If mechanics have one tool as trustworthy as the 3/8 ratchet or 10-millimeter socket, it’s the Haynes Manual. For 50 years, these repair guides have lined the shelves of seemingly every auto parts store in the English-speaking world, their insightful cutaways and wiring diagrams solving headaches for amateur mechanics and professionals alike. But with the golden era of print in the rearview mirror, and digital publishing rising to take its place, the days for the physical Haynes manual were bound to come to a close. And now, they have, as Haynes has announced it will stop printing maintenance manuals for new vehicles.
This stoppage, however, appears to apply only to vehicles of the 2021 model year and beyond, with the company clarifying via Twitter that its lengthy back catalog will remain available as analog media. So while there won’t be a Haynes book for the 2021 Ford F-150, paper-bound guides for every F-150 from the 1973 through 2020 model will continue to be printed.
“We’ve taken the commercial decision to cease publishing any new printed Workshop Manuals,” a Haynes Group spokesperson told Auto Express. “However, we will continue to print and publish our extensive back catalogue of automotive and motorcycle titles.”
The company spokesperson alluded that Haynes will supplant printed manuals for new cars with some form of digitized service, possibly one akin to those used by professional mechanics. Many of these services, however, are subscription-based, and being asked to pay subscriptions for services once available via one-off payments has not gone over well with car buyers.
“We are currently in the process of creating an exciting and comprehensive new automotive maintenance and repair product that will cover around 95 percent of car makes and models—an increase of around 40 percent over our current Workshop Manual coverage,” continued the spokesperson. “This will provide consumers with more choice than ever before.”
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