Are the CD Service Manuals worth the $$$. I already have Haynes Manual and Hard Copy service manuals. Are the CD's more detailed and comprehensive such that they are worth the investment.

JCD

I've always wondered this myself because the ones in the PartsShop are so expensive. eBay has tons of cheap ones that are usually no more than $10. Does anyone know anything about these? Thanks

Alex

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1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

I have the CD service manuals for the W124 chassis and have spent some time using them..... IMHO the hardcopy manuals are much more useable than the CD ROM versions. The ETM portion of the CD ROM manual is pretty much unuseable at least on my PC - its just way too slow and the font sizes are tough to get just right. Of course (like most every PC product I use) it also seems to "lock-up" at random points....

I don't think I'm the only one that feels this way - I've noticed that hardcopy MB manuals on E-bay seem to be appreciating these days....

I don't have the hardcopy manuals for the W124 chassis so I dont know if the CD rom versions contain different or more data than the hardcopy versions.

If you intend to do very specific work, the MB factory CD manual is useful. The Haynes and Chiltons manuals don't describe certain systems (climate control, vacuum, door mechanicals, etc.) adequately for diagnosis and repair. If you don't intend to do repairs on these systems then I suppose you don't need a CD manual.

The print quality is terrible even on a good laser printer. MB didn't use the print optimized option in Adobe Acrobat. The electrical diagrams in the CD manual for W126 are readable on screen, but not when printed.

The CD manual for the W126 doesn't cover the transmission, not even removal and replacement. The W123 version might be different but I doubt it.

The CD manuals on ebay for $10 might be copies. No reason to think they wouldn't work. This isn't a recommendation to violate copyright laws.

I can't speak for other CD manuals since I've never used them.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD ... buy me

I bought the CD-Rom manuals for the W123 from Performance Products for $125. They have been worth every penny. Of course, you can buy a pirated copy on E-bay for $10, but like Forest Gump said, "You never know..."

I have used them extensively over the last year to track down vacuum leaks, etc.. I also use them to audition new mechanics who might try to snow me with what all has to be done. The manuals, be they in print or CD-ROm are poorly translated into English and it takes several readings just to interpret what they are saying. Of course, this also makes it easy to find the right parts because the poor translations carry right through to their part names.

I find the manuals particularly useful for showing the special tools required to do certain jobs and their part numbers. You have two options....buy a tool from Mercedes that costs more than if you paid a mechanic to do the whole job...or fabricate your own tool from the pictures. I prefer the latter.

If I had one gripe, it would be that it doesn't cover the transmission for the W123. I happen to have a manual tranny, so it isn't that bad, but this appears to be the only part of the car that is missing.

Just my $0.02.

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'06 E320 CDI 51K miles
'02 VW Jetta GLS TDi 120k miles
'99 Ford E350 7.3L Powerstroke 200k miles -sold
'84 Euro 300D 5 spd manual 317k miles - sold

I found it very helpful having both the official MB and Haynes manuals. In some cases the MB manual superficially covers a subject, whereas the Haynes manual goes into more detail - and vice versa. Or, the MB manual says to use a certain MB special tool to R&R a component and the Haynes manual will show a non-special tool to use or a simple way to make a special tool. Or, the MB says to remove the engine but no info on how to do so - the Haynes manual goes into a step-by-step procedure.

Also, your library may have some manuals that should be kept in mind. My library has the Mitchell service manuals that contained info., specs, and operations not covered at all, or in less detail, or alternative operations than in the MB manuals. For example, my 300D auto. trans. was covered in great detail including full internal views with overhaul procedures and a great trouble shooting section - same for the AC/climate control (although the MB manaul is very good). Also, my library has instructural manuals teaching how do to do auto repair that can come in handy (the only specific info about my diesel injection pump was found in a diesel instructional manual, info furnished by Robert Bosch).

Hope this helps.

Tom

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America: Land of the Free!

1977 300D: 300,000+ miles

American Honda: Factory Trained Technician & Honor Grad.
Formerly:
Shop Foreman;
Technical Advisor to Am. Honda;
Supervisor of Maintenance largest tree care co. in US for offices in Tex.

Are the CD manuals just scanned images of the hard copy manuals, or do the CD's provide additional information and "search" capablity.

JCD

JCD,

The CD manual for the W126 is a compilation of scanned images from the hardcopy manual. It's barely good enough to read. Print quality is much worse than screen quality even on a high end printer.

Each procedure is in an Acrobat .pdf file. The only search capability is in the main menu where you select the procedure to view, which launches the specific .pdf. You cannot search for key words. About the only information not available in the hardcopy manuals is the owner's manual for representative models in the series. The CD is designed to work with MS Windows, but Mac savvy folks have devised ways to use the CD. It's essentially a website on a CD.

For all the shortcomings I mentioned, it's about the cheapest way to own every tome that make up the shop manual series for an MB. You might get luck on ebay, but you rarely see a complete set of books in one shot.

BTW, I believe everything I said about the W126 CD manual is true for the 123 CD manual.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD ... buy me

I have the 123 CD that I bought from an indie for $99, I stood right there while he called the dealer two blocks up the street and ordered it then sent his runner after it.

The scanner they used, must have been a $10 unit that they got on e-bay! However in my case, I find that the printer makes everything about 75% better.

Ernie

Hmm... I can't read the wire color codes on print outs of electrical diagrams. Pictures are okay.

Sixto
91 300SE
81 300SD ... buy me