Tractor manuals: Hardcopy or Download or CD

[oregunGuy]

I'm going to buy a service manual for my Massey Ferguson 1742 from AGCO (www:agcopubs:com).

I'm leaning toward download and then I can print pages if needed.

Has anyone had experience buying tractor manuals? And what method did you pick? What were the drawbacks?

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2017 Massey Ferguson 1742 with DL125 loader and CB75 backhoe
2006 Kubota B2630 with LA402 loader and BH75 backhoe

 

[ruffdog]

Hardcopy....I like getting the pages dirty and leaving notes.

 

[wwdiii]

I paid a 100 bucks for a manual for my new Mahindra . I would have preferred a download to a hard copy but hard copy was what I could get.

 

[boomer1025]

I got the CD version

 

[oregunGuy]

Well that is 1 vote each for the 3 options.

For my Massey Ferguson:
Service manual: $95-$122
Engine manual: $22-$29
Parts manual: $132-$170
CD is the cheapest, Hard-copy is the most expensive.

I'm wondering if the security that is put on CD or download will be a pain. I don't want to spend $300 for something I have to log into each time.

 

[Quebecguy]

I bought both a CD and a hard copy shop manual for my John Deere. I looked through the CD once but since then it has been 100% paper version for me. I find it much easier to flip through the pages to find what I'm looking for with the paper one. I use the on-line parts manual.

 

[WranglerX]

For my MF GC 1715 the two manuals (for engine and chassis) where like $25 each... BUT binder to put them in was $75, what's up with that.... See if there is break down of individual sections ... This is where CD may save you money....Or just download and print the needed pages just when you need them....

Dale

 

[ericm979]

I prefer hard copy shop manuals. They don't break and don't need me to have a computer in the garage. But more and more they're only digital. The worst are VW shop manuals- they're digital using a funky proprietary system with node locked licenses, so when you change computers you have to beg the company for another license.

 

[tomplum]

By far anything digital is best. Searching for a keyword or phrase gets you there quick and easy. Enlarge a pic or print out instructions or a parts diagram to help with an assembly. Paper you may miss a reference or wonder just exactly what section something is in. Remember that the translation of some of these manuals is a bit askew. The manuals that I use the mostly IE Deere and my LS once it is on the laptop there are no other permissions or hoops to jump through. I did buy a parts manual, but really if you have IPLs online it isn't necessary.

 

[Jstpssng]

I bought and prefer a hard copy. I take the pages out that I need, copy them with my printer/scanner, then put the original back in the book.
I will say that the paper quality of my new manual is nowhere near that of my last tractor, and looks like somebody just ran it through a copy machine, punched holes and sold it to me.