Hi Paul,

Glad you got your disc OK.

I have to agree with you, ESI is not the easiest piece of software to use, especially if you're used to using Autodata.

I think the problem is the fact that ESI is now quite an old 'shell' to the program, with lots of data being added, whereas Autodata started out with a graphical shell & have been able to add to that.

Autodata kind of make it easy by having nice big graphical buttons etc, whereas ESI tends to lend itself to using the F keys a bit more.

What you have to remember is that ESI is the information system which backs up the Bosch KTS systems. When you buy a Bosch KTS system, you get a two day training course included. As a Bosch trainer myself, I can always see that the guys & girls coming in on the course have probably only ever used 5-10% of the functions of the ESI section, as they don't know many bits are there. Over the two days, at half the time is spent going through all the features of ESITronic, now tell me you get that with Autodata.

So as to help you find the information in ESI, I assume that you have already got to grips with looking up the car, then using the left column to look at the parts fitted to the car (EQUIPMENT) the info on fittig times (WORK UNITS) then you come to (SIS/CAS) which is all the information on EMS, ABS, Airbag etc, wiring diagrams for all underbonnet systems are in here, not in Circuit Diagrams!

The (MECHANICAL) section is basically your Autodata info, without the book times (these are in the Work Units) then (CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS) are all the non underbonnet wiring diagrams.

Whilst you are in any of the data in ESI/SIS, then you can press the F keys at the bottom, to bring up such data as vehicle info, straight link to the wiring diagrams, pneumatic/hydraulic diagrams & component locations WITHOUT having to back out of the section you are in & return to it.

Pressing F8 opens up the KTS half of the software which would use the KTS interface to link to the vehicles. You can use this function without KTS connested & it will go to demo mode to show you what you would see if you were to go for KTS, quite useful as part of the demo.

At the top left of the screen is a picture of a pre-engaged starter motor, if you press this you can now enter a part number, either Bosch or others, and it will give you info on the part (if it's in the database) you can then use the link down the left side to see what this part is fitted to, comparisons to manufacturers numbers etc.

Obviously this is a tiny overview of this system, but to be honest it absolutely blows Autodata away for the level of info it has, I use & sell both, so comparison is easy, there is no comparison to ESI.

Play with it as much as you can from the demo disc, I'm sure you'll get used to the non-graphical nature of the system & find it has loads more info than Autodata.

If you need help, please do not hesitate to ring me & I'll try to talk you through it.

Kind regards, Rob.