and advanced repairs for a variety of vehicles (not just one model).

I’ve seen a few online options, but I’m not sure which ones are truly comprehensive and easy to understand. Are there any specific brands or platforms that you’ve found to be particularly helpful with the Aixam City workshop manual?

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

thanks in advance for any help

 

Get the service manual from Honda or just rely on youtube. I'm not sure if there is anything in between.

 

The oem manual is on here somewhere.

 

Heiminc.com has the actual Honda shop manuals. They have every diagnostic and disassembly / assembly that a shop tech has. Literally written by Honda.

 

As noted above, factory manuals are the best. The set for an '03 Element is 2 1/2" thick. It covers everything but also assumes you have access to some Honda diagnostic tools (which you may or may not need). Here is a link to a paper manual ('07-'10) - Pardon Our Interruption... . If you shop around you may find a shop worn version for less. The PDF manual are less expensive but you can't take notes in them.

I'm not aware of any recent factory manual service that covers more than one model.

 

The PDF manual are less expensive but you can't take notes in them.

I’ve been slowly printing out what I need when I get to it.

Downside: I get to more than I’d expected! (Still not that much.)

Upside: When my notes are wrong or illegible, I can print it again. Also means I’ve got it everywhere I take my phone (or laptop, or…)

Either way it’s a game changer to have the shop manual. Depends on what you’re doing, but I got a transmission out without one, wouldn’t have gotten another one in without the shop manual, and, after getting it, saw it would’ve saved me a lot of cussing if I’d had it first. 😉

So much better than the Chilton I’ve got for my old Jeep, which is good, b/c this E is abut 18 to approximately 2000 times more complicated than a truck from the ‘70s.

 

thoughts and suggestions!

I would say to look around your County to see if they have any "Adult Education" classes in basic Auto DIY. The times and cost of this sort of course are usually 'do-able' (read inexpensive and evening hours).

Worth a shot anyway! Can't hurt to look!

Do they have such in your country?

.

 

honda element service manual. search this forum

 

Another handy tool for quick lookups is Free Car Service Manuals from Operation CHARM — No strings attached! (covers more than just Hondas). Been quite useful in the past for me.

 

Here is the workshop service manual. As well as the workshop service manual for every car made before 2016.

Free Car Service Manuals from Operation CHARM — No strings attached!

Operation CHARM provides completely free repair/service/workshop manuals for over 50,000 models of cars and trucks manufactured 1982-2013. No sign-up or paywall.

charm.li

 

Member. ajchien will have your answer. Reach out to him for your manual needs.

 

The Library + Youtube as a cross reference (for the visuals and helpful explanations, but take things with a grain of salt sometimes since people can say anything and it's not always right). My local public library has free online access to Chilton repair manuals, and you can look at the ALLDATA guides as well if you go into a branch, their catalogs cover many vehicles. Its been an invaluable resource for me while doing work on my E. It's definitely worth checking if a library near you offers these services too.

 

ebay.us/m/KXvtMX

This is the manual I purchased and use

 

...I recommend the Official Service Manual to the specific vehicle, A Chilton or Haynes, AND internet access (to either stuff like instructables or YouTube, where you Can contribute some of your savings). Additionally, Tinker App seems like a great service consultation when you have any genuine engineering or physical diagnostic question, or a logistic problem to solve... ...Subscribable Digital service manuals (like Mitchel On Demand) get run-over by ninny lawyers, profiteering, sue-happy and illogically-oriented car-owners, and under-educated/under-experienced knuckle-draggers (especially the academic or library version). We don't want any contribution to those aspects and definitely do not want to join the YouTube

 

I have a digital copy by Bishko Automobile Literature, it appears to be a digital copy of the factory manual.

 

Bishko Automobile Literature

Are they still publishing? That's where I got a manual for mine a decade ago.

 

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for recommendations on the best car repair manuals for DIY car enthusiasts. I’ve been trying to do my repairs but sometimes struggle to find detailed, step-by-step guides.

Ideally, I need a manual that covers both basic and advanced repairs for a variety of vehicles (not just one model).

I’ve seen a few online options, but I’m not sure which ones are truly comprehensive and easy to understand. Are there any specific brands or platforms that you’ve found to be particularly helpful?

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

I got the Honda Element service manual on CD off of Ebay, soon after I bought my Element. Another thing you might consider is the EricTheCarGuy youtube channel.

 

You might also look up Charm.li - they have manuals for most vehicles online, organized by system. This means you don't have to page through to get the information you need, unlike a shop manual.
And I think you can download and use PDF search functions.
My Del Sol group, Old Sols, introduced me to the site, so I'd like to give credit where it's due.
I find it very useful for all my stable: '08 Saab AeroSport Kombi, '97 Del Sol S, '85 Alfa Spider Veloce...

 

'Not sure where this aspect is in terms of the new repair laws in California that mandate all saleable items be serviceable : " California has enacted two Right to Repair laws: SB 244 (2022), which covers electronics and appliances, and SB 1384 (2024), specifically for powered wheelchairs, both requiring manufacturers to provide access to necessary parts, tools, and documentation for repairs to owners and independent repair providers on fair terms, with specific durations for how long these materials must be available based on product price. " (Google generated a.i. response, on a search "repair laws california manuals," by me just now)

But, I do recall charm.li being in my "old" device's bookmarks list. (To verify)

 

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for recommendations on the best car repair manuals for DIY car enthusiasts. I’ve been trying to do my repairs but sometimes struggle to find detailed, step-by-step guides.

Ideally, I need a manual that covers both basic and advanced repairs for a variety of vehicles (not just one model).

I’ve seen a few online options, but I’m not sure which ones are truly comprehensive and easy to understand. Are there any specific brands or platforms that you’ve found to be particularly helpful?

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

 

2003 to 2005 service manual

 

Get the manual written by the people that built your car. Honda.

 

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for recommendations on the best car repair manuals for DIY car enthusiasts. I’ve been trying to do my repairs but sometimes struggle to find detailed, step-by-step guides.

Ideally, I need a manual that covers both basic and advanced repairs for a variety of vehicles (not just one model).

I’ve seen a few online options, but I’m not sure which ones are truly comprehensive and easy to understand. Are there any specific brands or platforms that you’ve found to be particularly helpful?

Would love your thoughts and suggestions!

You can get their new “digital” version (Haynes Online) that lets you search and print procedures. Same level of info, but the user interface is a little easier. Great for weekend wrenching and still has full specs/procedures. Haynes DIY repair Manual for day-to-day repairs and learning. ALL DATA diy or Mitchell1 monthly plan when you get into bigger or model-specific jobs. If you want, drop the year/make/model of the car you’re working on most, and I can point you to the exact manual that works best for it

 

2004 Element EX Front Wheel Drive. Thanks 🦀🌴

 

@Jack Crabtree ... Please remove your email from the previous post. Staff can do it, but we prefer not to interfere.

Word of advice ... NEVER put your personal information on any forum in the open. That info should be in a PM if needed.

Staff tries to keep the scummy part of the internet out of our forum, but we are not invulnerable.

 

Thanks I removed my email address. Sorry Jack

 

Helm is the Honda service manual printer. That manual is about 1200 pages.

 

Honda Manuals are available at Helm Inc