Where is our maintenance manual (Incl: Bentley Publishing)

[Ron F]

[quote=Counselor;197951]Has anyone purchased the CD offered on e-bay. If so, is it worth anything?[/quote

Close to worthless IMHO. Wasted $90. Most of the stuff pertaining to the 451 is lifted right out of the Owners manual.

[jetfuel]

...thanks for the input

jetfuel

[SmartDigger]

From what I hear it is a collection of info found here and in the manual

[mfoster]

As I said in a previous post. Directly from smartusa earlier this week.

"We are in the process of creating a separate website for each smart owner’s vehicle. The site will contain links to our service manual and emission component information for individuals or service shops to use in servicing a smart fortwo.

We are programming the site right now and expect to have it on the Web by the end of March."

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by Old smart

It has been said at least once before that the official repair manual will be an electronic document accessible by subscription or individual time payments. The dealer manuals are already in that form. The subscriptions may not be cheap - my local independant mechanic pays about $2,000 a year to access and update the M-B manual (I don't know if it includes smart among the M-B models yet).

The electronic form may satisfy any governmental requirements. Hopefully a competent private publisher like Bentely will come up with something eventualy.

Separately, H.R. 2694 Title: "To protect the rights of consumers to diagnose, service, maintain, and repair their motor vehicles, and for other purposes." died without action in the last Congress (and also in the 109th Congress before that). So far it has not been re-introduced, and with the automakers and dealers in trouble now, it may not be.

N.B. Shortly after posting, I decided to move from "hope mode" to "do mode," and contacted Bentley Publishing (Bentley Publishers - Automotive Books and Repair Manuals) with a request that they consider publishing a smart manual, either as a stand-alone or as part of their M-B series. We'll see if they have any comment.

Comment from Bentley received this date:

"From: Mercedes
Sent: 2009 February 24, 12:31:02
To: ........@..........com
Subject: RE: smart (Car) Manual

Message: Dear Mr. F.....,

Thank you for contacting Bentley Publishers and for your Smart car suggestion. The Smart car would be a great candidate for a Bentley manual. I will add it to our list. No promises when, but definitely a worthy title.

Thanks again,

-Charlie Burke"

[ssppxyz]

Originally Posted by jetfuel

...we can put a man on the moon, but we can't put two pieces of road together without a big bump...
jetfuel

Don't forget about that 4th wheel on the shopping cart that wobbles incessantly....