The Used Car Believer's Handbook: A Complete Guide for the Subsequent Owner

By Robert Appel

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0442238266
• ISBN13: 9780442238261
• Release Date: January 1980
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Oldie but goodie

I second the previous reviewer's comments on this book, which I found very helpful and enabled me to save a lot of money. Although now outdated what with advances in car technology over the last 26 years, which has rendered many systems in the car unserviceable by your average mechanic, for it's time it was a true gem giving badly needed advice on how to find and maintain a good used car. For example, back in 1980, most cars didn't have electronic fuel injection, and even in more expensive, "high tech" cars like Mercedes, the fuel injection was actually mechanical and not electric, and Volkswagen had the throttle-body fuel injection, which was fairly simple. Some advice, such as how to care for the tires, radiator, and doing things like changing the oil and air filter in timely fashion would still be of use. Covering each of the major systems of the car, I learned enough from this book to consult more technical maintainence books on how to maintain and repair the cars of the 70s and early 80s. Wittily and humorously written, it stands as a classic from a bygone age when it was still possible for a savvy home mechanic to find, buy, maintain, and repair his own car.

"his funniest"

Appel has had a strange career in that the books he has ghosted have by far outperformed those he writes under his own name. This, his first mass market consumer book, contains some of his funniest writing and, a the same time, reveals his passion for cars and for saving money. This book was recommended on GOOD MORNING AMERICA