Best workshop manuals?

Browney · 05-03-2008, 01:01 AM

Hey everyone just got a quick question if anyone has a chance to give me there advice or opnions.

I'm looking at starting to some more of my own maintenance and upgrades by myself but have done very little of this and was thinking of getting a workshop manual to help and to have as a guide. So I was wondering there is any one type of manual I should be looking at or whether they are all pretty much the same?

It is for an EBII i6 Fairmont.

Thanks everyone.

Chamelion · 05-03-2008, 01:15 AM

Max Ellery's... Much more comprehensive than the rest. I'm wishing I paid the extra for one over the Haynes I bought. Half the price, not even half as good.

the_scotsman · 05-03-2008, 08:20 AM

Personally, I find Gregories is the best by far. (except the Ford Workshop manuals which are expensive).
I've done quite a few things blindly just by using the Gregories...done the head gasket, replaced the diff etc...

old-jim · 05-03-2008, 11:05 AM

I would agree - Gregorys Workshop Manuals are far better than Max Ellery. I have never owned a Haynes manual, but have read them at the local library. They do not appear to be as good as the others.

ALSO - If you borrow a workshop manual from the local library - photocopy what you need - do not send it back with certain pages covered in oil and grease.
Think of the next bloke that wants to use it.

old jim

Browney · 05-03-2008, 02:56 PM

Alright, thanks guys that gives me a bit of an idea.

AlbertM · 05-03-2008, 09:15 PM

I have a genuine Ford workshop manual for EA - ED (it's 3 inches thick), cost $120 in 1997. I wouldn't touch a third party publication after this. tells you about every little thing in the car.

If you can afford it, get it.

bd737 · 05-03-2008, 09:50 PM

I had a Gregories for an EBII - excellent manual, highly recommended. Didn't cover much on the auto though.

With my BF now I have a Max Ellery - full of typos everywhere!

Allen · 05-03-2008, 11:29 PM

Chris, I've got a Max Ellerys manual for EF - EL and its hopeless, full of typos, and many of the pictures of parts that are specific to EF - EL are from EB - ED... I.e, pic of a "EL" 5.0 with a clutch fan etc... :P

I've got the EA - ED, and EF - EL Ford Workshop manuals, and they are without doubt far better than anything else. If you need a hand with anything, give me a yell... I'm only around the corner!

dishpig · 06-03-2008, 01:37 AM

I'm guessing you get the ford workshop manuals from any ford dealer?

AlbertM · 06-03-2008, 05:59 PM

It's where I got mine.

ea90gl · 07-03-2008, 12:24 AM

IMO Gregories is the best, much more easier to read and has a better way of explaining things, they also use better pics and label alot better. the Max Ellery is a joke so many mistakes and such a crap way of explaining things, jumps to each step in a huge leap and tells you to take off parts that you got no idea of without showing what they are referring to. All the pics are of old greasy parts and doesnt label too well. Haynes is also great almost up there with Gregories. Without a Haynes once it would of taken me twice the time than it took me to change a heater core in a TF Magna

fmc351 · 07-03-2008, 01:25 AM

As said, dont get an Ellerys.

bd737 · 07-03-2008, 08:36 PM

Haha, that reminds me - my Max Ellery for BA-BF slipped in the word 'Commodore' once or twice across the manual. Was not impressed.

jasonpt · 04-07-2009, 07:30 PM

I had a Gregorys manual when I had my VL commodore ( saw the light and bought an EL Fairmont) and found it was rubbish when a mate bought over his max ellerys manual. Will Recommend max ellerys any time. By the way Allen if you want to get rid of that max ellerys for the EL I will buy it off you.

mik · 04-07-2009, 08:13 PM

i had a haynes and max ellery`s neither is perfect but i did find max ellerys covered more items in depth like an auto rebuild where as the opposition , would simply state as most backyarders don`t have specialised tools we don`t cover that bit , not in those words but you get the idea,ford book would be the go..... i priced a proper ford book ........lucky i had my heart pills on me.

platinumXR · 04-07-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dishpig

I'm guessing you get the ford workshop manuals from any ford dealer?

Yeah, or try Bookworks.

platinumXR · 04-07-2009, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbertM

I have a genuine Ford workshop manual for EA - ED (it's 3 inches thick), cost $120 in 1997. I wouldn't touch a third party publication after this. tells you about every little thing in the car.

If you can afford it, get it.

Yep, get's my vote...I've used both but the Fraud one is the best bar none. A tad pricey now though...

dave351cid · 04-07-2009, 09:45 PM

sometime you can get factory workshop manuals copied onto CDs from ebay.
i got a BA one a few years ago and downloaded it to my laptop computer, has been handy a few times . just print off the pages you need for the job your doing.

can`t remember what i paid but think it was $30 or $50 ,something like that.

BlueOvalPrint · 05-07-2009, 06:08 PM

For the BA onwards I have used a Haynes (limited to the NA6 only)- just ok but not much better than figuring things out yourself; Max Ellery - more detail on more subjects and includes the T6 and V8 too, though it does seem a bit of a "backyard" effort; no Gregory's manual that I know of. If you can track down the Ford manual on CD it's a ripper, everything thet you could ever want to know and more.