diagnostics programs

[Vectra boy]

hi all im looking into getting the diagnostic software so i can find out whats wrong with my car and other peoples cars when they dont want to play im just a bit lost as to what i need any info would be great cheers

[Vectra boy]

anybody.?

[Mads]

i have the maxiscan ms509, i havent played too much with it but it checked my car with no faults, egr good etc, you can get from amazon for about £50 delivered you might find one cheaper on ebay??

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&k...l_7ybd4o8drs_b

[hebblemarine]

M8, you probably haven't had many replies as a lot of OBD-II diagnostic readers for laptops on ebay (NOT ALL!) are chinese copies of genuine software (like the Ilexa's OPCOM, which is around £600 genuine) & the discussion of 'which copied reader' gets the thread closed

[krisby]

That is interesting about the chinese stuff, I thought I saw that mentioned. Yet, when I went to my auto sparky he ran the opel/vauxhall OP-COM, no errors, ran the chinese one, found two codes, though one just said <unknown DTC> for the code, the best was his Bosch reader and a large handheld autodiag or something like that.

I was thinking of getting myself one as my VAG reader doesn't work well on non VAG cars, but software and cable options are quite vast, but seeing the live diagnostics I think I want the laptop side over just the code reader/eraser.

Just intrigued by this chinese thing when, from what I saw, it works better than factory software.

[paulvectrac]

See this thread dissapering no talk about copies chaps

[krisby]

So is that the beef with the chinese stuff, cos its a copy therefore it is not allowed to be discussed on here? Not wanting to cause any problems, but surely to me, if the Chinese one works and the original doesn't, that is not a copy, that is an improvement. Well, ok, its an improvement on a copied product, which is rare in the world of pirating.

As I said before, I am yet to buy something, as I am looking around for the most reliable solution, my £35 VAG reader for my Seat was great.

[Critch]

Depends what your after mate. Are you after a plain simple. Read fault codes and clear them or are you after full live data readings. In which you'd have to look at wave forms etc.
Is it just engine side of things you want do etc.

There are plenty of engine fault code readers from likes of sealey etc. Purely hand held jobs so could easily carry around in your glove box.

If you visit obdkey.com they do one that works via Bluetooth so you can see live data on your phone/ PDA
But for good kits that will cover a large rang off vehicles and systems. An be able to do things like Recode injectors, keys, Ecus etc.

Then looking at a couples of gs

For an example my snap on solus pro. Is capable of doing loads, from live data reading to recoding ecu

However 2.5k plus vat an then 500 every 6 months there's not cheap.


Older snap on machines can be bought on eBay for couple of hundred depending on how new/old the cars you intent to work on are.

[krisby]

Yeah, more than I want to spend, my VAG reader was great, but I think some live diagnostics would be helpful.

So I'll try and find something over the weekend when I have chance to look at all the options. I've seen some apps in the android market place, so I may see what I can find that might do what I want for the price I am prepared to pay.

[Critch]

Them obd keys look ok. I'm thinking of getting one just to keep in the car.