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How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive ManualJomama Porter

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How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot Paperback – August 29, 2001

by John Muir (Author), Tosh Gregg (Author), Peter Aschwanden (Illustrator)

2,901 ratings

Part of: How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive (1 books)

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First published in 1969, this classic manual of automotive repair equips VW owners with the practical skills to keep their Volkswagen running smoothly. Inside you'll find:

Expert knowledge on any air-cooled Volkswagen built through 1978, including Bugs, Karmann Ghias, vans, and campers
Easy-to-understand, fun-to-read information for novice and veteran mechanics alike, with anecdotal descriptions and clear language to help take the mystery out of diagnostic, maintenance, and repair procedures
Trusted advice from the late John Muir, whose in-depth knowledge and sense of humor have guided Volkswagen enthusiasts for nearly 50 years
Hand-lettered with intricate hand-drawn illustrations throughout
Updated information on problem-solving, with new photos and an updated resource list

Packed with trusted insight, troubleshooting tips, and clear directions, How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive is the ultimate VW manual.

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About the Author

John Muir (1918-1977) was a writer, mechanic, and expert on the maintenance and repair of Volkswagens. Originally a structural engineer working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, in the 1960s he quit his job to become a writer and car mechanic in Taos, New Mexico.

In 1969, Muir collaborated with the artist Peter Aschwanden to create the definitive manual for Volkswagen owners, How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive; A Manual of Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot. The first edition sold more than two million copies.

In November 1977, Muir passed away from a brain tumor. His self-published first edition is considered one of the most successful self-published books in history, and his manual remains the definitive guide for VW owners.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1566913101
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rick Steves
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 29, 2001
Edition ‏ : ‎ 19th
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781566913102
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1566913102
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.25 x 1.13 x 10.88 inches
Part of series ‏ : ‎ How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive

Best Sellers Rank: #21,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Vehicle Owner's Manuals & Maintenance Guides
- #176 in Engineering (Books)
- #1,370 in Reference (Books)

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2,901 ratings

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Tosh Gregg
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2,901 global ratings

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Customers find this VW repair manual easy to understand, with excellent how-to descriptions and pictures that assist in following instructions. The book receives positive feedback for its information quality, with one customer noting it serves as a great companion to the Chilton manual. Customers appreciate the book's illustrations, particularly the pictures in the margins and borders, and its humorous writing style. Customers consider it a must-have for VW owners, noting it can save money on mechanic fees, and one customer mentions it paid for itself within the first week of use.

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Readability Ease of understanding Information quality Vw repair manual Illustrations Humor Value for money Vw owner

210 customers mention "Readability"203 positive7 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read and consider it one of the best automotive manuals available.

"Good book, owned one copy a few years back and loaned it out and it never came back. It was time to buy another. Thank you" Read more

"good reading" Read more

"Great book for the person who working on their VW" Read more

"...They are great machines but require frequent TLC to stay running well, but, most people that want to get into VW already know that and actually..." Read more

183 customers mention "Ease of understanding"173 positive10 negative

Customers find the book easy to understand, with excellent how-to descriptions and lots of information presented in an accessible way with helpful pictures.

"...From the amazing hand drawings, to the excellent how-to descriptions, to the hilarious stories..." Read more

"...It is informative, funny, and well written. I was thirteen at the time. It is still in a revered spot in my shop manuals...." Read more

"...The author went out of his way to coherently explain every procedure, from basic maintenance, to engine overhaul, in a clear and understandable way...." Read more

"...As a technical manual, it mostly consists of solid information -- solid enough, anyway, to get you back on the road so you can find somebody to..." Read more

169 customers mention "Information quality"169 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very informative, describing it as a gem that provides good information for Volkswagen enthusiasts.

"Good literature for any aircooled vw owner" Read more

"...It is informative, funny, and well written. I was thirteen at the time. It is still in a revered spot in my shop manuals...." Read more

"...It has guided me through six or seven engine rebuilds (I used my engines very, very hard) and God knows how many other procedures ... I think that I..." Read more

"...functionality that if you're not completely familiar with, is quite helpful...." Read more

59 customers mention "Vw repair manual"59 positive0 negative

Customers praise this VW repair manual for its comprehensive coverage of mechanical issues, with one customer noting it covers everything from purchase to maintenance.

"...went out of his way to coherently explain every procedure, from basic maintenance, to engine overhaul, in a clear and understandable way...." Read more

"...Not only that, but once you have discovered that you can indeed perform a repair competently, you get a sneaking suspicion that there are other..." Read more

"...This was the repair manual for the non-mechanic; in other words, the complete idiot...." Read more

"has everything i need repair and maintain my bug!" Read more

49 customers mention "Illustrations"42 positive7 negative

Customers appreciate the illustrations in the book, particularly noting the great pictures in the margins and borders, as well as the combination of art and technology.

"...From the amazing hand drawings, to the excellent how-to descriptions, to the hilarious stories..." Read more

"...The drawings in this book are excellent and filled with detail. Again, the more I'm reading it, the more things are making sense. Just keep at it!..." Read more

"...Fix it please! Peter Aschwanden's art work is awesome. It reminds me of R. Crumb. The detail is amazing...." Read more

"...Illustrations are very helpful) Not to mention that every scenario is broken down for every particular model...." Read more

32 customers mention "Humor"32 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it written in a fun style, with one customer noting that the pictures make them laugh.

"...hand drawings, to the excellent how-to descriptions, to the hilarious stories (and if you've ever owned a Bug, you know there's always a story!),..." Read more

"...It is informative, funny, and well written. I was thirteen at the time. It is still in a revered spot in my shop manuals...." Read more

"...Forty years later, these are still wise words, and to find them in an automotive manual is astonishing...." Read more

"If you own an air cooled VW, this is a must-have! The book is humorous, insightful and extremely educational...." Read more

29 customers mention "Value for money"29 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides good value, helping them save money on mechanic fees and serving as a great gift for car enthusiasts.

"Great item for colector" Read more

"...I read it from cover to cover and I must say, It paid for itself within the first week...." Read more

"...that old car. Even if you don't own a VW, this is a great gift for any car nut because it's just that good of a read and has lots of great..." Read more

"...This book will save you lots of money and is really very easy to read. The pictures will at times make you laugh...." Read more

21 customers mention "Vw owner"21 positive0 negative

Customers consider this book essential for VW owners and enthusiasts, describing it as a bible and must-have resource.

"..."Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" - it's a philosophical treatise as well as a practical repair manual - and it succeeds at both...." Read more

"This book is a must have for any antique VW owner who wants to keep it running...." Read more

"This is the ultimate VW shop book around. I bought a 64 Beetle that was mostly restored but really didn't know where to start...." Read more

"...But the book is just what it says it is "the idiot's manual" and great for a newbee...and you'll find suggestions that you wont find in your regular..." Read more

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Fish
Best VW Book ever written!
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2012
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I fell in love with this book 20 years ago when I first started working on Bugs. I was recently telling my friend about this book and figured that it was the perfect reason to order it (again!). The writing in this book is timeless and it doesn't just apply to VW's. If you don't understand how an engine works, how to BUY a car, change a tire, rebuild a simple engine, tune-up...this book is for you! At one point, I had 7 VWs and each one had a copy of The Idiot's Guide. Every VW I've ever sold has had a copy in it, whether the new owner wants it or not and I've always gotten a call about how awesome it is.

Even though I'm currently looking for another love affair with another VW, The Idiot's Guide still sits on the coffee table. From the amazing hand drawings, to the excellent how-to descriptions, to the hilarious stories (and if you've ever owned a Bug, you know there's always a story!), you just don't see this kind of writing that often anymore.

The Idiot's Guide is the Great-Granddaddy of the modern Do It Yourself-ers!

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jessica
Must own
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2025
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Good literature for any aircooled vw owner

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Gary Wood
Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2024
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Good book, owned one copy a few years back and loaned it out and it never came back. It was time to buy another. Thank you

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2 people found this helpful

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CJ503
Informational nostalgia
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2024
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I have a copy of the original version, given to me the Christmas after I got my first type one. It is informative, funny, and well written. I was thirteen at the time. It is still in a revered spot in my shop manuals. It was getting a bit dog eared from being read and re-read time and time again. Ordered a new replacement. A bit updated, but still the quality information in a simple format so many years later.

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George
A Must-have for all Bug owners
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2024
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As a person who's always been into Beetles and has recently begun restoring one, it's no surprise why everyone says this book's a must-have. The author went out of his way to coherently explain every procedure, from basic maintenance, to engine overhaul, in a clear and understandable way. Enormous thanks also to the people honoring his works and doing reissues of the wonderful book to this day.

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J. LaTorre
Forty years later, and the "Idiot Book" is still unmatched
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2008
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First, my credentials for this review. From 1971 to 1994 (with insignificant gaps), I've owned and driven three Vokswagen buses (not including a parts bus)and used this manual to keep all of them on the road. As of this writing, I'm driving my fourth bus. I've gone through four copies of the Idiot Book, using each one until it either fell to pieces, became illegible from grease and oil stains, or needed to be updated as I bought a later-model bus. It has guided me through six or seven engine rebuilds (I used my engines very, very hard) and God knows how many other procedures ... I think that I've done every single procedure in the book that applied to my particular makes and models. And using this book, I've done work on various WV bugs, buses, and squarebacks that belonged to friends of mine.
I agree with everybody who calls this the indispensable reference for VW owners. I also agree with those who point out its shortcomings. Muir quotes a friend of his, on a review of another VW book. as saying "I agree one hundred percent with ninety percent of what he says." That could also apply to my own feelings about this book.
As a technical manual, it mostly consists of solid information -- solid enough, anyway, to get you back on the road so you can find somebody to show you how to do it the right way. I've always advised a prospective repairer to own both this book and another manual (my favorite was the green Volkswagen Official Service Manual, also called the "Bentley"), read the Muir write-up first to get a general idea of what to do, and then compare it to the other manual, note the differences, and ask somebody why the differences are there. Usually it's because Muir assumes you're making do with a minimum of tools, or are too cash-strapped to make a proper fix. Occasionally, you'll find that John was flat wrong about something (such as how to warm it up in the morning, or why chokes should be disabled, or why the 009 distributor was perfect in every way), or that your particular model had a different set-up than the ones he was familiar with.
But to simply compare this book with other technical manuals would be to ignore the most important feature of this book, which is its ability to empower you. It presumes that the reader has no technical aptitude and starts you gently down the road to proficiency and self-confidence. I'll bet that more mechanics have been inspired by this book than any other technical manual ever written. Not only that, but once you have discovered that you can indeed perform a repair competently, you get a sneaking suspicion that there are other things you can do if you apply the same confidence, common sense, and ingenuity that John taught you about. I doubt if I would have had the courage to time a sewing machine, install a hard drive, build a mandolin, or re-assemble a hang glider if John hadn't shown me that I had the potential to do these things.
This book has survived because of its idiosyncrasies, not in spite of them. John writes that "You must do this work with love or you will fail. You don't have to think, but you must love." He's telling you something important about Life here, and about the relationship we have to our possessions and to our work. Forty years later, these are still wise words, and to find them in an automotive manual is astonishing. Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" tried to apply philosophical principles to machine repair, but it failed because he was no mechanic and tried to gauge his mechanic's skill according to his own expectations of what a mechanic's mind-set should be. John knew better. He knew, and taught, that you achieve oneness with the machine by applying mind, heart, and hands together, and by listening to the machine as it tries to tell you what needs to be done. If there's ever been another book like that, I haven't heard of it. And if there is, I'll wager that the author has read the "Idiot Book."

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Drunkle Jimmy
Great Seller
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2025
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Fantastic Seller. Arrived quick and new. Great deal too.

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Bob Acker
Bought it for the nostalgia.
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024
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Anyone of a certain age may remember having the good ol' VW needing work and having close to zero money. This was the repair manual for the non-mechanic; in other words, the complete idiot. I highly recommend for that select "back-in-the-day" group who would get a kick out of having the book again.

The book came to me on time and in good shape.

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bess ,1302 super beetle
Quick Delivery , And Great Price
Reviewed in Australia on August 22, 2023
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Great Book A Good place too Start For all Those Inteested in these Old Cars

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armando salazar
super importante
Reviewed in Mexico on December 29, 2019
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te va a sacar de muchos apuros si realmente aprecias hacer las cosas por ti mismo,.

La calidad de empastado y de hojas deberia de ser de un poco de calidad, PERO lo que en el esta escrito es super importante...

recomendable

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Tommy two Chords
The VW book to get.
Reviewed in Canada on April 3, 2024
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If you are working on a classic VW . Beetle or Van. This book has everything in it . And it's written in a comical way.
It beats any other technical book

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herriebak
not only for "airheads"
Reviewed in the Netherlands on December 17, 2021
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Een hilarisch boek en tegelijk een zeer duidelijke omschrijving van werkzaamheden en onderhoud voor luchtgekoelde volkswagen eigenaren en / of liefhebbers. Een lust om te lezen met zeer mooie / maffe / geweldige tekeningen ter illustratie. Een echte aanrader ! Voor de prijs hoef je het ook niet te laten liggen.

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João Cantisani Coutinho Amaral
muito completo e didático.
Reviewed in Brazil on March 22, 2025
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já comecei a leitura e tradução pra conseguir conversar com mecânicos e comprar peças. ainda não avancei na recuperação da Kombi mas o livro é bem completo. recomendo.

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How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot Paperback – August 29, 2001

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One of my favorite car manuals ever

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5.0 out of 5 stars Quick Delivery , And Great Price

5.0 out of 5 stars super importante

5.0 out of 5 stars The VW book to get.

5.0 out of 5 stars not only for "airheads"

5.0 out of 5 stars muito completo e didático.

Quick Delivery , And Great Price

super importante

The VW book to get.

not only for "airheads"

muito completo e didático.