Auto Data is produced by E R C Computer Services for those of us who like to tinkle with our cars on a Saturday afternoon. The program helps you diagnose the faults we all seem to have.

On loading you are given a menu which lists:

1. Engine 2. Transmission 3. Braking system

and so on. If you have trouble with your suspension (and who hasn't?) you press the corresponding number and it displays a sub-menu. The next menu covers all the faults you can get with suspension. Once you have recognised your fault, it then moves to another sub-menu and tells you what to do to rectify it.

What it won't do is tell you how to repair your car. If you're no mechanic then there's no point in buying the tape at all! If you are a mechanic, you'll probably know all about diagnosis and so it's not for you either! As I said earlier, it you want to know what to do if your car won't start and don't know what bit to look at but would like to try and repair it yourself, then try the tape.

The tape covers all parts of your car but not diesel engines or hydro-pneumatic suspension. It cannot list every fault possible as you would need a mainframe to handle that program, but it covers most of the common faults.