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65 of 65 found the following review helpful:
 Very Easy To Read Dec 04, 2000
By Daniel Rushing
How Cars Works is refined simplicity. I work for a major Auto Parts chain and when I get new employees, the first day they read this book. Just from two hours, an average "Joe" off the street can get the feel for how a car works. This book is well illustrated to fit the text. Granted, this book does not go deep into any specifics, but gives general information on all subjects such as Engine (top and bottom end), brakes, cooling system, chassis, and much more. I would recommend this book to any new drivers as well as anyone wanting to know more about cars.
68 of 71 found the following review helpful:
 A Basic Understanding of Cars Nov 20, 2002
By M. A. ZAIDI
"Ali Zaidi"
This book contains very basic material on the operation of the car; it appears to be a decent read for teenagers looking to grasp the basic; but the more mature readers will find this very shallow. The text contains the fundaments of auto mechanics; it is split into seven chapters; and each chapter describes a major automotive system. It has a test section at the end of each chapter to gauge how much you have learned. This book does not cover details on 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines; how the engine starts spinning after turning the ignition etc.I must admit that it was enertaining reading this books with all the descriptive pictures.
41 of 42 found the following review helpful:
Would Recommend to Anyone Dec 30, 2002
By John
This book is intended for the individual who knows very little to nothing about auto mechanics. Each page covers one specific aspect of how a vehicle operates with a short and simple explanation accompanied with large and detailed diagrams. There are seven chapters over the seven most essential automotive systems with a brief test at the end of each. One cannot rebuild a car after reading through this book, but what it does give is an overall knowledge of how a car works. The reader will gain the knowledge to understand what is going on in a mechanic's shop and to better maintain his or her own vehicle. This book is not for someone who already knows the basics of or has worked on automotive systems. However, it is excellent for anyone who has never picked up a wrench or wants a brief introduction to the subject.
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
BEST CAR BASICS BOOK ON THE MARKET Feb 05, 2003
By davidmathgreen
I consider this book is a "must have" for anyone except perhaps auto technicians. I am a novice when it comes to car parts. I heard of or knew of (or I think I knew) terms like "Front Wheel Drive", "Rear Wheel Drive", and many other common car terms but I can't tell them when I check my car. But after only a few hours reading on this book, all these common car terms in my brain and their inner relateness begin to fall into their rightful places. THIS BOOK IS THAT GOOD. What make this book stand out are : 1. The authur strived for clarity while not skimp on details either. The writing is in clear, concise, to the point fashion that leaves no ambiguity but contains enough details to out-content many 300+ page auto books (It must be a fashion these days. I found many such thick books wasted much of their contents on third-rate humors /jokes I found annoying while wasted rest of their contents on ambiguous, not to the point technical writing. To those authors, I will say : PLEASE, either be a stand up comedian or a technical writer, but not BOTH. If you do both, you will fail at both). 2. Detailed illustrations. Almost 50% of this book is devoted to detailed illustrations. Each page deals with a specific car part (be it crankshaft, fuel pump, timing chain, or else) - half of that page is technical writing, another half is detailed illustration. The illustration is not just for that specific part alone. It also illustrates other related parts in the same subsystem so you understand how the part works within the group that it belongs. The book comes in 96 pages but in generous 8.5 inches x 11 inches size. That's how such detailed illustration is able to fit into half of page. Another thing I like is that the pages are made of high grade, pure-white (not tinted, or neutral colors) paper. Very few books these days are made from such good papers.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
Great for all skill levels Jun 28, 2000
By Dennis L. Yen
As an automotive enthusiast, I'm often called upon to describe the mechanical inner workings of cars. Newton's book takes on some very complex automotive relationships, but expresses them in a way that is clear, even for the uninitiated. It's a great family reference book that should be kept nearby, especially for those who have teenagers of driving ages. The book helps to underscore the importance (and necessity) of maintaining such mundane tasks as checking and refilling the engine oil. A volume II would be nice for the computer controlled functions in a car such as tuned-port injection, speed density and mass air flow systems. Keep up the good work, Newton.
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