Car ODB2 scanner

[DoctorStrangelove]

Odd innit? Used to be the rust that scrapped cars, now it's the £1000 electronic black box.

Several of mine (and there's another one waiting) have met the scrappy due to that.

Especially since I can't be arsed to DIY it any more.

[malvolio]

A new one is the best part of 2 grand, and that's without fitting. Reconditioned ones are around £200.

OK, I've seen £300-£1000 quoted, depending on what's wrong. but if a key component has failed on something worth less that £1800 or so, I'd be changing it for something less likely to kill me. But that's my opinion, yours may rightly well be totally different since you know the car in question.

Also depends on what's failed, as well of course. You can't easily repair the physical bits, but controllers and actuators can be replaced; in which case you still have an old key component on the car...

[DealorNoDeal]

Not sure I'd want to replace a faulty and fairly important brake component with a used one that may well develop the same fault...

A new one is the best part of 2 grand, and that's without fitting. Reconditioned ones are around £200.

[malvolio]

As an aside, one of the fault codes that came up was with the ABS pump. I got a quote from the local main dealer for replacing the pump and it was more than the car is worth.

Fortunately, I managed to find a reconditioned pump online and got the local garage to install it for a fraction of the price.

Not sure I'd want to replace a faulty and fairly important brake component with a used one that may well develop the same fault...

[DealorNoDeal]

As an aside, one of the fault codes that came up was with the ABS pump. I got a quote from the local main dealer for replacing the pump and it was more than the car is worth.

Fortunately, I managed to find a reconditioned pump online and got the local garage to install it for a fraction of the price.

[DealorNoDeal]

I have a car of a certain age, and like me (also of a certain age), it's starting to get a bit faulty.

I want to research the fault codes before I take it into the garage, so I have some confidence that they are not replacing parts willy nilly.

I recently drove to the airport to catch a flight, and it was good to know that the illuminated engine warning light wasn't likely to result in a breakdown. (It cost me £30 at the garage for them to plug in their scanner and check the code. Hence why I'm thinking it might be worth buying one.)

[malvolio]

Depends on the car,
Depends on whether you want to reset the codes without fixing,
Depends on whether you’re going to have a go at fixing the issues yourself,
And then look at your car insurance, home insurance, or bank account and see if they already include AA/RAC cover, where you could get a pro out to take a look.

If I got one, it would be “just cause I’m interested”, but maybe if I had an old car that I was tinkering on, I’d have a different viewpoint.

They are purely diagnostic tools with a side order of interesting data. If you want to fix things you will need a lproper diagnostic tool which costs a lot more. Clearing a fault code only takes it out of the log and turns the light out, the original code is retained in case it happens again.

[WTFH]

Depends on the car,
Depends on whether you want to reset the codes without fixing,
Depends on whether you’re going to have a go at fixing the issues yourself,
And then look at your car insurance, home insurance, or bank account and see if they already include AA/RAC cover, where you could get a pro out to take a look.

If I got one, it would be “just cause I’m interested”, but maybe if I had an old car that I was tinkering on, I’d have a different viewpoint.

[malvolio]

Yes, good thinking.

That's what I do on the motorhome (being a Fiat it's electronics and sensors are less than robust!). Gives an error code on the phone that you can then lookup - although it's not always particularly clear what the real problem is anyway - and you can clear transient amber light conditions like "Low intake temperature" which usually don't come back. You can also get a load of real time info on things like boost levels, charge rate, instantaneous torque and other esoterica, if that floats your boat.

Mine is an Android one called Torque, with ScanMaster as a backup/second opinion.

[DealorNoDeal]

What about a Bluetooth one and then use you phone for the app.

Yes, good thinking.