Fault code readers.

[sapphireblack]

Never had one of these but thinking about a purchase. TBH, i would anticipate it being more used on the older Touareg i have bought to export, but if they're universal so much the better.

I see lots including some Bluetooth versions where a phone/tablet is the reading, re-setting tool.

Any advice for a scan tool virgin?

[StuBeeDoo]

Any advice for a scan tool virgin?

Not advice as such, because I haven't needed to use mine yet. I bought an iCarSoft CR v2. It has multi-car capability, so seemed ideal for the F25 and Wor Lass's C3 Picasso. I got it of the auction site for about £160 IIRC.

The type that work with a smart 'phone would be no good to me as I don't have one, don't need one, and wouldn't buy one just because I wanted it for scanning the cars.

[Alan Gunn]

+1 for the iCarSoft CR v2 had one before i acquired the Snap-On.

[sapphireblack]

What caught my eye were items for around £20. Probably the adage of you get what you pay for is true here.

I dont want to 'invest' three figures on this whim. And anything requiring a lap-top is not an option.

[X5Sport]

I use the Carly dongle and App. Carly now also support other vehicles, including VW. I have the IOS version that runs over its own WiFi link. Android use Bluetooth but I believe their latest dongle does both. The adapter is around £60 and the paid plan is around £30/yr if you limit to VW, twice that for BMW.

https://app.mycarly.com/en/result/?c=GB ... agen&rl=co

The free version (once you’ve bought the dongle) is a bit limited in terms of what you can do unless you buy one if their plans.

One of the issues with the cheaper versions of code readers is they often report a generic code that then needs interpreting to work out what it’s trying to tell you. The more expensive code readers may give the the code that OEM systems would report and therefore more useful. That being said, some of the OEM codes aren’t exactly informative either.

Unless you go down the INPA/ISTA (BMW) - or VAGSoft (VAG) (both of which need computers as well) then other options will always be a compromise.

[sapphireblack]

All input much appreciated, i'll abandon the idea

[Alan Gunn]

Another option is the c310 they are only for bmw but a handy bit of kit for £50.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creator-C310-S ... s9dHJ1ZQ==

[Crispian]

I have the icarsoft v2 which is a great bit of kit,it recently earned its cost diagnosing a faulty glow plug module for me and initiated the dpf regen after I fitted a new item.

I also have a Carista Bluetooth item,which,for £25,i think is a absolute bargain,it came with 1 months paid subscription (£9.99) which allows certain functions to be customised/coded,ie folding mirrors upon locking etc.
Its also universal.

[sapphireblack]

I have the icarsoft v2 which is a great bit of kit,it recently earned its cost diagnosing a faulty glow plug module for me and initiated the dpf regen after I fitted a new item.

I also have a Carista Bluetooth item,which,for £25,i think is a absolute bargain,it came with 1 months paid subscription (£9.99) which allows certain functions to be customised/coded,ie folding mirrors upon locking etc.
Its also universal.

So this requires a subscription? And a connecting lead?

I had been looking at two very simple looking Bluetooth options.

Ebay references 124397666956 or 124397668799 though not necessarily how i would procure one.

Principally to check and correct issues on the old Touareg and maybe to set folding mirrors on lock up. If i could set the X6 mirrors to fold on lock up and the keys to seat positions that would be a bonus.

Anything very technical would be wasted on me

[Crispian]

I have the icarsoft v2 which is a great bit of kit,it recently earned its cost diagnosing a faulty glow plug module for me and initiated the dpf regen after I fitted a new item.

I also have a Carista Bluetooth item,which,for £25,i think is a absolute bargain,it came with 1 months paid subscription (£9.99) which allows certain functions to be customised/coded,ie folding mirrors upon locking etc.
Its also universal.

So this requires a subscription? And a connecting lead?

I had been looking at two very simple looking Bluetooth options.

Ebay references 124397666956 or 124397668799 though not necessarily how i would procure one.

Principally to check and correct issues on the old Touareg and maybe to set folding mirrors on lock up. If i could set the X6 mirrors to fold on lock up and the keys to seat positions that would be a bonus.

Anything very technical would be wasted on me

If you shop around you can get the carista with a free 1 months subscription, thats all I did,its £9.99 a month after.

Its a Bluetooth dongel, you just plug it in the obd port,download the app to your phone and your away.
I'm not famous for being very techy/computer literate but even i find it very easy to use.

[Crispian]

Here you go

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YVHGTBM/ ... 7FbJDR888H

[sapphireblack]

Many thanks but a subscription based offering, even 'only' £10pm is more than i can justify or indeed i need

Why subscription based anyway, is that beneficial in sone way, clearly i am uninformed

[X5Sport]

Carly’s take on subscriptions is that it provides funding for ongoing development and product support so I expect others will have a similar business model. There may also be ‘licensing’ costs if any of these readers give anything beyond ‘generic’ codes, but that’s a guess on my part.

When Carly only offered limited functionality, and only for BMW, it was free (apart from the dongle purchase) but as it’s got more capable with a wider range of cars supported the subscription model has come in. Just one diagnostic visit to BMW with no work done still costs more than the subscription and dongle, and I can run as many checks as I want With three BMWs it made sense to have it and has picked up on issues that I didn’t know about - glow plug failures on the X6, ABS pressure sensor faults on the E46, and an incomplete PDI on the 2-series that I could hold the Dealer to account for (and they weren’t pleased that I discovered!).

[Crispian]

Many thanks but a subscription based offering, even 'only' £10pm is more than i can justify or indeed i need

Why subscription based anyway, is that beneficial in sone way, clearly i am uninformed

You don't need to worry about the subscription, it comes with a month's free pro subscription which is all I did to use the full functions to change things on my cars,ie folding mirrors when locked etc.
After the 1st months free period ends,you can no longer customise with it,for me the £25 was well worth the changes I made to my cars and it still works as a obd diagnostic tool.
You only need to pay the subscription after the initial free month if you want to change/code anything again.

[sapphireblack]

As usual there is much to consider. I appreciate the opinions and suggestions.