Is the Bentley Manual worth the $$

[ZERO FRAME GRAB]

Im thinking of getting the Bentley manual from ECS, cheapest I've seen it about $95. Is it worth the money? I do most of my own wrenching, well I actually have a friend who helps me and I haven't seen him not even been able to fix something. And the way the CEL lights keep coming on this avant will this manual make taking this car apart any easier?

[lyates1987]

Yes, totally worth it to have

[Audibot]

Yes. I find the hardcopy is much better than the DVD. Heck, I couldn't even figure out how to properly use the DVD and just said F it.

[AvantNoir]

Yep, must have if you're planning on doing your own work. Book is WAY better than DVD.

[PreciseD]

Honestly it's not worth the money when you can just get the info from a fellow AZer. I bought it and it just sits as it lacks certain information that you would expect it to have.

[jjvwg]

glad to see people think the hard copy is better. My GF got it for me for my birthday back in the fall and I thought the book was very lacking to be honest and was wondering if she should have gotten me the DVD instead. Does anyone know if there are different versions of the book? Mine covers all b6/b7 models. Is there a chassis/motor specific version of each also? I feel like ive looked through it and one part might show a bunch of info for the 2.0t/3.0 but then they dont mention anything on the same part of the 1.8t. OP, if you're good with a computer, get your hands on a copy of elsawin...makes the bentley look like a childrens book IMO.

[PreciseD]

glad to see people think the hard copy is better. My GF got it for me for my birthday back in the fall and I thought the book was very lacking to be honest and was wondering if she should have gotten me the DVD instead. Does anyone know if there are different versions of the book? Mine covers all b6/b7 models. Is there a chassis/motor specific version of each also? I feel like ive looked through it and one part might show a bunch of info for the 2.0t/3.0 but then they dont mention anything on the same part of the 1.8t. OP, if you're good with a computer, get your hands on a copy of elsawin...makes the bentley look like a childrens book IMO.

Elsawin is the way to go as long as you know how to navigate it.

[jjvwg]

Honestly it's not worth the money when you can just get the info from a fellow AZer. I bought it and it just sits as it lacks certain information that you would expect it to have.

exactly. lets say you want to break down a head... bentley contains almost no info it, even for something as simple as proper torque sequence for reinstalling a valve cover IIRC.

[PreciseD]

exactly. lets say you want to break down a head... bentley contains almost no info it, even for something as simple as proper torque sequence for reinstalling a valve cover IIRC.

Yeah that is where you need to buy the Haynes book which I find more useful for that kind of information. The Bentley book is great for wiring diagrams and that's about it.

[jjvwg]

interesting, hmm, ill have to look into it. have elsawin so not sure id want to spend the money but i do prefer book to computer with stuff like this.

[ZERO FRAME GRAB]

Never heard of it, I'll look into that

[ZERO FRAME GRAB]

Well you may as well sell it to me for cheap

[redline380]

I've never owned a bentley but find it funny when bentley owners ask me, a haynes owner, for torque specs. That's really all those books are worth and bentley doesn't include some very important ones.

[ZERO FRAME GRAB]

I have the Haynes manual, I was under the impression the Bentley manual was what the dealer uses.

[Let it snow]

Bentley is a good repair manual. I have owned a hard copy for my last 6 VWs and now my B6. If you are doing an engine or transmission rebuild it is not for you. Besides that it covers about everything else about the car. Whenever I buy a new VAG vehicle the first thing I do is purchase the Bentley manual just to look at all the electronic and mechanical details of the vehicle. Is it the best? Probably not. Is it worth a hundred bucks? I think so.

[lyates1987]

I don't own a bentley for the B6 but for all the other cars i've had it for it had torque spec for everything. Hopefully they haven't gotten lazy over the years.

[customa4]

glad to see people think the hard copy is better. My GF got it for me for my birthday back in the fall and I thought the book was very lacking to be honest and was wondering if she should have gotten me the DVD instead. Does anyone know if there are different versions of the book? Mine covers all b6/b7 models. Is there a chassis/motor specific version of each also? I feel like ive looked through it and one part might show a bunch of info for the 2.0t/3.0 but then they dont mention anything on the same part of the 1.8t. OP, if you're good with a computer, get your hands on a copy of elsawin...makes the bentley look like a childrens book IMO.

Elsawin is the way to go as long as you know how to navigate it.

This. 100%. I have the Bentley DVD and find ElsaWin to be much better, even to navigate. ElsaWin is what the dealership uses.

[seanf86]

I have a dvd for my B6 and a paper copy for my B5, and haynes manuals for both, I HATE the dvd, hard work with and it doesnt run properly on my laptop and would just rather navigate a book, only downside is my greasy hand prints on the pages.

[userbob0001]

The DVD isn't worth in anymore unless you're still running Windows XP. Where is everyone getting ElsaWin?

[customa4]

The interwebz. Google should help you out.

[fyremanpat]

I was pretty disappointed after purchasing my hard back Bentley. I was surprised at how much info it was lacking. Dont get me wrong there is definitely some good info in it but not enough for the price.

[diagnosticator]

With a low cost laser printer optional, and a one day subscription to Audi erwin, you can print or save to disk as much service information as you want for about $35

The Bentley is mostly a reprint of the Audi erwin material.

[GrapeBandit]

its 2016, which means theres more information on the web then in a Bentley manual, save your money

[ADCS]

No it's not but AllDataDIY.com is worth it.

[claudiovagkraft]

It used to be called the "Bentley Bible" for a reason. It was the must have resource for doing any work on your car back in the day. Coming from a VW background. The Bentley was one of the first things I purchased whenever I got a new VW. I have the mk1, mk2, mk3 golf, B3 Passat, and B6 Audi Bentleys. I have yet to really dig in to the B6 book so I can't really comment on how good it is, but all my others have seen a lot of use and have proved their value over the years time and again.

[DarkoNova]

Yeah I had one for my e30 and it was great. I was planning on getting one for the b6 but maybe I won't after seeing this thread...

:/

[ZERO FRAME GRAB]

Sometimes I ask myself what DON'T you know about Audis.

[redline380]

I never had a Bentley and I've fixed everything short of rebuilding the trans.

In fact the only thing I actually did need a manual for was building an engine, and a Bentley would have been useless for that.

Save money and buy the Haynes, and develop knowledge from the folks on here. Far more valuable than a Bentley.

[Human Garbage]

I think it is but then again I'm old school and like a physical book for reference. If you aren't doing electrical troubleshooting then you could get away without having one though...

[tHatOne guY]

I second the use of the Bentley, has been invaluable for me. I have the book as well as the DVD which can be a pain to set up because it will only run in XP or XP Mode/Virtual PC if you have WIN 7 Professional or newer.

Found ElsaWin on ebay for 15$ from Russia.. .

[daught]

Elsa, Etka, and AZ have it covered.

IE how to do your brakes:

1. Brake light comes on.
2. google B6 A4 (insert whatever is wrong) site:audizine.com (Yes I googled how to do the brake pads just in case... after I put my B4 rear brakes in a vise not knowing they have to be twisted in)
3. OOOOH you can upgrade the calipers. Read for a couple of days, weight on all the available options
4. Search for two months for cheap calipers
5. Also find out you can get them cheap at rockauto
6. Score cheap ones on car-part.com
7. google B7 A4 brake pads site:audizine.com
8. Get torque specs in elsa
Enjoy upgraded brakes for less than a brake pad job at the dealership.

How can bentley beat that???

[old guy]

I purchased a Bentley around 10 years ago for $79 and it has been very helpful in numerous situations. It's not particularly user friendly and to continue using it I had to set up a virtual PC since I am now running Windows 7 Professional. I'll probably have to do some more gyrations when I get around to Windows 10.

I certainly got my monies worth out of it. But I would say that now 75% of the time I need an answer for something I just use Google. The B6 platform has been around for so long that pretty much anything you can ask has been answered. It's kinda funny....more than once I have Googled an issue and found a post by Old Guy that answered it. Onset of senility? Sure hope not....

Edit: I should add that I also have a Haynes manual. I typically find looking up stuff in a book is a little easier than using the Bentley CD. but I really haven't used the Haynes very much because I purchased it several years after the Bentley and I had pretty much broken and repaired everything on my B6 at least once by then ;-)

[Human Garbage]

...Onset of senility? Sure hope not....

Haha! You aren't the only one. I had that happen once. Thought 'man this poster knows his stuff', looked at the name and laughed. I had posted it a good five years before and forgot ever having done it. Probably drunk posting in my case vs senility...

[Seerlah]

I've never owned a bentley but find it funny when bentley owners ask me, a haynes owner, for torque specs. That's really all those books are worth and bentley doesn't include some very important ones.

Guilty of this...with you

When it boils down to it, it is def something nice to have laying around. I have one, hardly ever use it, but so glad it is right there when I do need it. Most things you will ever need to know when it comes to ownership is ironically right on this forum board. If you are dead set on getting the book, source it for cheap (nothing wrong with used). But it def is not a necessity. What is a necessity is you willing to learn and turn a wrench. Even master technicians started somewhere. For all you know, you can have a hidden talent yet to be explored.

[diagnosticator]

I think it is but then again I'm old school and like a physical book for reference. If you aren't doing electrical troubleshooting then you could get away without having one though...

The most serious complaint I have with Audi and VW Group Service information, is that the crucial electrical troubleshooting and all of the electrical and electronic component service data information is NOT included. Coding control modules is not included either. The only way to access this vital information is to have access to Guided Fault Finding, specific service information that is tied to the factory VAS/ODIS diagnostic equipment. Audi erwin is a lot more detailed, and includes diagnostics. There is nothing as irritating as searching for something in the Bentley table of contents, expecting useful service info to be provided, then going to that content information with the only content being directed to "Use GFF"!!.

[eljay]

I have a Bentley for MK4 VW and I just realized how stupid I am for not checking it for things related to 1.8T as some are certainly applicable!

Anyways, for my A4, I do find this community and its distinguished incredibly helpful members to be the best resource. The reason is that many times, the Bentley procedures requiring special tools can be replaced by someone's experience who has changed the order of steps or found a tool to make certain jobs much easier and less complicated for a complete novice like me.

So, I give you my Audizine Service Manual:



P.S. There are many other members whose threads and advice I found very valuable, so this is like an Oscar acceptance speech where you are guaranteed to miss giving credit to others who deserve it. With that, thanks to many unnamed folks with brilliant advice here.

[Kelz]

Alldatapro for me.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk