General Automotive Reviews

This book has been a great help to me for identifying and costing pumps that I might want to add to my collection. Nothing published to date even compares.

This book has given me hours of enjoyable reading and is a great asset in dealing with antique pumps. The information supplied is unsurpassed by any previous attempts of this subject. This book should become a classic novel!

I have just recently got into vintage gas pumps and have found this book to be the greatest asset in identifying gas pumps and would recomend that anyone involved in this hobby get this book asap. Super job by Jack in putting all of this info in one book.

This book is just flat out amazing. I read it every night, and that's a lot of reading (272 pages a night). Anyways, trust me, it talks about cars that are developing, such as electric and nitrogen...Peace out fools

this is the most exciting and interest book i have ever read on cars. I have found out so much information on cars of the future it is amazing. Jim Motavalli does a great job of explaining how these cars will work to the average person who doesnt know alot about cars.

"Forward drive" is a pleasure to read, written by Jim Motavalli, who is well-versed in his subjects. Reading this book is one of the few things today that makes me feel like I'm actually in the 21st century, not stuck in the 90's and never progressing. The book has a wealth of information not found in any other book, and there are only a few books about the future of automobiles. I had no idea that big automakers were not really in a hurry to give us a truly revolutionary car with a new power source; it seems the profit margin was less for holding off in research and development because of some link with oil companies. I mean, come on, it's the year 2001! Where are all the cars like we saw in Bladerunner? Are we still stuck using twenty-miles to the gallon gasoline internal-combustion engines? What is the message from automakers when cars depicted in video games, for example, seem more real than the actual future? Why isn't there yet a car that is beyond what we have?

The book discusses much needed information about "the race" to build cleaner cars, and that a car with no emissions--a technological difficulty in itself--is actually possible. The questions of fuel efficiency, speed, power and appeal of futuristic cars are also addressed, indicating the knowledgeability of the author. Key among the topics of "Forward Drive" is affordability. I would not pay $100,000 to drive a non-polluting car, simply because I'm not willing to pay that much just to drive.

Motavalli, editor of "E:" magazine, clearly shows his love for the craft of writing nonfiction. "Forward drive" cannot be fully absorbed in only a skimming or a preview; it takes a dedicated block of time to actually read its pages carefully. I have found it very helpful as a reference in the book that I am writing. This book is one of those you don't want to bring to the second-hand store if you have any concern at all about the future--which is actually right now. Highly recommended for intelligent minds. It's about time we have some new information about something that affects the majority of Americans: driving. Buy "Forward drive," you won't be disappointed.

Unfortunately this book spends more time about shopping for an RV than the actual RV and it's systems. The Woodall's guide is both elementary and detailed and assumes you've already purchased the RV.

In short, if you want tips on buying an RV and a cursory glance at the water, LP, and other systems, this is a passable book. But if you want to REALLY understand how things work, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere.

This guide was really helpful in explaining the complex mechanical systems in RVs, especially Class As. We're in the looking stage of buying right now, and some guides made the "guts" of RVs sound so complicated we were worried about whether or not we could take care of our new "baby" once we bought it. Brent Peterson made us much more confident in our ability to RV with the best of them in a few years.

We bought this book before we purchased our first RV. It helped us know what to look for and how to inspect it. By the time I finished the first 50 pages, it was worth the price. I would recommend this book to anyone purchasing an RV for the first time. It explains everything for before and after the purchase. Well worth the $ and time to read it!

The pictures and overall quality of the book are excellent. If you used to own one and are tempted to surprise your loved-ones with a nostalgic impulse buy - this book will put you over the edge! Laurence Merideth is unparalled in approach to writing and knowledge regarding VW's. You will not be disappointed!

Being a vw bus person--especially 1967 and older--i would recommend this book to anyone--several of my VW Bus friends are in this book!! hopefully someday i will have a VW Bus of my own in a VW book. Vintage VW??--Drive-um!!

Its the quality of the photography that makes this book stand out. Rowan Isaac is famous for his outstanding photographs of cars. Look out for his other Bayview Books on Jaguar XK 120/140/150 and the Porsche 356. He has also done Landrovers!

It was a Christmas gift wrapped in bridal shower paper, but that's My buddy's sense of humor at work. "Truck" really struck a chord with me,as it will with anyone who has ever taken anything apart with the hope of getting it back together. One of those moments was when he'd reached the point of only being able to walk out to the garage and rearrange the tools,then go inside to have a drink and think about it. Man, have I ever been there. There are some similarities with Chris Goodrich's "Roadster", but Jerome is motivated by a sturdy thriftiness,while Goodrich had other issues to deal with. Great book, one of the best gifts I've received and a good addition to the "Auto as Metaphor for Life" section in a gearhead's library.

I've read the book five times since buying it, as the humor camouflaged some of the practical gems about rebuilding old trucks. A wonderful curl-up-before-the fireplace read!

It's much more than story it's an experience!

I have a copy of this book in my hands. If you read the preface, you will know that the author is a woman. Furthermore, the Library of Congress catalog record for this book indicates that she was born in 1964. I doubt she was designing Schwinn bicycles at the age of one or two. And I feel pretty safe in saying that she probably wasn't the Vice President of the company at that age either.

This is a great book for collectors and enthusiasts of Sting-Ray bicycles. Great photos and histories.

an amazing book about the best bike ever made. The author is very intelligent and has an excellent grasp of her subject. The only real bummer is the design. Perhaps the publisher could have had a best-seller if they had spent a nickel on the design. Otherwise a very resourseful and brilliant work.

a truly amazing overview of the best bicycle ever made. My only regret is the publisher's lack of design skills. The content is so amazing, yet the layout is a shame. Intelligent writer who really knows her stuff.

This series of books on motorcycles and cars tends to be pretty good for the money. It has color and black and white photos. Ducati in particular is a bike best seen in color, though, and the book could have used more color. The text is short, sweet, and useful. The book will give you a good education and is a worthy addition to your Ducati library.

... it's all illustrated beautifully in color. I bought it used here for $$$ and would gladly have paid new price. Of all the books I've read on Ducati, this one was the only one to tell it like it is regarding the poor business practices of the Italians and the shoddy build quality of Ducati motorcycles. A fresh perspective that wasn't sugar coated or mired in myth. Truly a great read, or worth it for the pictures alone.

This book is an excellent addition to the library of any motorcycle enthusiast, especially Ducati. But anyway, it has very good photos and very interesting text.

I didn't have a chance to look it over before I purchased this book. Had I, I probably wouldn't have bought this book.

I can appreciate the difficulty in researching and writing a book on a fragmented industry. However, like the prior reviewer, I was very disappointed by the dearth of pictures. I was hoping more for a focus on the machines themselves along with historical narrative. The book is simply rather sketchy. This might be understandable for the early years in the industry, but plenty of material to work with should be available at least from the early Travco era on.

I suppose I'm glad I read the book, as it's the only one I've read on this subject. However, I'd like to see this subject covered in a much more comprehensive manner, with regard to both writing and photography.

Roger White's book gives readers a fascinating view of the range of types, uses, and meanings of motor homes in America. He has done the historical pick and shovel work to uncover the details that make this story come alive in the experiences of real people. Perhaps the best testimony I can offer is to state that when preparing a university course on the automobile in American life, I turned to this book for its revealing vignettes of Americans who chose to take their "home on the road." It has found a place on my list of optional readings for that course and should be read by anyone interested in America's cultures of mobility, inventiveness, or leisure.

In this meticulously researached volume, Roger B. White introduces us to the many types of mobile travel vehicles which evolved during the 20th century. It is a masteful piece of scholarship. But this research is expressed in a highly readable text which makes the content easily accessible to the reader unfmailiar with this subject matter. Although I wished that there had been more illlustrations in the book, the ones the author has chosen to include, mostly unseen by the public, succicntly depict the various types of "homes on the road" he is discussing. Nobody interested in the ehtos of the roadside as it evolved in the 20th cnetury should miss reading and owning this terrific volume.

Noted Jeep scholar and photographer, Jim Allen, has assembled a lavish, detailed, and engaging story. Being a longtime student of the brand, Allen has amassed a wealth of previously unseen historic images which he uses in support of beautiful images of perfectly restored models. Readers will recognize a number of Military Vehicle Preservation Association National Convention winners as well as some of the rarest examples of both civilian and military models in private collections.

Allen has divided his research into 10 chapters, eight of which follow a chronological sequence of the marque. Chapter Nine deviates from this timeline to ask the question, "Will the real Jeep please stand up?" What might be a sidebar in most books, this chapter explores the etymology of the word "Jeep," expelling some myths while explaining others.

The final chapter of the book, like the Statham title, is dedicated to the "Jeep Lifestyle." Unlike the other book though, the author looks beyond the rock climbers, giving note to reenactors, collectors, and restorers. The book concludes with a nice glossary of the Jeep "Alphabet". Three appendices are included, the most useful of which is a detailed list of specifications for all models, beginning with the Bantam BRC-40 and ending with the Cherokee XJ and and Grand Cherokee ZJ of 1999.

Engaging text, fresh research, and frame-quality photography make this book a bargain at... A Jeep library will be incomplete if this book isn't added to the shelf. It is too bad there isn't an award for "Outstanding Publication in the Field of Jeep History." This book would receive my nomination.

This is an excellent data book (Just like all the other vehicle "Buyers Guide" books) on a wide variety of Jeep vehicles with much detail data such as built numbers and option lists. It's more a "documentary" piece than a "color and story" book. Excellent for people hunting for Jeep facts on a wide variety of Jeeps and for people trying to decide what vintage Jeep to buy or restore.

I have about ten different Jeep books and this one is one of my very favorites. Nice layout, easy to read and good information combined with excellent pictures make this a perfect book for someone interested in the legacy of Jeep vehicles without getting too deep (and maybe boring) into detailed data. Recommended for the Jeep rookie.....

This is nothing more than a long puff piece, probably written to indoctrinate Honda employees. Alternately cryptic and jejune, it provides little insight into the workings of Honda's touted BP management system. Reflecting the American/Japanese duality in Honda culture, the book preaches in tones that are part Knute Rockne, part Zen Master. The overworked prose reaches its fawning heights in the section on Honda's racing team:

"All Honda team members share a fierce competitive spirit and an intense dedication to the task at hand."

"Under the stresses of racing, the driver, his vehicle, and his support team experience their greatest performance peaks. Each race, every lesson, and every failure are treasured."

"The company's leadership has consistently been drawn from the ranks of engineers who love engines and who share a passion to drive well-designed, robust, high-speed vehicles to their limits and beyond."

Yeeks!

(By Edward Trimnell, author of "Why You Need a Foreign Language & How to Learn One," ISBN:1591133343)

I worked extensively with Honda of America during the mid-1990s, and I can attest to authenticity of the descriptions in this book. As I read this book, I found myself recalling numerous incidents from my days as an employee of a Honda supplier.

Honda of America has its flaws, and not all employees have fully embraced the Honda style of management. However, many of the company's ideas are extremely useful for U.S. and Japanese firms alike. If you have heard the term "Japanese-style management," and would like to know what all the fuss is about, then this book will serve as a good introduction.

Especially useful are the sections about Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA), and brainstorming.

Powered by Honda is for every leader's desk. If managers apply what they read in this book, their organizations will be dynamically improved, and their customers along with their associates will be delighted. Robert A. Kemp, PhD, CPM Former President, National Association of Purchasing Management President, Kemp Enterprises Former Professor Emeritus, Management, Duke University