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Car Code Reader

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    #2
    88manta
    Registered Users Posts: 203 ✭✭88manta


    In my experience, these units are worth what they cost.

    They read very very few faults. Friend of mine has one, he told me his car was showing one fault. I plugged in my professional system, turns out five fault codes were recorded.

    For the price of that unit, you might be able to get someone here to read your faults;););)

    Luke


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    #3
    Chimaera
    Registered Users Posts: 1,652 ✭✭✭Chimaera


    For VW, little beats VCDS from www.rosstech.com - the $350 for a HEX-CAN cable is well worth the investment and it can read generic codes from other brands too.


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    #4
    88manta
    Registered Users Posts: 203 ✭✭88manta


    Only prob with buying one for a specific make of car is if you buy a different make of car, what do you do then!!!

    What part of the country are you in?

    North, South, East or West


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    #5
    Chimaera
    Registered Users Posts: 1,652 ✭✭✭Chimaera


    You can always sell on the cable - the licence for the software is activated by the cable.

    I'm rather content to stick with VAG cars for the foreseeable future anyway so it's fine for me. Each to their own of course. Also, I've saved the cost of the cable and more in diagnostic time from a mechanic.


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    #6
    Kencollins
    Registered Users Posts: 567 ✭✭✭Kencollins


    I have one of the cheap 10 euro ones, and I have never had any issues. It has worked with ALL cars, including any VW and opel I have tested it on.

    I use it a lot, and the basic one only gives a text code. I bought a really cheap (10 euro again) ELM bluetooth adapter a few weeks ago, and this gives a lot more info from my android phone.

    I had the ELM adapter plugged into a 12 Opel Astra last week and it gave a load of data, from engine cycles to fuel remaining.

    Cant go wrong for 10 either way!


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    #7
    Ronnie Beck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭Ronnie Beck


    Chimaera wrote: »
    For VW, little beats VCDS from www.rosstech.com - the $350 for a HEX-CAN cable is well worth the investment and it can read generic codes from other brands too.

    Overkill.

    Hex-can works with a MkIV but is overkill and only needed for MkV and B6 models. The Hex KII interface will work fine.

    350$ is not worth it. A 15 euro ebay kII cable and the free shareware vcds lite version is enough. Unless you have something specifically wrong with your car that requires the registered 99$ version or even the full version I wouldn't bother.

    As far as the clio I'd be carefull. Renaults seem tobe fussy with what they will and won't talk too. I'll look into it as I couldn't pull any codes off a megane with an expensive one the other week.


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    #8
    felimd
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭felimd


    The ELM bluetooth adapter and Torque app for Android does a good job. I had no issues reading a friend's 04 megane a few weeks back when one of the coils went and it clears my CEL anytime it pops up due to the decat.


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    #9
    shamwari
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,142 ✭✭✭shamwari


    OP, that code reader is cheap, chearful and should read any OBD code the puts the engine management light on. Depending on the car, they usually do not give manufacturer specific codes that high-end scan tools do. Assuming the scan tool works on your car(s) then its probably worth twenty odd-euro's it costs for simple "non-professional" use.


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    #10
    bijou
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭bijou


    felimd wrote: »
    The ELM bluetooth adapter and Torque app for Android does a good job. I had no issues reading a friend's 04 megane a few weeks back when one of the coils went and it clears my CEL anytime it pops up due to the decat.

    Thanks for the responses so far guys.

    Does the ELM adapter/Torque actually give you the code readings?? I watched a review of one on YouTube and saw it turn off the engine management light.

    The ELM or a reader like the one I linked to appear to be a handy little tool for the DIY'er :)


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    #11
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,709 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    bijou wrote: »
    Thanks for the responses so far guys.

    Does the ELM adapter/Torque actually give you the code readings?? I watched a review of one on YouTube and saw it turn off the engine management light.

    The ELM or a reader like the one I linked to appear to be a handy little tool for the DIY'er :)

    Yes, its a decent budgety piece of kit. Id recommend it for the average punter.


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    #12
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,176 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    I have a cheap-and-cheerful Memoscan U480 and it works well with core powertrain OBD-II stuff on the vehicles I have thus far used it on, including a Jaguar, a mid-oughties Citroen and a Mk. VII Transit. Note that pre-2004 diesels on this side of the world probably won't support OBD-II.


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    #13
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,176 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    bijou wrote: »
    Thanks for the responses so far guys.

    Does the ELM adapter/Torque actually give you the code readings?? I watched a review of one on YouTube and saw it turn off the engine management light.

    The ELM or a reader like the one I linked to appear to be a handy little tool for the DIY'er :)

    Yurp. The ELM 327 unit - Bluetooth or cable, either is available - is rated as a bitta kit for the money by Jag folks all over the globe an' all.


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    #14
    John T Carroll
    Closed Accounts Posts: 757 ✭✭✭John T Carroll


    bijou wrote: »
    Hi all,

    Looking for peoples thoughts on this::

    http://www.ebay.ie/itm/230827109163?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

    I'm looking for one that would be compatible with both an 02 VW Bora and an 02 Renault Clio.

    Anybody have any experience of them at all??

    Thanks

    The Code reader above would only seem to read the EOBD codes which are basically engine codes. On all my family VWs, 2000 Bora, 2005 Polo and 2008 1.4TSI Passat I use an Autel Maxscan Vag405 Version2.8 handheld scanner, this is a superb tool for all VWs up to the end of year 2008...from that year onwards it will only read EOBD codes because VW have changed their communications protocols. It reads Engine Codes Central Electrics, Instruments. Air bags (including resetting) Oil service &reset Radio amongst others.I have read the EOBD codes on lots of different makes but sorry, I cant recall reading any Renaults with it, but I would be surprised if it didnt read these codes, It cost me ~~ €75 (New) about 3 years ago, a friend of mine bought Version 2.7 on eBay (I think) recently, the only disadvantage of this version is that while it reads everything that Version 2.8 does, it doesnt give a descriptor with the code, you would have to read off the Code description on your Lap top, not a huge problem if you are only using it occasionally.
    Forgot to mention that friends of mine claim that the ELM 327 Bluetooth version is far superior to the cable version, if you go down that road. JTC


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    #15
    shamwari
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,142 ✭✭✭shamwari


    For anybody going the ELM cable / bluetooth route, remember that this is the connectivity between your scanning software and the vehicle. The actual work is done by the software itself, so no matter how good your bluetooth or ELM is, it'll only be as good as the software you are using. Don't make the mistake that some make of buying an all signing all dancing bluetooth solution and becoming bewildered by the fact they can't read manufacturer specific non-EOBD codes.

    Also, there are very mixed reviews about some of the cheap ELM's for sale on EBay that originate in China. Rumour has it that they will only work with the "free" software they are supplied with and not with any of the bespoke stuff that can be bought or downloaded here.


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    #16
    x_jaw
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭x_jaw


    Hi Guys, sorry for invading this post, i bought one of these OBD scan tools (bluetooth), however i cant seem to get the thing to work for me with my laptop, anyone around the laois or offaly area that i could meet up with and show me the correct setup?

    Thanks

    james


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