Which obd2 scanner is the best value?

I have this scan tool

https://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-Scanner-Reader-Vehicles/dp/B013WB7RVS


I was kinda worried about overall quality, but for the last 3 years it's been fine. This is the basic scan tool. It views some basic live data, and will view, and clear codes. I am very happy with this scan tool.

 

well I just went for it and bought it, it does everything for just $140 so I figure its worth the investment.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/152556050387?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

as for the oil reset, I saw that and can live with out it, it sure would have been nice to have that though.

it wasn't as bad as I thought to reset it, this is the procedure.

"Turn the ignition “off” Press and hold the Trip Odometer Reset button, and turn the ignition switch to the “On” position. Continue to hold down the Trip Odometer Reset button until “000000” MILES appears on the display and the maintenance light turns off."

 

Congrats, that's a nice unit at a great price. It has many features the CP9660 doesn't have, and you will probably never outgrow it. The airbag and charging system functionality might actually be very beneficial.

 

I liked that too and it says it tests the battery and alternator as well

I have to do the mechanic and diagnostic work on most of the relatives and friends cars because they know im a mechanic so the functions to test all those systems on new cars is going to be very useful to have

 

while looking into these things I feel sorry for those guys with porche, voltswagon, and hyundas because it looks like they need specific scanners just for those brands to read codes, that kinda sucks lol

 

I'm glad you researched the maintenance light reset. I was thinking, if you can't master that small, electronic task, you have no business trying to master an enhanced scanner. Crisis averted. Whew

 

ya, just pisses me off when a manufacturer decides he is going to force me to change oil on "his" schedule and not leave such things up to me to decide. outboard motors I can understand because those are once a year oil changes and those can be forgotten, but I know when to change my oil and I don't need an idiot light going off every 5000 miles (because it uses synthetic oil) that requires you do a little dance to reset just chaps my arse lol.

just figured, even as simple as the reset is, it would be easier if I could plug this sucker in, just hit one clear button, and be done with it

 

It is very, very, difficult to get a "best value" OBDII scanner as you can see. Yours and you buddy's needs are going to change from car to car. Some will clear maintenance reminders, some wont. Some will cycle ABS pumps, some wont. It always seesm that the scanner you have will do only so much of what you need.
I like the iPhone/Android based units the best for the following reason... I can stream the info live to an iPad. The physical size difference between and iPhone and an iPad is what my old eyes need when driving down the road.
I use the BlueDriver unit as well as a Snap On Solus Pro. It isnt the unit itself that is important as it is understanding and interpreting what it is telling you.

 

Yeah, that's the hard part... It's a whole different world!

 

Just put a Scangauge in your vehicle. The factories that manufacture what we drive use software and "tools" which are cost prohibitive for those of us that actually buy and drive the vehicles. The average person simply does not have the training to even hope to diagnose a real problem with these new vehicles. Even the "techs" have to go to "higher authority" to figure out many problems and even "higher authority" has no clue sometimes. With a Scangauge or the "other" product that does the same thing, for the most part, you will be able to figure out there is a problem. If it's a serious problem the dealer may not even be able to figure it out. If they can, fine, but there are no guarantees in this day and age.

I f you think for even one second you are going to get the equipment necessary to diagnose a serious problem with your engine for less than $100 you're dreaming and I'd like to know what the weather is like on your planet. The type of software as well as equipment necessary to actually diagnose a real problem in any of today's engines is in the thousands of dollars and even experienced techs can't figure it out in many cases without making phone calls.

 

TRVLR500, wise words... I had to take my 01 Ranger 4X4, 4.0 to a shop because I couldn't figure out what the hell is wrong with it... the shop is telling me that the O2 sensors are fighting each other, they respond like they should and they agree that it just does not run "right". They admit that this is a mystery so far. This shop has at least 6 OBD modern scanners < 1 year old and they all are saying the same thing. Like I said in an earlier post... we arn't understanding what it is saying and I am thinking we are going to have to go to Mode 6 to see the actual data stream.

 

i just bought a plx kiwi 3 so i will see how it runs.

 

Thank the criminals at the EPA.

 

Oh no, not mode 6! (Sounds Serious!)

 

I've had a little play with the clone obdii scanner thing,

i have a vauxhall (opel/GM/Holden) meriva B, and originally had a fault where the engine was going into low power mode,

I bought an "op-com" which is an opel/vauxhall specific devise, the real ones are about 800 euro's, but clone ones are available from 10 pounds upwards on ebay (avoid the ones claiming firmware/software versions over 1.7, they are faked to make you think they are newest ones, the absolutel latest op-com clone is firmware V1.71, and software V160115a)
i went for a HQ clone from someone on a vauxhall forum who provided help setting it up if needed etc.

This devise plugs into the obdii port and the usb port of a laptop running the op-com software, and allows you to do quite a lot of things a dealer level code scanner will do,

It diagnosed my fault... variable vane sensor on the turbo out of calibration, it was the variable vane lever seized... i free'd it off and it's worked fine ever since... the dealer cure for that fault code is to fit a new turbo assembly, as the vane position sensor is not available separately!!!

When i was getting high EGR readings and low DPF back pressure readings reported by the op-com, this turned out to be a hole in the DPF sample pipe, a 100 pound part... fixed with some 8mm fuel pipe for pennys, a common fix.


Then i got into adding parts from higher spec cars to mine, and the op-com was struggeling to do what i wanted,

so i bought a clone Tech2 unit from china, this is a clone of the unit the main dealers use on my car (the astra's use an MDI.. but my car is weird it kept with the Tech2 until 2014 model year, whereas astras and corsas were using MDI's since about 2009)

The clone Tech2 cost me £280 https://10carbest.com/best-obd2-scanner i bought it with a credit card via paypal, but have had no issues with it, worked straight out the box, and i have since added quite a few items that would have needed trips to the main dealer to have them enabled (But, vauxhall are getting arsey and refusing to do this nowadays, saying owners are not to take their car out of delivered spec!!)

 

Well, there are apps that are just gorgeously performed, without exaggeration. I’ve been using a https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.motordata.obd tool for testing my car after a couple of bad experiences of using analogous ones.

 

I have an ELM 327 bluetooth an a P15 hardwire OBD2 scanner and both won't connect to my 96 tacoma. They both power up and I checked the fuse in the engine bay. While I was tacoma hunting, I connected the ELM 327 to a 97 tacoma and it also didn't connect. At the time, I thought it was the connection to the torque app.

Some of the links in this thread are old and some info is not specific to my vehicle. Unfortunately car parts store in my area don't loan out OBD2 code reader anymore. Can someone share info on a (reasonably priced) scanner that you know works with a 96 tacoma? I don't currently have a check engine light and this is for future reference. thank you.

 

I have a green one. Works as intended, cost about $30.

 

I have one of these I use on everything I’ve owned Toyota and Subaru it works great clears codes while vehicle is moving and uses it’s own WiFi to connect to your phone or tablet/PC with the app.

$20 Veepeak Mini WiFi OBD II Scanner Adapter Car Check Engine Light Diagnostic Code Reader Scan Tool for iOS and Android Black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WPW6BAE/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MBK6G0QH1XK9AJRPDMY7

 

which green one?