I'm considering obtaining one of these. I understand that some are vehicle specific but others can be used on a variety of cars. I'm thinking mostly of our 2007 Cayman S but we also have a Mercedes and a couple of Toyotas. I'd much rather be able to diagnose on my own and not fall prey to unscrupulous shops or dealers.
Does anybody have a favorite or can suggest one? Again it has to at least work on the Cayman and hopefully the Benz.
Thanks in advance.
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A cheap scanner will only tell you the codes. If you want something that really works for scanning, clearing, and explaining the codes.
I bought an Icarsoft MBII for my ML and smart, but right after I bought it all the guys on the mb forum started recommending this one.
Autel MaxiLink ML629 Enhanced CAN OBD2 Scanner with ABS SRS Transmission Engine Diagnosis Auto VIN Scan Tool Turn Off Check Engine Light, Advanced Ver. of AL619, ML619
Check to make sure it's compatible with all your vehicles before you purchase.
There are versions of icarsoft and Autel for Porsche, that may not be compatible with SPECIFIC vehicle "internal" coding. I think they all can do generic code-reading and clearing, but I'm not sure. I'm thinking that if you buy one specifically for Mercedes, it isn't going to do the same things on your Porsche.
For a general universal, any car reader, I recommend you get an ELM 327 from anywhere. It is a dongle that goes in your OBD port and either bluetooth or wi-fi to your phone. Apple products work better with the wi-fi version. Android doesn't care which technology is used. They all use the FREE Torque app. You can pay to remove ads if you want. This device will read all vehicles and get codes and clear them. They are cheap, I bought them for my wife and kids this year, so everyone has one.
If I buy one for my Cayman it must be able to do some Porsche-specific coding, such as run the ABS pump for brake fluid flush/change, read live sensor data, program some covenience features, and read and reset internal codes.
The Durametric is expensive, but is supposed to be good.
If you want explanation of codes, use the internet. Type in OBD "P0300" Toyota Camry or whatever make, model and code. The torque app usually gives a short description of the code.
The freebie scanner checks at Auto Zone or Advance don't really tell the whole story. My BMW 328 xi had an intermittent Check Engine Light with no code showing borrowed a high end scanner and it came up as a faulty electronic water pump ..the engine never ran hot and both oil and coolant temp scans were nominal. The OEM water pump kit was only $560 plus a long days labor.
I found all the codes for the Cayman online and printed them out for my file. It looks like the limitations of what these can do are mostly controlled by your wallet.
Believe it or not I have had a lot of luck with a Fixit scan tool that sends the info to an app. on your smart phone. I have used it to get real time engine readings on my Subaru engine in my Speedster. I can clear codes diagnose issues and watch the actual temps of my coolant and oil. It only cost about $30.00. I also bought what I think is an unique scan gauge that is in the shape of a 2 1/8" round gauge to mount on a door pillar gauge pod for my SRT-6 Crossfire. This scan gauge shows 2 readings at a time and you can toggle through all the readings the ECU and TCU gather. I wanted to be able to see the actual boost level I was producing and also monitor the IAT ( intake air temp.) The scan gauge works great but wasn't cheap, but it does the job I wanted it to do. By the way my SRT-6 with the Mercedes 3.2 AMG S/C and liquid intercooled engine puts out 460HP at 21lbs boost. This is my daily driver. The engine has been modified from the stock 350 HP . SRT-6's can be bought for $7-12K and are a hell of a bargain and will be a collectable that will increase in value. IMHO.
@Panhandle Bob for my Toyota’s I purchased the TIS Tech software online, includes the obd2 connection cable. It has worked perfect on our Camry, RAV4. For my 911 TT the best I have used is Durametric. Very complete software pkg. it too includes obd2 cabling.
BTW, Durmetric even allows a free download that you can use to navigate around software, although it will not be able to connect to a vehicle.
Good luck with search.
Tom L
Anyone try the $99 BlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBDII Scan Tool for iPhone & Android? There are several You Tube videos on it.
I currently have a $25 ELM reader that saved me $400 by pin pointing a right front ABS speed sensor in wife's Mercedes. I replaced with $50 OEM part in about an hour.
Similar experience here. Then invested on the BlueDriver and it has worked flawlessly. I use it frequently on multiple cars and does what it’s supposed to do. 👍
@DannyP posted:I'm thinking that if you buy one specifically for Mercedes, it isn't going to do the same things on your Porsche.
That's the case with my Icarsoft, it just does MB, Smart, and Sprinter. They also have a Porsche, BMW/Mini, and, I'm sure, other models. I think that's why everyone started preferring the Autel models, as they do multiple Marques. Although I have no idea how accurate the coding is.
Cycling the ABS pump would be great. I haven't checked into that. At the time I bought my MBII, the only thing that woukd do that is the MB Star Diagnostic set up for PC, that are available on eBay.
If the $500 Durametrics did that, and for multiple vehicles, that would be a real plus. I'm guessing a single brake flush from the dealer would be close to $500.
Thank you all!!!!
@dlearl476 posted:That's the case with my Icarsoft, it just does MB, Smart, and Sprinter. They also have a Porsche, BMW/Mini, and, I'm sure, other models. I think that's why everyone started preferring the Autel models, as they do multiple Marques. Although I have no idea how accurate the coding is.
Cycling the ABS pump would be great. I haven't checked into that. At the time I bought my MBII, the only thing that woukd do that is the MB Star Diagnostic set up for PC, that are available on eBay.
If the $500 Durametrics did that, and for multiple vehicles, that would be a real plus. I'm guessing a single brake flush from the dealer would be close to $500.
ETA: The MBII works for me because my Smart and two MLs are the only ODB2 vehicles I own. Neither my 92 968 or the Spyder are.
Regardless, I'm still contemplating getting an SDS system, I already have the requisite PC.
I bought the Bluedriver OBDII scanner for a start. $106.00 with tax. With five cars, this is bound to work on most of them. If it doesn't give me the level of data I need for the Cayman then I may just spring for the Durametric as well, but we'll see how this works.
I'll report back with the results. Amazon Prime, Monday delivery!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I just bought this but it hasn't arrived. I can tell you if works for any other car after it arrives. For the Porsche, it was recommended at a few places. I have an '07 Cayman too.
I wonder if it comes with the white, doctor-like shop coat that the Porsche techs wear?
How come Porsche isn't up their a$$ about using the P logo?????
@Panhandle Bob posted:I bought the Bluedriver OBDII scanner for a start. $106.00 with tax. With five cars, this is bound to work on most of them. If it doesn't give me the level of data I need for the Cayman then I may just spring for the Durametric as well, but we'll see how this works.
I'll report back with the results. Amazon Prime, Monday delivery!
Used the scanner this morning.
Identified a "very small" evap leak, probably the gas cap. It even charted how common the problem is on a Cayman S, (rare). It also charts, graphs and provides live data as the car is running (not driving)
Easy to set up and use.
Great features and seems compatible with a lot of cars. The thing even read my VIN without me entering it.
I will use it on a couple of our other cars in the next couple of days, but this is a pretty cool piece of kit.
I can just see Bob roaming the neighborhood with his OBD scanner in a few days:
“Hey! Wanna let me read your car’s diagnostic info for yah?”
This is the one I bought a couple of years ago. Great deal at $60
@Gordon Nichols posted:I can just see Bob roaming the neighborhood with his OBD scanner in a few days:
“Hey! Wanna let me read your car’s diagnostic info for yah?”
"and by the way, here is my card in case you would like to buy or sell any real estate"
Gordon:
Genius! A method of marketing that nobody has thought of yet.
They lost the one I ordered in the mail so the replacement is coming today. I will report back later.
Interested in the other option though. Why not, he said!
So, I bought the updated product Jethro linked MX+. I looked at both, it was a dice roll. Literally the same price. I had planned to cancel of the original one did all of the same things. Both wireless models only do one-way communication so there is more functionality with the original one I purchased.
Funny enough, after I bought the one, I looked on Amazon and they seem to have lost track of the replacement now.
Probably was sent via UPS Mail Innovations.
It's cheaper than UPS and faster than USPS.
With UPS Mail Innovations, UPS delivers the product to your local post office. Then the Post office delivers to your door.
UPS has great tracking, but it gets "lost" for tracking purposes when it's handed off to the USPS.
I've seen a few lost packages lately. The increased volume of the last few months is taking it's toll on ALL carriers.
USPS lost my twin-plug heads. I sent them to Denmark on March 30. They never showed, and tracking was dropped in Chicago. I insured them for the max they would allow ($650), and filed a claim a 6 weeks ago.
Nobody can find my heads, or will respond to the claim. I'm not so high on shipping anything right now.
“USPS lost my twin-plug heads.“
😱😱😱😱😱😱
I think I’d have gone ballistic. They have to worth a LOT more than $650.
As of this morning, the Porsche one is out for delivery now and the OBDLink MX+ is now due to arrive tomorrow. If the Foxwell works on the wife's Ford and the Cayman, the OBDLink will go back, depending on functionality. If the OBDLink can do what I want, the Foxwell will go back.
The biggest difference being that the OBDLink (nor the BlueLink) doesn't list Porsche as a supported brand. I want to be able to clear those oil service reminders primarily and neither of the Bluetooth ones read Porsche specific codes.
I'll report back later
For those interested (those who are not can ignore)..........
I got the Foxwell 510Elite in the mail today. You can do a bunch of stuff with this scanner like systems tests of ABS, the rear spoiler, basic programming, clearing the oil reminder, etc. The one I bought is Porsche specific and oddly, it pulls the P-specific codes but does very little on standard OBDII mode. I am going to have to spend more time figuring out everything this does. Since I changed my head unit and changed the AC to climate control from manual, there were a bunch of error codes with the PCM and AC. It is really hard to research specifically what they are, most due to Porsche.
Still probably going to check my fuses in the interim. The google-machine suggested it based on the codes. There were still 3 I could not find.
I plugged it into my wife's Explorer and the standard OBDII worked better. It said how many times the car was started, how many times the AC was turned on, lots of stuff. Any MS-CAN features/codes are no beuno without purchasing that software.
It's fun.
I have got a OBDII scanner for 10 bucks. It seemed to be good to be true, but it works flawlessly. Together with the Torque app it found the right codes for 4 different vehicles. It was similar to the Foxwell, but it was a lot cheaper.
Tom, I seriously doubt the $10 reader will reset the oil change light in a Porsche.
If it does, I owe you a beer or three.
General OBD stuff I'm sure it works fine, all 4 of us in my family have one.
Maybe I need a Foxwell to tell me why my rear spoiler isn't deploying.
Or maybe just where my rear spoiler is...... 
Chris and I (and Lucas, Chris' young son) went to a Cars 'N Coffee last Sunday and as Lucas was looking a parked, slick white Turbo Carrera which had the spoiler extended by yet another overly vain owner, he asked his Dad, "Why doesn't your car have a spoiler?"
"It does", his Dad said.
"But I never see it up!" said Lucas.
"That's because it retracts under about 50 miles per hour."
"That's baloney!", said Lucas. "It bet it doesn't move!"
So we all wander over to their car and Chris does something and the spoiler extends.
"Whoa! That's wicked cool!!" said Lucas, who then turns to me and asks, "Does your spoiler go up, too?"
hmmmmmmmmmm..............
Here is a short-ish video of some functionality that I mentioned. Don't mind his Crocs but he does basic programming of the car.
To Danny's point, the P-specific codes are the the selling feature here. There are code readers that will read generic OBD codes and has some functionality but not this level. I will let you know specifically the difference when the other one arrives but this thing does some cool stuff if you have a Poooooor-shaaaaH
Having had a 1990 Corrado, with active rear spoiler, it's just not that big a deal. 30 years ago! It's kind of cool that my Cayman has one though.
I did change the resistors and capacitors in the spoiler module to make it go up at 78(designed to be effective above 80) like my European counterparts. US spec was 45mph since the speed limit was so low.
Groundbreaking stuff back in 1990
@DannyP posted:Tom, I seriously doubt the $10 reader will reset the oil change light in a Porsche.
If it does, I owe you a beer or three.
General OBD stuff I'm sure it works fine, all 4 of us in my family have one.
I don't know if it works on a Porsche, I can't use it in my Speedster due to a general lack of electronics 
.
If you can borrow a cheap one, just try. If it works I will collect my beer next time I am in the states.
Sure, no problem, Dad!
Got the OBDLInk MX+ today. IT does some basic stuff and a few other things that are somewhat useful but there are not the same features as the Porsche specific software scan tool. Easy to connect and use but if this is $100 and the Ford Specific software to do all the things I can do with the P Car is $100, I am debating just doing that. Doesn't answer the Toyota Tundra but that one is older and likely doesn't have much more than basic codes anyway.
Loop closed.
