Recommend a good cheap fault code reader?

[millzzz]

I need one that can read/clear faults. Ebay seems hit and miss, with some not able to do what others can. I need one that can do as much as possible, without it being silly money. Ideally £20-25.
Cheers all.

 

[mikeh]

I'd get a cheap ELM327 USB or Bluetooth adapter.

Then you can read fault codes on your laptop or android smart phone.

There are Wifi ones that'll work with certain iPhone apps, but I have no experience of them.

 

[bloke]

Hmmmm...£20-25 for a code reader, next you'll be saying you don't want it to fall apart either

For that budget you ain't going to get much.

 

[M26]

Cheap code readers will only be able to do standard OBDII codes. It won't be able to read airbag/abs etc

 

[millzzz]

Mmm, how much for a decent one that can do what I need?

 

[mikeh]

£150 for a clip off eBay, I'd imagine.

 

[gingerphil]

I picked up a bluetooth one from ebay for about 8 quid. Sucessfully read errors on my 182, a puma and a corsa.
Only works with android though
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/bluetooth-fault-code-reader

 

[Dan519]

£150 for a clip off eBay, I'd imagine.

which will need an XP based laptop to work on (nothing newer) and it's CLUNKY software. does a hell of a lot if you know what you're doing, but wow it crashes a lot.

buy cheap, buy many times over. I'd be wanting to spend £200+ very minimum. My snap on kit is over a grands worth and I pay subs to keep the software updated

 

[markmcgivern]

I have iobd2 for iPhone and I think that's good enough to get you by

 

[millzzz]

I went for the Torque one with bluetooth plug in the end. Car won't start at all now, bugger.

 

[mark123]

Mmm, how much for a decent one that can do what I need?

What do you need?

A cheap one will read most common generic faults. I have the ebay usb one and have used it loads on my clios.

 

[loggyboy]

I have 2 cheap ones, one standard, one BT module.
Both work on the clio for basic code checking and havent failed to point me in the direction of the fault so far.
I bought the BT one to link with race chrono to record revs, throttle position etc.

BT one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331065814725

U480:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIVERSAL...iagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2ecdeac2c7

 

[Fred Kay]

You don't have to spend a lot the ELM 327 Bluetooth adaptor works very well to read OBDII codes