> > Newbie questions are one thing; asking to be spoon-fed the contents of
> > the owner's manual is something else entirely.
>
> The "newbie" problem is they don't know to look there.
I have absolutely NO sympathy for anyone who buys a car and then never
picks up the owners manual, going to the Usenet instead.
The owner's manual is chock full of information on your shiny new
$XX,000 toy, whereby the Usenet is chock full of misinformation on every
subject in the world.
But then, the Usenet is easier, so it's obvious to see why people would
go there to see how to operate that shiny new car.
I have no sympathy for anyone who buys a car and never picks up the
owner's manual, period.
What would these people do if they bought a new TV and wanted to know
how it works? Ignore the manual and start blasting out "how do I make
the remote control work my VCR?" all over the net?
Brian Stell - 20 Jul 2005 06:37 GMT
> I have absolutely NO sympathy for anyone who buys a car and then never
> picks up the owners manual, going to the Usenet instead.
Are you familiar with the phrase: "preaching to the choir"?
Michael Pardee - 20 Jul 2005 13:22 GMT
I know this subject is a hot potato, but I never assume people have owner's
manuals for a car that is two or more model years old. The car may have been
bought used, and a *lot* of used cars are missing their manuals. A quick
tally tells me that of the twelve cars I've owned over the past 35 years
only four have had owner's manuals with them... and three of those cars were
bought new. In fact, I've had far more service manuals than owner's manuals.
I think previous owners had taken them out of the glove box to make room for
other junk and then lost them.
Personally, I prefer to just give people the benefit of the doubt.
Mike
bearman - 20 Jul 2005 16:03 GMT
>I know this subject is a hot potato, but I never assume people have owner's
>manuals for a car that is two or more model years old. The car may have
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Mike
All the poster has to say is he doesn't have a manual. Of course that would
be wide open to abuse by lying. Lots of times an owner can get a manual by
asking the dealer.
I really don't know how a person can have a complex piece of machinery (or
electronics) without some reference manual.

Signature
Bearman
If it's got tits, tires, tubes, or transistors, it's trouble.