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OBD2 scanners for home garage

Archer

Archer

Old Man
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
795
Messages
236
Loc
Pa.
What ya got?

Looking for a scanner for business van fleet that ranges from 08' to 21'. My old one went and looking for a new one. There seems to be a million different versions, don't need the top of the line but looking for something accurate. How are the one's with the phone apps?

Any input would be great. Got a 08' chevy 3500 express going into what I think is limp mode and hoping it's a sensor that a scanner will pick up.


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No, I only have Chevy's and Dodges right now but that could change with the next purchase.


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I use this bluetooth one and just had to buy the app off the app store for like 5 bucks. I like it a lot for what I do.


 
Gdogg said:
Autel
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I like mine. I have an MX808 and it handles everything I've needed it to so far.

If you go the autel route, make sure the week before your free sub ends to do a full update. I'll never have anything new, but mine's updated to the late 2023 stuff. I'd also recommend the non-OBDII adapter kit.
 
I don't know enough mechanic'n to use a super high dollar one but the cheap Bluetooth dongles and an app like Torque, or even some Windows based software has always gotten what I needed to fix shit with help from smarter people than me, or YouTube.

Kind of like a $500 Fluke meter. I don't know nearly enough to use all the functions and abilities. My $40 Fluke does fine.
 
dntsdad said:
I don't know enough mechanic'n to use a super high dollar one but the cheap Bluetooth dongles and an app like Torque, or even some Windows based software has always gotten what I needed to fix shit with help from smarter people than me, or YouTube.

Kind of like a $500 Fluke meter. I don't know nearly enough to use all the functions and abilities. My $40 Fluke does fine.
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on my personal shit Torque has worked great, 2016 Chevy SS, 2006 Duramax, 1997 4runner, 2001 4runner. it's been able to give me a code I can use, and clear codes.

Hell it told me the wife left the gas cap loose on her car.
 
I bought an Innova 5610. It shows DTCs and live data from all vehicle modules including body, chassis and powertrain. It also performs most special functions like ABS automated bleeding, module relearn and setup functions.

With my GM stuff it does 80% of what a tech 2 does. It's around $300 USD and has free updates.
 
I ordered this one. It's a cheapy, should be plenty for what I'll use it for.


Seems it'll do most of what I need from it. It'll be here in the a.m. so if it doesn't it'll go back and I'll try another one.

Not crazy about phone app stuff, after some thought, I'd rather have a stand alone model

Thanks for the input
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i bought a KingBolen off Amazon...bluetooth, does more than ill ever use it for. about $300
 
Archer said:
I ordered this one. It's a cheapy, should be plenty for what I'll use it for.


Seems it'll do most of what I need from it. It'll be here in the a.m. so if it doesn't it'll go back and I'll try another one.

Not crazy about phone app stuff, after some thought, I'd rather have a stand alone model

Thanks for the input
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Click to expand...
Why not a Bluetooth dongle?

Then you ca use any one of a dozen different apps from the free ones, to the ones that are a couple of bucks but have great features?
 
Trick95 said:
I like mine. I have an MX808 and it handles everything I've needed it to so far.

If you go the autel route, make sure the week before your free sub ends to do a full update. I'll never have anything new, but mine's updated to the late 2023 stuff. I'd also recommend the non-OBDII adapter kit.
Click to expand...
Seems like everytime I fire mine up it has 100+ updates.
 
I have an Autel MD808Pro and TS501 (for TPMS)...I have a dongle too but it's not as convenient as a dedicated tool....kind of older models at this point, but they both have done the jobs great over the year.
 
I have the topdon dongle from amazon. It works surprisingly better than I expected, with the ability to dig into individual controllers. It works fine for me 90% of the time, and at $60, I can’t see buying a more expensive one.

 
grumpy356 said:
Why not a Bluetooth dongle?

Then you ca use any one of a dozen different apps from the free ones, to the ones that are a couple of bucks but have great features?
Click to expand...
So my problem with the Bluetooth dongle is that there's a bunch of different can standards and to talk to everything in a car you need the one that talks that specific standard.

That's why I end up with specific adapters for specific makes and the relevant software for each.
 
Pretty deep discounts on scanners here.

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I have purchased from jb tools before, have no experience with the scanners.
 
87manche said:
So my problem with the Bluetooth dongle is that there's a bunch of different can standards and to talk to everything in a car you need the one that talks that specific standard.

That's why I end up with specific adapters for specific makes and the relevant software for each.
Click to expand...
Is this more Euro stuff, or do the big 3 domestic suffer from this as well? toyota?
That said about dongles, Does a $360 Autel go around this and let you talk to each of them with nothing much else needed? I never see myself with Euro stuff, but have one of each of the domestics, and 3 jap cars in the family.
 
GRM said:
I have the topdon dongle from amazon. It works surprisingly better than I expected, with the ability to dig into individual controllers. It works fine for me 90% of the time, and at $60, I can’t see buying a more expensive one.

Click to expand...
Did I read far enough down that its free the first year and then $45/year after that? Or is that just to get updates and it will work on whatever year you bought after that and doesn't brick?
Edit: read that wrong, that was FCA specific crap.
 
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Blacksheep10 said:
Is this more Euro stuff, or do the big 3 domestic suffer from this as well? toyota?
That said about dongles, Does a $360 Autel go around this and let you talk to each of them with nothing much else needed? I never see myself with Euro stuff, but have one of each of the domestics, and 3 jap cars in the family.
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There's not much difference between euro trash and domestic anymore.
My wife's Volvo has a bunch of computers labeled fomoco in it.
Everything is can bus these days and every manufacturer has chosen one of the listed standards.
I'm sure a fancy scanner can talk to most of them, but I don't know cause I just acquire the factory stuff.
 
Blacksheep10 said:
Did I read far enough down that its free the first year and then $45/year after that? Or is that just to get updates and it will work on whatever year you bought after that and doesn't brick?
Edit: read that wrong, that was FCA specific crap.
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From what I can tell, the basic scanning is free. If you want to do detailed work similar to the factory scanners, you need a 3rd parry subscription at $45 a year
 
GRM said:
From what I can tell, the basic scanning is free. If you want to do detailed work similar to the factory scanners, you need a 3rd parry subscription at $45 a year
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Right after I quoted you I ended up buying this unit on Amazon, it showed up later that same day and I was able to check my rail pressure command versus actual and get my Duramax all squared away. So far good recommendation
 
87manche said:
So my problem with the Bluetooth dongle is that there's a bunch of different can standards and to talk to everything in a car you need the one that talks that specific standard.

That's why I end up with specific adapters for specific makes and the relevant software for each.
Click to expand...
The $10 eBay and Amazon dongles are shit. The one decent dongle that I have found is the OBDlink MX+. It seems to support every protocol or vehicle I have ever tried, and its refresh rate is way better than any other that I've tried. But it's not $20 either.

There are a dozen or so 3rd party Apps for it. I mostly use it with Forscan, but I know it works with Alpha OBD or whatever the Chrysler specific one is, and I know there is a BMW one as well. I rarely use the native app for it but I guess you can add entire vehicle lines to it for like $50. I just don't know how enhanced that stuff is. I might have to just buy the GM add-on and see since I'm so rural now that I just know some cousin fucker is going to want me to work on his Chevy.

Having said that, I still have a bunch of other good quality scantools as well. The dongle is just quick and easy and works great.
 
I have a dongle and Torque Pro. It does OK, but it will not do a deep dive.
I also have an Autel, it will go deeper dives, like monitoring each cylinder for misfires. Things like that.
 
Trick95 said:
I like mine. I have an MX808 and it handles everything I've needed it to so far.

If you go the autel route, make sure the week before your free sub ends to do a full update. I'll never have anything new, but mine's updated to the late 2023 stuff. I'd also recommend the non-OBDII adapter kit.
Click to expand...

I have a older 906BT and it's been awesome. It's been years since I updated it and just leave it off wifi. I've heard putting them online with a expired sub is why they start losing features with no sub.
 
Older Autel AL519 I've had for eleven years and has served me and several friends and family well.

I had loaned the Autel out and found myself needing a scanner PDQ. I went to Advance Auto Parts and bought an Innova 1000 Bluetooth dongle. I went for the Bluetooth dongle at the time since it offered SRS/ABS codes for the same price as the cheapest standalone with only basic features and my Autel doesn't do SRS/ABS. It's better than nothing, but if I had it to do over I would pass on the Bluetooth dongle. You have to have an app, you have to log-in to the app, you have to remember your credentials, it stores your vehicle history which is plausibly a feature, but I didn't read the EUL, who knows who's getting that data and what they're using it for, and the most frustrating is it deciding if/when it wants to actually connect to my phone's Bluetooth. It's a dance of turning Bluetooth off and on on my phone, plugging the dongle into the OBD port, un plugging it, holding your mouth just right, waiting for the appropriate number of Neutrinos to pass through the dongle and phone in the right order and orientation, then try it all again, and hope it connects. When it does connect though, it gives you a lot of info.

I also have VCDS (VAGCom) for the VWs. I got it after being frustrated with the Innova Bluetooth dongle.
 
The one I picked up worked on diagnosis but wouldn't reset the TPS sensor. Had my buddy stop with his professional scanner and reset the sensors and all is good.


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