CARMD OBD2 Code Reader

[Jules]

Has anyone purchased and/or used the CARMD OBD2 code reader? http://www.carmd.com What was your experience with it like? Is it really as useful and easy to use as the website makes it out to be? Is it worth the $100 (plus S&H) cost? Thanks for your input.

Merry Christmas

Jules

[Chilled Man]

I woudl pass since that thing will be a PIA to read since theres no extension cord.

Go to your local advanced auto or such and get there one with the cord and it gives the code on the screen and what that code means. :D

http://www.carparts.com/ACTRON-OBD-II-CAN-AUTOSCANNER-TRILINGUAL-CODE-READER/GP_2012452_N_111+10718+600022393_10618.car

that is the exact one I have

[billr99]

Has anyone purchased and/or used the CARMD OBD2 code reader? http://www.carmd.com What was your experience with it like? Is it really as useful and easy to use as the website makes it out to be? Is it worth the $100 (plus S&H) cost? Thanks for your input.

Merry Christmas

Jules
Looks to be a pretty standard scanner. Nice to have the ability for the scanner to talk to a code database which would be a plus; but I doubt that it would have the ability to match up to OEM-specific codes which are not standardized under the OBD2 spec. At $100, that is way less than the scanner I bought at CT so it might be a good deal in that respect alone.

Cheers,

Bill

[NJ03XC]

As my brother just picked up an 06 V70R and I have an 03XC, I've been looking at an OBD reader. Any comment on using a handheld such as Chilled Man's carparts type vs. a PC based program with a patch cable? I see how the handheld would be easier to employ but am hung up on the ability for the more expansive interface with the PC to be able to do more resets and analyze more things. Though really, what I mainly want to do is be able to keep the guys that work on my car honest and know going in what the codes are. Also might give me a bit more peace of mind if I delay my trip to the shop when the Check Engine light comes on if I know it isn't something potentially fatal.
Any feedback would be apprecaited.

[morregerbert]

there no pc based software that will work with anything 2000 and up, except VIDA or VADIS and you need a DICE hardware to make it work, you are looking about 2000$ for a kit to be able to read your own codes.
any simple code reader with CAN will do the job to read and erase check engine light.



As my brother just picked up an 06 V70R and I have an 03XC, I've been looking at an OBD reader. Any comment on using a handheld such as Chilled Man's carparts type vs. a PC based program with a patch cable?

[NJ03XC]

there no pc based software that will work with anything 2000 and up, except VIDA or VADIS and you need a DICE hardware to make it work, you are looking about 2000$ for a kit to be able to read your own codes.
any simple code reader with CAN will do the job to read and erase check engine light.

Wow - great info. Thank you very much.
I'll likely opt for the unit that Chilled Man refers to unless someone has a less expensive suggestion.

[RockitShip]

I agree, unless you're getting a prohibitively expensive VIDA "system" just go for the Actron of your choice... your favorite local auto parts store should stock them.
I like the Actron, I use it all the time on the XC as well as my A4.