Re: Re: Online manuals vs OEM - Cost difference?

Posted by Chuck, WA on December 10, 2002 at 11:14:16 from (130.20.127.170):

In Reply to: Re: Online manuals vs OEM - Cost difference? posted by Dennis Benson again on December 09, 2002 at 20:56:18:

Dennis...yes, I guess I'd agree with that in general, but in the area of manuals, my operators manual from whoever the online source was, was just a comb-bound photocopy of the original - with the cover copied on a different color, slightly heavier paper. The seller doesn't keep a thousand of these in a warehouse someplace...at best, he keeps one or two at most, and when he runs out and get's an order, he runs off another one or two from a master copy. Or, more likely, he just runs them on demand.

My MF service manual from Agco is...guess what? A photocopied version of the original, but in this case, with nice glossy, heavy stock covers - but punched for a 3-ring binder...no comb-binding. My dealer had one in stock. For the parts manual, he didn't stock them, but had to order it - 2-3 week delivery. I'm sure that the order eventually goes to some printing house that runs them from a master on demand, then adds the covers.

It won't be long before they will be archived digitally, and when a dealer needs one, he'll put a CD in his computer and print it on the spot.

I didn't start this thread to complain about the costs - it is wonderful to have even photocopied manuals available at all. But I was just astounded that the online resellers were so much more expensive.

When I first asked in the Massey Ferguson discussion group where to get manuals, they sent me to the link on the YT site. I foolishly assumed that either the manuals were out of print, or at least that the dealers no longer handled them, but had passed on the low-volume after-the-sale business to third parties like the computer folks do. I just checked other online places (which were comparably priced), but not the dealer and placed an order. That was my mistake. Now I know and won't do that again.

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