If you're shopping for an automotive powersports repair reference, one of the first decisions you'll face is which edition of Tim Gilles' Automotive Service textbook to put on your shelf. Two versions dominate the comparison: the Automotive Service Third Edition and the Mindtap Course List Ser: Automotive Service. Both come from Cengage Learning, both list Tim Gilles as the author, and both cover inspection, maintenance, and repair. The important differences come down to condition, size, extras, and listed price.
Quick verdict
Most buyers who want a complete, ready-to-use service manual will prefer the Automotive Service Third Edition. It gives you a hardcover at a lower listed price, while still covering the same core topics. The Mindtap Course List edition is the better pick if you value scale and a newer revision more than the initial cost.
Comparison at a glance
| Product | Price | Condition | Format | Notable detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Service Third Edition | USD 42.49 | Brand New | Hardcover | Student resource CD |
| Mindtap Course List Ser: Automotive Service | USD 90.00 | Like New | Hardcover | 1,792 pages, 2019 edition |
Where each product wins
- Automotive Service Third Edition: wins if you want the lower-cost way into the same core subject and don't need the most expansive version.
- Mindtap Course List Ser: Automotive Service: wins if you want the newer, much larger revision.
Product notes
Automotive Service Third Edition - Tim Gilles
The third edition is a complete revised text in Brand New condition, and it includes a student resource CD alongside the printed chapters. Because it is written for adult and further education, the book presents inspection, maintenance, and repair in a structured way that suits a home hobbyist or a student entering the field. At $42.49, it is the lower-priced way into Tim Gilles' Automotive Service material, and the included CD gives you additional material without a separate purchase. The main limitation is that this is the 2008 edition; if you specifically want the larger 2019 revision, the Mindtap Course List version is the one to look at. Within its own scope, the third edition is a solid single-volume starting point for automotive service learning.
Mindtap Course List Ser: Automotive Service - Tim Gilles
This is the version to choose when scale matters. At 1,792 pages, the Mindtap Course List edition is a substantial revised 2019 text, and the copy in question is listed in Like New condition. It covers the same automotive service territory as the third edition but in a much larger text, which is useful if you want fuller detail and the newer revision. Students and anyone working through a structured program may find the extra depth worth the higher listed price of $90.00. The trade-off is obvious: it costs noticeably more than the third edition, and you'll decide whether the added size and newer revision justify that. If page count, condition, and revision recency lead your decision, this is the right one.
Final choice by use case
For most home hobbyists and entry-level students, the Automotive Service Third Edition is the practical pick: it covers inspection, maintenance, and repair without a steep outlay. For a student or self-directed learner who wants the broadest single-volume treatment and prefers the newer revision, the Mindtap Course List edition is worth the higher price. Match the book to your need for size and recency, and you'll know which side of this head-to-head you're on.
