[SharkmanBMW]

Has anyone ever used this OBD II code reader?
Innova 3100 CAN OBD 2 Diagnostic Tool
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...OBD+II+Code+Reader.jsp?locale=en#BVRRWidgetID

 

[nk_zhp]

I would get an ELM327 bluetooth reader and then download one of the gazillion OBD2 apps for iPhone or Android and call it a day.

 

[jfoj]

I have one of the readers listed in the link, its OK, nothing to get overly excited about. No live data.

Agree with either the ELM327 bluetooth, less than $25 via Amazon.

More support for Andriod, not so sure about Apple apps.

Torque free or Torque Pro for the ELM327 is $5.

Not the nicest interface but it will give you real time data for many sensors.

 

[SharkmanBMW]

Excellent! Thanks for the input.

What should I be looking for? A range of prices from $20-$50.
I have an iphone 4, so, if an app + one of the 'ELM 327' readers can be used instead of the code reader I posted in the original post, that would be excellent

 

[nk_zhp]

If you go down the ELM327 route, check out an app called ObdSnitch. I was bored few weeks back and wrote it. It has a BMW look and feel basic gauges... nothing fancy.

 

[darksideracer69]

Imo all these are a waste.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Bimmer App

 

[323I00]

Currently using the Innova 3100e and It works great. Op welcome to e46 where abouts In Montreal que are you from ?

 

[SharkmanBMW]

Currently using the Innova 3100e and It works great. Op welcome to e46 where abouts In Montreal que are you from ?

I'm on the West Island, yourself?
The 3100 looks good at that Crappy Tire sale price, does it have any limitations that you know of?
The ELM 327 models + iphone app is also appealing though, I don't need one, was just thought I should take advantage of the sale.

Thanks for the input, everyone

 

[sunnyjay]

I have 3010 model and it is awesome unit.

 

[323I00]

I'm on the West Island, yourself?
The 3100 looks good at that Crappy Tire sale price, does it have any limitations that you know of?
The ELM 327 models + iphone app is also appealing though, I don't need one, was just thought I should take advantage of the sale.

Thanks for the input, everyone

Dollard resident my self !

 

[Solidjake]

http://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=893444

 

[lab rat]

just stay away from Laplogger (what a piece of crap)

 

[ChicagoRY]

Has anyone ever used this OBD II code reader?
Innova 3100 CAN OBD 2 Diagnostic Tool
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...OBD+II+Code+Reader.jsp?locale=en#BVRRWidgetID

If you're feeling adventurous and are the kind of guy that would do stuff like run Ubuntu on his home computer, buy the BMW USB cable on eBay for around $50ish (total guesstimate) and you can get the real BMW software online from various places.

I've been through a couple OBD2 code pullers and keep upgrading. I bought the PLX Kiwi Wifi to run a bunch of the ones available in the Apple appstore, specifically the claimed BMW code scanning one, but no joy with it. IMHO, if you're a big DIYer or stats junkie it's nice to have both a medium-ly nicely featured (call it a 5-series ) OBD2 handheld scanner, and also the INPA, DIS, SSS, etc. suite.

PS - anyone else catch that Braun shavers have completely stolen the 3-series, 5-series, 7-series naming schema from BMW for their shavers?! weird!

 

[darksideracer69]

If you're feeling adventurous and are the kind of guy that would do stuff like run Ubuntu on his home computer, buy the BMW USB cable on eBay for around $50ish (total guesstimate) and you can get the real BMW software online from various places.

I've been through a couple OBD2 code pullers and keep upgrading. I bought the PLX Kiwi Wifi to run a bunch of the ones available in the Apple appstore, specifically the claimed BMW code scanning one, but no joy with it. IMHO, if you're a big DIYer or stats junkie it's nice to have both a medium-ly nicely featured (call it a 5-series ) OBD2 handheld scanner, and also the INPA, DIS, SSS, etc. suite.

PS - anyone else catch that Braun shavers have completely stolen the 3-series, 5-series, 7-series naming schema from BMW for their shavers?! weird!

Why would you want both?

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Bimmer App

 

[ac_2007]

Buy the most expensive from Harbor Freight/Princess Auto and return it when you're done. For all other applications, buy the $32 BMW Scanner 1.4

/thread.

 

[ChicagoRY]

Why would you want both?

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Bimmer App

To read a code quickly, reset an MIL lamp or SRS (on some of them), or for ability to get quick live data of something you can plug in, lay in your lap, and just go - a handheld reader is worth it for me right there. Also useful because it'll work on any non BMW vehicles you own post 1996. You can get a basic one for $50-$75, a top notch one for $150ish, and a blow off the doors one for $250 that would have a backlit display and proprietary code interpretation for some makes (usually GM, Ford, Mazda, and some others), and SRS reset abilities.

For more in depth stuff, coding that you'll have to look up and be copy and pasting, on a semi-flaky machine that runs slow and won't work 100% right 100% of the time, is not something that I'd want to drive around with on my lap, and is overall a PITA to use but worthwhile for its amazing functionality (if you're patient and learn it), the proprietary BMW stuff is unbeatable. If you have a spare laptop or one you use and can load VMware on it (assuming you own VMware) you can get all the software from the interwebs for free, and a BMW USB cable for guesstimating $50ish from eBay. I paid more, but I've heard people get them for less.

My personal setup is a middle of the road handheld and an old dell laptop w/ all the BMW stuff on it running XP. Really depends on the person and what their needs are I guess.

Buy the most expensive from Harbor Freight/Princess Auto and return it when you're done. For all other applications, buy the $32 BMW Scanner 1.4

/thread.

Good call on Harbor Freight, I'd also like to mention Amazon has a good selection and unbeatable return policy so long as you buy it directly from them, not through them but from another store. You just have to look carefully near the price tag, they explain it.

And the sub $50 Peake code readers are great. . .they would accomplish the mission for most people here if all they want to do is pull and interpret codes. That and a handheld scanner would also be a good tool kit for sure. I used just the Peake reader alone for years and saved a TON of money with it.

I've seen actual GT1s go on eBay for like between $1500-$2k. Those are the ones from American sellers, not the identical looking Chinese knockoffs for $800. If I owned a BMW garage or was filthy rich I might pick one of the legitimate ones up, but I just have a filthy BMW in my garage.

 

[GSherbs]

SES light on, innova 3100e says no problems

Currently using the Innova 3100e and It works great. Op welcome to e46 where abouts In Montreal que are you from ?

I have this same scanner.

My e46 330xi SES light is on but the scanner is telling me that there are no DTC codes stored in the car's memory. The scanner doesn't seem to support extended codes for BMW as far as I can tell but I may be wrong.

What should my next step be to determine why the SES light is on?

Any help is greatly appreciated - I'm new to e46fanatics and I've been searching the forums but I'm not coming up with any ideas on how to determine what is going on with my car (short of taking it in to a shop).

Thanks much!
-G

 

[ac_2007]

I have this same scanner.

My e46 330xi SES light is on but the scanner is telling me that there are no DTC codes stored in the car's memory. The scanner doesn't seem to support extended codes for BMW as far as I can tell but I may be wrong.

What should my next step be to determine why the SES light is on?

Any help is greatly appreciated - I'm new to e46fanatics and I've been searching the forums but I'm not coming up with any ideas on how to determine what is going on with my car (short of taking it in to a shop).

Thanks much!
-G

http://www.xcar360.com/bmw-scanner-1-4-0-bmw-scanner-bmw-diagnostic-bmw-scan-tool.html

^ This is all you will ever need for the E46, ever. Anything else is frankly a waste of money, and nowhere near powerful or easy to use.



Solidjake, I feel like a broken record. Is there still too much controversy on the whole piracy issue to put the BMW 1.4 Scanner on a sticky list for noobs?

 

[GSherbs]

http://www.xcar360.com/bmw-scanner-1-4-0-bmw-scanner-bmw-diagnostic-bmw-scan-tool.html

^ This is all you will ever need for the E46, ever. Anything else is frankly a waste of money, and nowhere near powerful or easy to use.

Thanks for the link!

I was also looking at this based on more forum reading? Is it a similar product?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-USB-OBD..._Automotive_Tools&hash=item4cf9b475a7&vxp=mtr

 

[ac_2007]

Thanks for the link!

I was also looking at this based on more forum reading? Is it a similar product?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-USB-OBD..._Automotive_Tools&hash=item4cf9b475a7&vxp=mtr

I have that as well, but it is not for intermediate users. Much more difficult to setup, use, and you have the power to do serious damage to your car with it.

Go with the product I gave you in the link, you can even buy it on eBay from a US seller so it ships faster. Just try not to pay over $50 for it.