Future issues will be digital only
Existing catalogue will remain in print
Long the best friend of DIY mechanics everywhere, the iconic Haynes Manuals will not be going to print anymore, instead going to digital. But that doesn’t apply to their entire catalogue, and the company says it will be good for users going forward.
John Haynes, founder of the company that then published more than 200 million repair manuals for vehicles as diverse as the Bugeye Sprite (the first of the series) to the U.S.S. Enterprise and more, passed away in early 2019. Of course most of the company’s books were actual cars and trucks you might be working on, making them invaluable to mechanics.
The company was sold, and the new owners are planning to go digital with the brand. However, as it says on Twitter, that digital-only offering just applies to models going forward. So there will never be a paper version of, say, the 2023 Volkswagen Golf.
Those future models will be going digital, on an all-new platform that Haynes says will cover 95 percent of makes and models, 40 percent more than current Workshop Manual coverage. They plan to reveal more about the new product later, but wanted to put rumours of the demise of Haynes to rest.
It’s not the end of the road for Haynes – we are embarking on an exciting new journey!
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]
— Haynes Manuals (@HaynesManuals) December 3, 2020
Existing paper Workshop Manuals will remain available in print. That means that if you want anything from their massive back catalogue of service guides. Haynes also owns Chilton auto repair manuals and Clymer motorcycle repair manuals, and so those two brands may see the same treatment.
