Code readers... what to buy?

[Diamond Black Geezer]

As per title, really! Obviously there's the one which shall not speak its name, I seem to hear decent things about Autel, but that's not just one model of course. I would have to work a 1996 Omega V6 and probably a 2007 Volvo C30, ideally be a bit 'futureproofed' for anything else that may appear in the fleet in the coming years, I like to buy good once, not rubbish three times. 

Thoughts? Experience? Ta in advance as always 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I have an Autel - don't know which model. Its seems quite impressive to me, and is certainly capable of providing more info than I can understand. Although that's not saying much tbh.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

 

One vote for Autel, then. 

[aaronjb]

Also have an Autel .. old one, very old, but still works. They do a range from £30 to £3000..

One thought though - the 1996 Omega, does that actually support OBD2? I think beyond a certain age, support gets spotty.. TB or DG will doubtless know.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I'm pretty sure mine's OBDII whatever compliant, it may be earliest models (with the IR central locking) don't but that may be rubbish.

[Doctor Gollum]

Also have an Autel .. old one, very old, but still works. They do a range from £30 to £3000..

One thought though - the 1996 Omega, does that actually support OBD2? I think beyond a certain age, support gets spotty.. TB or DG will doubtless know.

Was thinking that...

Does Tech 1 work on that age, and if so how much?

[deviator]

It all depends on what you want to do with said reader. If you just want to read and turn off the light, then anything cheap and cheerful will work.

Look out for that mentions both KWP2000 and CANBus. The Omega will be KWP, the Lolvo will be CAN.

[aaronjb]

Good point - if you want to speak to anything other than the engine ECU (esp. in the Ovlov) you'll need something more advanced; either manufacturer specific (Tech1/2 for VX, something else for Ovlov) or much more expensive than a £5-100 device.. or, if you're lucky, an app on your phone plus a generic adapter will do it (like Carly for BMW/MINI/VWAG)

[Andy B]

iCarsoft do a range of manufacture specific readers that will turn SRS lights off and the better/ more expensive will do a  it more eg cycle ABS pumps. They also do a more generic reader.
I have the i980 Merc/Smart version that good enough for me though I wish I'd bought the next one up

[aaronjb]

iCarsoft do a range of manufacture specific readers that will turn SRS lights off and the better/ more expensive will do a  it more eg cycle ABS pumps. They also do a more generic reader.
I have the i980 Merc/Smart version that good enough for me though I wish I'd bought the next one up

I hadn't heard of them .. this one looks a bargain: https://www.icarsoft.com/Product/s-373-iCarsoft_C990_Elite.html (shows as $0.10 for me)

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Hmmm, interesting...

Thought the Omega was the 'first'(ish) of the Tech2 cars - Carltons and Cavs etc were all Tech1.

I think I'd like to see live data, code reading just to save mis-counting eml light flashes, which I seem to manage to do an alarming about (thank God Britain didn't have to rely on me on one end of a Morse Code in The War) but to be perfectly honest I'm not sure what else I'd need/want.

I don't want to just get something totally beyond me (perhaps a postit note, I hear you cry) but equally nothing so basic that I suddently find it's really hardly better than just doing the paperclip test. Equally I don't want to actually get something I can screw my motor up with! I assume that only the likes of suspiciously-cheap chinese knockoff stuff can do that?

[Diamond Black Geezer]

And will look at this icarsoft jobbie 

[Nick W]

Hmmm, interesting...

Thought the Omega was the 'first'(ish) of the Tech2 cars - Carltons and Cavs etc were all Tech1.

I think I'd like to see live data, code reading just to save mis-counting eml light flashes, which I seem to manage to do an alarming about (thank God Britain didn't have to rely on me on one end of a Morse Code in The War) but to be perfectly honest I'm not sure what else I'd need/want.

I don't want to just get something totally beyond me (perhaps a postit note, I hear you cry) but equally nothing so basic that I suddently find it's really hardly better than just doing the paperclip test. Equally I don't want to actually get something I can screw my motor up with! I assume that only the likes of suspiciously-cheap chinese knockoff stuff can do that?

you're going to struggle, as your car is too old to be OBD compliant which is what those readers rely on.

[Doctor Gollum]

Had an iCarsoft 980? For the 5 series, will do most things from a day to day point of view, gave it to my bro when I sold it and works on his '62 3 series.

The tablet one has more features, but decent make specific or multi make stuff is £500-1,500 depending on features...

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Hmm... so that one is too new/specific for newer models,

But the above statement that I need a KWP2000 compliant one is still right?