New Haynes manuals are about to be stuck in digitization. But before you throw your manual at the wall in disgust, do note that this switch to digital-only manuals applies to “new” manuals that Haynes hasn’t published yet. All manuals that were previously available in hard copy will continue to be printed and made available for sale in dead-tree form. The massive back catalog will stay.
Assuming you own or plan on buying a used car, there’s a good chance that Haynes has a repair manual for you. However, anybody looking for a physical Haynes manual of a car like the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E should direct their attention to the internet. That’s where every new manual that Haynes publishes from now on will live. The company tweeted a short statement announcing this news, all the while advertising a new project it’s taking on.
It’s not the end of the road for Haynes – we are embarking on an exciting new journey!
— Haynes Manuals (@HaynesManuals) December 3, 2020
Contrary to reports, Haynes is not stopping printing Manuals. Whilst we will no longer publish new print Workshop Manuals, we will continue to print and publish our huge back catalogue. [1/3]
If you recall February 2019 (we know, it feels like an eternity ago now), John Haynes, the founder of Haynes Repair Manuals, passed away that month. About two months later, Haynes was acquired by Infopro Digital. Among many other things, Infopro Digital says one of its services is to provide “solutions for the automotive aftermarket industry to optimize and digitize its functions and business processes.”
Looks like Infopro Digital has done exactly what it says it does. Haynes is transitioning to the digital-everything landscape we live in now. Many manufacturers are uploading owner’s manuals into their car’s infotainment systems these days, allowing you to search keywords to find an item. It might be a little quicker than glossary searching, but we still like having the physical book as a resource.
The second part of Haynes’ statement does have us slightly intrigued. The more maintenance and repair guides, the merrier. Coverage of 95% of makes and models means there’s a very good chance your vehicle will be included in these guides coming out soon. In the meantime, we likely won’t feel any kind of hurt concerning Haynes’ decision to quit printing new owner’s manuals. In 20-30 years, we could feel differently. But for now, you can still surf on over to Haynes’ website and snag a physical owner’s manual for the used car you just bought.
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