I will start by saying that I am a woman... Enough said. I bought a 1988 Mini with EVERYTHING original factory installed.
I knew right off that I would be unable to pay for repairs if this car turned out to be a lemon, so I ordered the Mini Service and Repair Manual, and boy am I glad I did!
The manual tells the reader immediately what the difficulty level is for each procedure described. Then the procedure is explained in a very clear, step-by-step manner that anyone can follow.
The book also contains a troubleshooting section which is very useful, and a thorough maintenace schedule explaination.
Well, I have done quite a few repairs on my Mini since I received my book, and they have all been extremely successful. The first job was a very major tune-up which scared me to death, but it worked!
The book is very well written with clear photos and descriptions.