panni

Can someone confirm how to determine correct Lexus Repair manual YEAR to buy? Just bought a 2000 RX300 AWD, and now looking to buy the correct manual. The Lexus users manual I found in car is labeled 1999, but my VIN confirms model year is 2000 (9th, 10th and 11th digits are: 0-Y-0).

I'm guessing the '99 users guide that was in glove box may have been a replacement...but just thought I would ask, as I see there are repair manuals being sold for both '99 and '00 and likely some differences.

Thank you in advance.

code58

If you're talking about a factory manual, I don't think there would be enough (if anything) different to even worry about. If you're talking about aftermarket (such as Chilton, Haynes) I would strongly recommend against it. I have purchased them and always found them more useful for starting a fire than repairing a car. Your choice, just my opinion. One tip, if you want to determine the TRUE year model of any car, look under the hood for the smog label. That label ALWAYS has the true legal year of the car on it because it is a legal document. If the car has been wrecked, the labels are rarely replaced (big hassle), so that won't help. That will give you true year, regardless of what the build date on the L. drivers post says or the Vin #.

panni

Will check the Smog label under hood. Thanks. Yes, I am looking to buy the factory manuals.

I bought the Chilton/Haynes, and not what I was looking for. Somewhere I have seen a year by year description of changes in the RX300/330, but forget where I saw it??

code58

Pirated CD's are easy to obtain on E-bay, but it is copywrited material so it's up to you whether you want to go that way. The paper manuals are probably gonna be a little hard to find and also a little expensive.

salimshah

[QUOTE=code58;7756413 snip .. I have purchased them and always found them more useful for starting a fire than repairing a car. snip .[/QUOTE]

Reminds me of Bugs Bunny, who torches up a book and roasts marshmallows after finding the book gave wrong advice, with the monolog "nothing like good book and a warm fire" (paraphrased here).

Salim

panni

I'll keep an eye out for some used manuals as I think they will be worth having hard copies on hand. Past manuals I've gotten for other cars I've owned have saved me many times the purchase price of books. I do want to keep my attempts at work to minimum degree of difficulty however. I'm not sure it is always clear what is super easy and other projects that may get me into trouble. I have two really good Toyota/Lexus mechanics, but would like to do basic stuff and learn a bit as time goes out myself. Just ordered an Autel Code reader and will have to dig up code listing from the forum to print out.

code58

Salim, I'm sure there are many who find the Chilton/ Haynes manuals useful but I have succumbed
to the delusion that I would/ could get some useful info from them a number of times. That's strong emphasis on delusion. I still have a couple of them for vehicles that neither I nor anyone in the family any longer won. I am quite certain I have made my last contribution to C/H's coffers. Time to get that fire going!

BTW, I like the quote.