The Passing of John Haynes: A Legacy of DIY Repair Manuals

As I sit down to write this article, I am still trying to come to terms with the recent passing of John Haynes, the man behind one of the most iconic and beloved DIY repair manuals of all time. For over 51 years, John had been fixing cars, and his passion for repairing them eventually led him to create a comprehensive guide that would change the lives of countless car enthusiasts around the world. The Haynes manual, as it came to be known, was based on a complete teardown and rebuild of each individual model, a feat that required an enormous amount of work and dedication.

John's idea of DIY repair was unique in its in-depth approach, providing detailed instructions and diagrams that made even the most complex repairs seem manageable. As an Englishman, John had a reputation for being one of the best amateur mechanics around, with a talent for fixing cars that was unmatched by many professionals. His ability to take apart and put back together a car like it was new again was truly impressive, and his manuals reflected this expertise.

Despite his passing, John's legacy lives on through his son, who has taken over the company and is committed to continuing his father's work. The Haynes manual will continue to be produced, both in print and online, offering readers a comprehensive guide to repairing their cars. This was good news for fans of the manual, as it ensured that the knowledge and expertise contained within its pages would not be lost.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Haynes manual is its comprehensiveness. The manuals cover everything from simple tasks like brake jobs to more complex repairs, such as electrical system overhauls. They also include wiring diagrams for each vehicle model, making it easy for readers to diagnose and repair electrical problems. As I spoke with the company about their plans, they explained that while they would continue to produce print copies of the manual, they had also developed an online version that could be accessed for a fraction of the cost.

I was curious about how the company determined which models to include in the manual, and how many to print. According to the company, this was based on market research, which showed which models were most popular and how many people owned them in certain areas. This approach ensures that the manuals are relevant and useful to readers, who can rely on the knowledge contained within their pages.

Despite the advancements of modern technology, there is still something to be said for a good repair manual. While it may not be as convenient to have all the answers at your fingertips, there is a satisfaction in knowing that you have a comprehensive guide to help you fix your car yourself. The Haynes manual has always been known for its clarity and concision, with detailed instructions and diagrams that make even the most complex repairs seem achievable.

One of the things I admire most about John's approach was his willingness to share his expertise with others. As a mechanic, he had spent countless hours tinkering with cars, and he wanted to pass on this knowledge to others. The Haynes manual reflects this approach, providing readers with real solutions to their car problems. Whether you're a seasoned mechanic or a novice DIYer, the manuals offer a wealth of information that can help you fix your car and keep it running smoothly.

As I look back on John's legacy, I am reminded of the countless hours he spent fixing cars and sharing his knowledge with others. His passion for repairing cars was infectious, and his manuals have inspired countless people to take control of their own vehicle maintenance. While John may no longer be with us, his work lives on through the Haynes manual, which will continue to inspire and empower car enthusiasts around the world.

A Final Tribute: A Giveaway

As a way of celebrating John's legacy, I am excited to announce that I will be giving away one Haynes manual to a lucky reader. To enter, simply place a clean and non-offensive comment on this article in the YouTube comments section below. Please include your vehicle make and year so that we can ensure that the manual is tailored to your specific needs. The winner will be chosen randomly by computer, and I look forward to announcing the results soon.

As I finish writing this article, I am reminded of the importance of community and sharing knowledge with others. John Haynes was a true pioneer in the world of DIY repair manuals, and his legacy continues to inspire us all. Let's keep his spirit alive by continuing to share our own experiences and expertise with each other. Who knows? You may just become the next Haynes!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your engines, today I'm talkingabout the best do-it-yourself repairmanuals, but before Ido we have to mourn the passing of JohnHaynes, the man who started the Haynesmanuals, he passed away recently about amonth ago at age 80, he loved working oncars, he went from a young man who madehis first book, sold it out in a few weeksandended up selling over 200 million ofthese Haynes manuals, now John had a greatidea, his books are based on a completetear down and rebuild of each individualmodel, yeah that's a lot of work justlook I've been fixing cars for 51 years,that's been a lot of work but you know whynot share it with the world to helppeople out, now being an Englishman hisidea of DIY is often about his in-depthas you can get, look at this I meanthey're showing you how you can pull anengine out of this Toyota Matrix andrebuild it,that's what amazes me about these Haynesmanuals, he was a true Englishman, when anEnglishman says, oh I'm an amateur welllet me tell you they're amateurs aresometimes a hundred times better than anAmerican professional, I swear some ofthe Englishmen I met you could givethem some scrap metal and a few pieces ofelectronics, throw them in a shed intheir back yard and about six monthslater they come out with a rocket shipthat will go to Mars, now I was worried thatthiswas gonna be the end of Haynes manualsnow that John's gone but his son hastaken over the company and he'sfollowing it up they're gonna continue tobe making these things, cuz really thesebooks are awful lot of work, not onlysimple stuff like brake jobs, butlook, they got the whole wiring diagramsof the vehicles in them too, you want toget serious about finding electricalproblems, and just like everything elsethese days they're going on the internettoo, I talked them at the company andthey said, oh they're continued gonnamake the books but they also have theonline version, so it's like 29 bucks forthe book and 20 bucks for the onlineversion, all right pretty good deal ifyou ask me, the only thing I've reallygot against Haynesbooks is this, it's so much work to doof course they can't do it for every carout there, so there's cars out there thattheydon't have any books for yet, I was kindof curious about how they went aroundfiguring out which books to make and howmany to print up, and hey I said well youknow they study the markets of how manypeople have certain cars and how manythey sell in certain areas, so how manybooks they should print out, because ifyou look at the book it's got lots ofpictures in it and with all thosepictures hey at least with presenttechnology they can't just print thesethings on a machine automatically on demand,my book how to buy a used carthat thing doesn't have any realpictures on it, so it can be printed outfast on the machine you can buy onewhere Amazon prints it up somewhere inKentucky someplace, but this thing noit's got to be published by an actualpublisher, but as I said you can get themonline too, only I asked him I said youguys gonna stop making these and just goonline, they said no because a lot of ourcustomers they want the book sowhen they're working on a car, like thismatrix hey, take a look at the picturethey look at the car, they can see itright in front of them, where it's not ona computer screen, books are really handywhen you're working on cars there's noarguing thatgranted you can get on online one and printout the pages you want but hey reallywhen you got a book you know there it isand if something happens throw it in thetrunk so if you need a reference ifsomething breaks down the road, there itis in the trunk and you can look throughit, now as you can see here it's a lot ofwork making one of these manuals, theseguys are taking the matrix apart, body, theengine they're giving you some seriousinformation here and really it doesn'tmatter if you're an American DIY that's doinga brake job oryou want to take the dash apart, or ifyou're a British DIY and you'regonna take the whole car apart and putit back together againlike he did, let's face it Johndidn't sell over 200 million books fornothing, he's got a very good system herethat helps people out, now I neverpersonally met John, so I can't say whathis real personality was like, people aresaying Scotty oh people like watchingyou because your personality, well maybeyes maybe no, I mean people are alwaysfriendly to me when they ask me questions,theysmile and say hey Scotty aha, but theninvariably comes the, hey I got aquestion about my car, and I say goahead ask it I'll answer it for youpeople want to talk to me because theywant real answers about their cars, andthese Haynes manuals they give you realways of fixing your car, yeah sure maybeyou're not gonna be taking the engine ortransmission apart, it's gonna coveranything that you're interested in, inthis case hey the antenna therekept hitting a tree, well you wonder, howdo you get that whole assembly off notjust the little top and the whole thing, heyhe's got it in his book, to replace theantenna base remove the rear upperquarter trim on the driver's side, thenremove the rear headliner retainingfasteners, the headliner will drop downenough so you can access the one nutsecuring it and get it off, you can't getmore clear and concise, he didn't waste anywords, he didn't waste any of your timehe even told you the trick was, you canjust drop it down some to reach inyou don't have to take the whole headlineroff, there are so many jewels in these books,maybe John's looking down on us sayinghey I'm still helping people out, and Iwish his son good luck on continuingmaking these things, I hate to see goodthings go away, and since this ismechanic Monday I'm giving away a Haynesmanual, to have a chance to win justplace a clean non offensive comment onthe youtube comments below, and a winnerwill be chosen randomly by computer toget a Haynes manual for their vehicleand of course put your vehicle make and year,so we can make sure that they makeone for your car, so if you never wantto miss another one of my new car repairvideos, remember to ring that Bell!\n"