Is the Bentley Manual the best?

[flee27]

When I purchased my car it came with a Hayes service manual. So far I have found it next to useless. It is missing good pictures, diagrams, and many torque specs for various fasteners. Is the Bentley manual the best/most complete DIY manual to get?

Thanks
Foster

[motorstereo]

I find the Bentley service manual is excellent (with some minor quibbles). I also follow advice found on this wonderful forum, and various high quality youtubers like Heidi & Franny, parts classic (spelled w k), Joe Engineering etc .

I also have Wayne Dempsey’s “How to Rebuild and Modify Porsche 911 Engines” and a set of the factory service manuals. All of this is certainly not necessary to maintain your car and any issue you might have these cars has surely been addressed on this forum.

[Schulisco]

The Haynes repair manual is the book I have with me when I'm working at the car, none of the other literature contains that detailed photos ans exploded views which is pretty useful to get an impression on how sth is designed before dismantling it. But I agree - it's no nanny telling step by step what to do when this or that is wrong. None of the books I saw is written that way. No book is perfect, everyone has its own objectives. So in the end you need more than a single book.

The Bentley is better, but also more expensive, heavier, twice as thick, but it also contains some faulty information. Beneath both I also consult the Porsche WSM, the books from our host, Adrian Streathers 911 sc manual, many youtube videos and forums like this and some other manuals from Bosch and others. This imo the only way to get the information you need.

But don't forget - the old 911's (up to 1989) are one the best documented vintage cars of the world. The more modern the 911 gets, beginning with the 964, the lesser well documented and easy accessible they are and this makes it even more heavy to get information on them. Not to say from the difficulties they have with more and more electronics...

Thomas

[SpyderMike]

I have both and use both (and the internet) to make sure I am doing things correctly. I prefer the electrical diagrams in the Haynes though...

[walt]

I find the quality of some of the pics in Haynes manual are not very good. If you're looking for the mistakes in Bentley you can find them here:

https://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/580519-list-bentley-911-sc-manual-errors.html

[JSV798]

I have both and both are useful. Fuel system is dealt with rather better in Bentley. Quite a few typos in the Bentley.
I also have also have a manual by Clymer publications for models from 1965 - 1972, bought in 1978 when I was working on my 1966 911. Still consult it occasionally.

Roy

[911 Rod]

You need to do the research with the books and online to come up with your own conclusion.

I like to see procedures in a couple of places and then I dive in.

[GH85Carrera]

The best is the factory workshop manuals from Porsche. Just very spendy.

The Bentley is pretty good for most things. The Cruise control testing nfo is just wrong.

This forum has had every possible question asked and answered multiple times. The sad part is the search function is pitiful.

[Dpmulvan]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

The best is the factory workshop manuals from Porsche. Just very spendy.

The Bentley is pretty good for most things. The Cruise control testing nfo is just wrong.

This forum has had every possible question asked and answered multiple times. The sad part is the search function is pitiful.

You can use Google for a search on here.

[mark4ton]

I've used my Bentley manual so much that it's starting to fall apart at the binding.