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How to Find a Mini Cooper Repair Manual
Finding a Mini Cooper repair manual is not as easy locating one for more mainstream cars. Amazon carries a few different manuals depending on the year of your particular Mini. The main source of Mini Cooper repair manuals is the Bentley series.
Mini Cooper or Mini
Before the Mini Cooper there was the Morris Mini, which is now a collectible car that many people restore as projects. If you are interested in restoring an old Mini, a repair manual is a necessity and there are other brands that deal with restoring these vehicles. If you have a newer Mini Cooper, then the Bentley series is more suitable for your purposes.
Do I Need a Repair Manual?
Every Mini Cooper has an owner’s manual that provides basic information on both routine maintenance and simple instructions on how the various systems in your Mini work. Owner manuals tend to lack the details and photographs that are needed for more extensive repairs. If you are only interested in basic information about the car or how to change the oil, then the owner’s manual should be sufficient. If you want to perform a lot of the maintenance yourself or you’re making extensive repairs, then a repair manual will be a necessity.
What’s in a Repair Manual?
Mini Cooper repair manuals give detailed instructions along with photos that make repairs much easier to perform. The manuals normally include engine repair, tune up information, brake repair procedures and information on the heating and cooling systems. Usually included are trouble codes, diagnostic charts and wiring diagrams.
Where to Buy
Repair manuals are sold in most of the major book stores, Wal-Mart and online bookstores such as Amazon. Unfortunately, repair or restoration manuals for a Mini may be harder to find. Amazon carries a good selection, and you should be able to find a Mini Cooper manual at most auto repair stores. You can often find used Mini Cooper repair manuals at local used bookstores or on eBay. Repair manuals are sold by make, model and a year range.
Bentley Manuals
Bentley manuals are the premium repair manual for anyone interested in working on a Mini Cooper. Bentley is headquartered in Massachusetts and publishes a large selection of manuals for Minis and other brands. They have a wide selection for both the Mini Cooper and the older Morris Minis. Bentley manuals are considered the gold standard of auto repair manuals for Minis. They can be somewhat pricey, costing from $25 to more than $100.
Other Options
In addition to the Bentley manuals, there are a number of other options. Doing a search on Amazon will bring up a number of books that may be of interest to Mini Cooper owners, as well as owners or restorers of older minis.
