Repair Manuals

[chachachapo]

Hi Everyone,
I am trying to start a new business to sell pdf versions of repair manuals online - If I could get some feedback that would be great!
I'm just wondering if you would use this service, how much work you presently do on your autos, do you currently own hard copies of repair manuals, etc... just whatever you can tell me would be good. I'm trying to get a feel for the market out there to see if my idea is feasible. Let me know! Thanks

[shorod]

You mean, like Alldatadiy.com already does? Granted Alldata is an online service, they don't sell the entire manual for download as far as I'm aware. Have you looked into licensing issues with the manufacturers? Since you mention starting a business, I assume you plan to do this all legally.

-Rod

[curtis73]

The only thing preventing me from using Alldata is its cost. I run a hotrod shop, so the infrequent number of times that I would use it isn't cost effective for me. Most of the time that I need data, Alldata usually doesn't have it anyway. If I need a shop manual for a 1940 Fargo, Alldata can't help. Instead I have to pony up the $40 for a reprint hard copy.

If you can provide inexpensive pdfs, I'm down with it. If you focus on oddball manuals you can really draw in some niche business.

I like the idea. If we can't use the internet to spread information, then why have it at all?

There was a website that tried something like this; I think it was OCMP or Old Car Manual Project. They focused on collecting manuals from guys like me and scanning them into PDFs. It was all legal, since all of the manuals they sourced were way past copyright terms. I'm not sure how its doing, but it was a great idea.

[chachachapo]

This all sounds like great information for me! Yes - this will all be done legally and we are working on that now. We are considering doing a subscription type of thing where we would allow small auto mechanics to buy a monthly subscription to all the information that we have available - would you be interested in that or mainly just an individual based service? Thanks so much for helping me out - It's the opinions from experts like you guys that are going to make my business work!

[curtis73]

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me personally here is what I would pay good money for...

I work at a hot rod shop and I'm trying to open my own shop. Most of what I do is really oddball stuff, like putting a duramax diesel in a 66 pontiac, or putting a Viper V10 in a 96 Impala SS. For stuff like those projects I would need things like wiring diagrams, shop manuals, and technical specs on specific things. Since I only do a few projects a year, a pay-as-you-go plan would be great for me. For instance, if I'm putting a 24v Cummins in a 98 F150, I would need (at the very least) the wiring diagrams for the dodge cummins and the F150 so I could put them together, but otherwise I don't need a constant subscription for daily access.

In a perfect world, what I would love to have is the manuals broken down into chapters... kinda like how iTunes sells music. You can buy the track for 99 cents, or the whole album for $13.99. If you had manuals so that you could buy just the "brakes" chapter for $5 or the whole manual for $30 that would do wonders for me. That way I can buy the engine and chassis electrical sections of the dodge cummins manual and the engine and chassis electrical sections of the F150 manual and do my work. That sure beats tracking down and buying the whole manual for both, then having a hard copy of two manuals that I'll probably never touch again.

prices would have to be competetive. If the Haynes manual costs $25, I would gladly pay you $30 to get it instantly instead of having to track it down and order the hard copy. Let me download it as a PDF to keep forever and I'll be pleased as pie.

[Ragtop_Renegade]

Sell By Chapter! By individual diagram! I would happily pay $5.00 for a wiring diagram then have to fork over $20 for a manual full of vague information I will never use only to get a wiring or vacuum diagram that ends up incomplete, hard to read, or is full of errors.