How about some Vehicle Diagnostic Software for use on a Laptop?

[Mark53]

Hello, people.
Professional vehicle mechanics use a Computer to diagnose problems,... right?
But, those StandAlone systems cost a lot...
Professional high-end diagnostic scan tools (like AutoBoss, x431, KESSv2) cost $3,000.
Software for both reading car data PLUS tuning/reprogramming car chip data: maybe $25,000.

I figured... What about a Software program that can be used on a Windows laptop?
I Googled "vehicle diagnostic software" and found a nice selection of options...
www.totalcardiagnostics.com/toad/ for $127.
www.scantool.net/ for an unclear cost, and additional $ for software for each car Make.
www.obdautodoctor.com/ for $99, but annual updates cost more.
ScanXL from www.palmerperformance.com for $130, but what about annual updates?
ScanMaster from www.scantool.net for $70; + their required hardware dongle is at least $30.
www.AutoEnginuity.com for $1,500 for all car Makes; requires their ST06 hardware dongle.
www.PicoAuto.com for around $800? Not clear what's included.

Some of the above mentioned that annual updates are included in the original purchase price.
Of course, they all need a Hardware device that plugs into the OBD2 port.
Many of them use the ELM327 adapter hardware: around $30 (but beware of cheap clones for $8).

SO,... My Questions...
Have you used / Do you use... any of these, or similar, programs?
Is there anything that you might recommend along these lines?
I'd like a system that can be used on any car Make.
Would be nice to have the capability to reprogram the vehicle chip.

Your ideas? Thoughts?

Thanks.

Mark53

 

[intelisevil]

www.AutoEnginuity.com can be purchased for about $360 with Ford only software. I played with it for a little while until I found it wouldn't do what I initially bought it for - Recalibrating for new tire size (even though the website had a screen capture showing it being done on a 2nd Gen Exploder!)

It doesn't seem to do much more than my iPhone 5S with a $5.99 Engine Link app - http://www.ksolution.org/outdoor/enginelink.html - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/engine-link-obd-ii-vehicle/id591557194 - and a $35.00 LELink Bluetooth OBD-II dongle - http://www.amazon.com/LELink-Bluetooth-Energy-OBD-II-Diagnostic/dp/B00QJRYMFC

I think the AutoEnginuity software allowed you to save your scans and print graphs while my Engine Link app is real time only.

FORScan - http://forscan.org/home.html - seems to be a favorite around here although I haven't tried it. Free for Windows PC.

 

[Mark53]

Well, Thanks for the reply, Dan... I had not heard of that FORScan thing before.
Still, if I'm gonna' get into Any of these programs, I plan to get it for All Makes, not just Ford.
Did the AutoEnginuity program help in diagnosing any problems with your vehicle?
Any other opinions / experiences out there?

 

[TestPoint]

I borrowed an AutoEnginuity setup to diagnose an auto transmission shifting problem on a Jaguar. The dealer said that the Transmission Control Module was bad but I wasn't going to lay $2500 on the parts counter to find out. The test demonstrated that the TCM was not releasing the torque converter lockup on a called for downshift. You couldn't see it on the PC display but a print out clearly displayed no signal for pressure release.

I was surprised at how easy it was to target, display and print that information. Basically, it will read and record all the PIDs available at the data port.

Not a bad investment if you are working on only one vehicle and if you are using it professionally the $1500 is pretty small compared to that Snap-On tool cabinet.