Burnin' Rubber
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- Thread starter
- #1
I have been looking for an OBD reader and can't decide between a dedicated handheld device or a Bluetooth dongle.
What is considered a fair cost for one of these? Being in Canada, I have seen the handheld readers range from $60 to over $300, and the Bluetooth dongles range from $80 to $180.
In terms of features, I would like to diagnose Check Engine Light, battery charging system, and TPMS. I would need a reader that can interpret the codes, not just display a code that needs decoding by some other method. I find the TPMS feature is only made available on the more expensive models of the handheld readers. I do not want to buy a device and then find out it can't help me diagnose a specific malfunction. It would just be for my own use, so I don't need the level of functionality that a professional mechanic would use.
I am leaning towards the convenience of a Bluetooth dongle, but I am not sure about the proprietary apps that are needed to use it. I have been looking into the dongle recommended by the FORScan developers, but it is one of the more expensive ones. I am also not sure about the FORScan website. In following the discussions by DIYers on this forum, my initial thought was FORScan is an official software put out by FoMoCo. Instead, the FORScan developers seem to be independent of FoMoCo, and the website seems kind of sketchy.
All that being said, I am looking for recommendations on a device that can help me diagnose malfunctions without overpaying a whole lot. All helpful advice is much appreciated!
What is considered a fair cost for one of these? Being in Canada, I have seen the handheld readers range from $60 to over $300, and the Bluetooth dongles range from $80 to $180.
In terms of features, I would like to diagnose Check Engine Light, battery charging system, and TPMS. I would need a reader that can interpret the codes, not just display a code that needs decoding by some other method. I find the TPMS feature is only made available on the more expensive models of the handheld readers. I do not want to buy a device and then find out it can't help me diagnose a specific malfunction. It would just be for my own use, so I don't need the level of functionality that a professional mechanic would use.
I am leaning towards the convenience of a Bluetooth dongle, but I am not sure about the proprietary apps that are needed to use it. I have been looking into the dongle recommended by the FORScan developers, but it is one of the more expensive ones. I am also not sure about the FORScan website. In following the discussions by DIYers on this forum, my initial thought was FORScan is an official software put out by FoMoCo. Instead, the FORScan developers seem to be independent of FoMoCo, and the website seems kind of sketchy.
All that being said, I am looking for recommendations on a device that can help me diagnose malfunctions without overpaying a whole lot. All helpful advice is much appreciated!
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