OBD reader/coder - which is best?

[brums evil twin]

I have a G31 and always fancied looking at the hidden settings that we can access through an OBD reader / app.

Which is best? seen lots of adverts for Carley and heard about bimmercode

Which do you recommend then???

thanks

[Tindersticks]

Carly is a per year cost. BimmerCode is a once only. I use Bimmerlink and BimmerCode and both have been excellent.

[danb79]

brums evil twin said:

I have a G31 and always fancied looking at the hidden settings that we can access through an OBD reader / app.

Which is best? seen lots of adverts for Carley and heard about bimmercode

Which do you recommend then???

thanks

Bimmercode for coding and Bimmerlink for code reading etc

Dongle via Amazon for c£25 and the apps on your phone, Android or iOS - This is the one I use and it's faultless:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-BLE-iPhone-iPad-And...

Avoid Carly; rip off

[rottenegg]

Carly is dog sheet.

Bummercode and Bummerlink are the best daily driver tools for iOS (and the droid). ProTool is great as well but is Android only.

ISTA is the best of the best scan tool for BMWs, period, but isn't intuitive and can be aggro to setup.

ISTA is also the best for telling the truth. I've found Bummercode doesn't even flag some errors that ISTA does, and Bummerlink's live readings aren't always accurate or useful either.

ISTA has saved me from the parts cannon several times, so is a good investment.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

rottenegg said:

Carly is dog sheet.

ISTA is the best of the best scan tool for BMWs, period, but isn't intuitive and can be aggro to setup.

ISTA is also the best for telling the truth. I've found Bummercode doesn't even flag some errors that ISTA does, and Bummerlink's live readings aren't always accurate or useful either.

ISTA has saved me from the parts cannon several times, so is a good investment.

I used ISTA when I had an E46 about 10+ years ago. As you say, it can be a pain to setup but I work in IT and found the instructions good, but it took a good few hours to setup. I don't know if it has changed now, but I recall having to change registry entries as part of the install. It worked first time for me, so the instructions must be good if you follow them correctly.

It is amazing when it is working, immediately found out my ex wifes car had been clocked to the tune of 70k miles!

[rottenegg]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

rottenegg said:

Carly is dog sheet.

ISTA is the best of the best scan tool for BMWs, period, but isn't intuitive and can be aggro to setup.

ISTA is also the best for telling the truth. I've found Bummercode doesn't even flag some errors that ISTA does, and Bummerlink's live readings aren't always accurate or useful either.

ISTA has saved me from the parts cannon several times, so is a good investment.

I used ISTA when I had an E46 about 10+ years ago. As you say, it can be a pain to setup but I work in IT and found the instructions good, but it took a good few hours to setup. I don't know if it has changed now, but I recall having to change registry entries as part of the install. It worked first time for me, so the instructions must be good if you follow them correctly.

It is amazing when it is working, immediately found out my ex wifes car had been clocked to the tune of 70k miles!

Yeah I work in IT as well although for an easy life I actually purchased it as a 1 click install package from Rusty at SatNavupgrades.co.uk.

I know you can dig around on the internet and get it for free, but that often involves the fafftastic installation method you mentioned.

I didn't mind slinging Rusty 30 quid for something that just works and has been reliable ever since. I don't mind doing IT shat at work but I have zero time for it in my personal life. I just want stuff to work

Classic parts cannon save for me was a suspected iffy MAF sensor on my F30 330d. £350 from BMW. I don't use pattern electronics as they're not calibrated properly.

Bimmerlink reported 10g/s at idle at the HAF (Hot Air Film) and I immediately knew that was bad, very bad, but also unlikely.

Fired up ISTA and sure enough, it was actually 3.16g/s which is bang on, so saved myself 350 quid!

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

rottenegg said:

Yeah I work in IT as well although for an easy life I actually purchased it as a 1 click install package from Rusty at SatNavupgrades.co.uk.

I know you can dig around on the internet and get it for free, but that often involves the fafftastic installation method you mentioned.

I didn't mind slinging Rusty 30 quid for something that just works and has been reliable ever since. I don't mind doing IT shat at work but I have zero time for it in my personal life. I just want stuff to work

Same as me now, the last thing I want to do is spend hours faffing around setting up software and hacking registry entries. I purchased mine off eBay, it came with the lead and the CD, but this was the using the hacktastic installation method going though 20 pages of PDF instructions to setup.

I would happily pay £30 to avoid the grief and risk of messing it up and spending hours checking everything.

[g3org3y]

danb79 said:

brums evil twin said:

I have a G31 and always fancied looking at the hidden settings that we can access through an OBD reader / app.

Which is best? seen lots of adverts for Carley and heard about bimmercode

Which do you recommend then???

thanks

Bimmercode for coding and Bimmerlink for code reading etc

Dongle via Amazon for c£25 and the apps on your phone, Android or iOS - This is the one I use and it's faultless:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-BLE-iPhone-iPad-And...

Avoid Carly; rip off

How much do Bimmercode and Bimmerlink cost? Is it an annual sub?

[danb79]

g3org3y said:

danb79 said:

brums evil twin said:

I have a G31 and always fancied looking at the hidden settings that we can access through an OBD reader / app.

Which is best? seen lots of adverts for Carley and heard about bimmercode

Which do you recommend then???

thanks

Bimmercode for coding and Bimmerlink for code reading etc

Dongle via Amazon for c£25 and the apps on your phone, Android or iOS - This is the one I use and it's faultless:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-BLE-iPhone-iPad-And...

Avoid Carly; rip off

How much do Bimmercode and Bimmerlink cost? Is it an annual sub?

Nope, one off fee for both apps.

Check Play Store or App Store for current prices; but c£35 each IIRC

[nordboy]

I use Bimmercode with my iphone and the app. Then a usbc to obd cable to avoid any of the bluetooth issues that can crop up sometimes with some of the obd readers.

Works a treat.

[EmailAddress]

Bimmer.

OBD Link has been great over the years, though a cheap eBay special USB cable has also seen me through when busting out the laptop.

[Pupp]

Another vote for BimmerLink and BimmerCode from me…

Use with the OBD Link CX dongle and both have been great - I’d like Ista instinctively but for my needs I doubt it would add much

[matt5964]

Another vote for BimmerLink and BimmerCode from me…

Use an OBDlink mx+ works great

[rottenegg]

Worth noting Bimmerlink is a LOT faster with a WiFi dongle, which is useful when monitoring live sensor values. I use the XHP dongle.

[rottenegg]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

rottenegg said:

Yeah I work in IT as well although for an easy life I actually purchased it as a 1 click install package from Rusty at SatNavupgrades.co.uk.

I know you can dig around on the internet and get it for free, but that often involves the fafftastic installation method you mentioned.

I didn't mind slinging Rusty 30 quid for something that just works and has been reliable ever since. I don't mind doing IT shat at work but I have zero time for it in my personal life. I just want stuff to work

Same as me now, the last thing I want to do is spend hours faffing around setting up software and hacking registry entries. I purchased mine off eBay, it came with the lead and the CD, but this was the using the hacktastic installation method going though 20 pages of PDF instructions to setup.

I would happily pay £30 to avoid the grief and risk of messing it up and spending hours checking everything.

It's definitely worth it doing it that way for an easy life. Just a simple download and click and off you go!

ISTA does need a fairly beefy device though, and looks like it was designed for a handheld judging by the peculiar window sizing that won't go full screen, but it's a great package overall as it also includes workshop manuals/diagnostic instructions. A true one stop shop.

[InitialDave]

Just ordered ISTA from Rusty, as there's a 10% discount code on the site at present.

[rottenegg]

InitialDave said:

Just ordered ISTA from Rusty, as there's a 10% discount code on the site at present.

Nice. If you've not used it before, you're in for a treat of sloooooowness, lol. It's a bonkers application but very powerful, especially in expert mode. Some very nice live graphing

[InitialDave]

Well, I needed a sat nav update anyway, so figured I may as well get it as well.

Need to get a cable, too.

[g3org3y]

danb79 said:

g3org3y said:

danb79 said:

brums evil twin said:

I have a G31 and always fancied looking at the hidden settings that we can access through an OBD reader / app.

Which is best? seen lots of adverts for Carley and heard about bimmercode

Which do you recommend then???

thanks

Bimmercode for coding and Bimmerlink for code reading etc

Dongle via Amazon for c£25 and the apps on your phone, Android or iOS - This is the one I use and it's faultless:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-BLE-iPhone-iPad-And...

Avoid Carly; rip off

How much do Bimmercode and Bimmerlink cost? Is it an annual sub?

Nope, one off fee for both apps.

Check Play Store or App Store for current prices; but c£35 each IIRC

Great thank you.

[rottenegg]

InitialDave said:

Well, I needed a sat nav update anyway, so figured I may as well get it as well.

Need to get a cable, too.

Any of the ENET cables on Amazon will see you right.