Best code reader

T

TONYL

Member
Hi
Whats the best code reader available
Ive got the engjne management light on in yellow and need to diagnose the isue
Thanks
 
"Best" is a concept only the user can quantify, but for code reading I use Carly for BMW. Does a fairly decent job and as I have the "proper" adaptor it reads from ALL available ECU's and not just some like my (otherwise perfectly good and spot-on) generic adaptor.
 
Best codereader is ista d/ ista p. Period.
Thats bmw dealer software, so you get all the info.
Works fine with a £8 kkl/dcan inpa cable

Carly is useless as a codereader
 
GuidoK said:
Best codereader is ista d/ ista p. Period.
Thats bmw dealer software, so you get all the info.
Works fine with a £8 kkl/dcan inpa cable

Carly is useless as a codereader
Click to expand...
Hence my comment...
AnubisZed said:
"Best" is a concept only the user can quantify....
Click to expand...
Carly is a user friendly application where as ISTA you need to learn.
I'm not saying anything bad about ISTA, it's a great program (obviously) but not everyone can use it or even should try.
It's like coding, yes Carly can code certain things, but NCSExpert is far superior but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
 
Ive gone for the android carly
Awaiting delivery so hope it does what i need...let me know what to do to clear the engine warning light!
 
AnubisZed said:
Hence my comment...
AnubisZed said:
"Best" is a concept only the user can quantify....
Click to expand...
Carly is a user friendly application where as ISTA you need to learn.
I'm not saying anything bad about ISTA, it's a great program (obviously) but not everyone can use it or even should try.
Click to expand...

Carly produces codes in a format that most of the time has no meaning and searching on them is useless.
Anything more than the usual problems and you're stuck with carly. No person that does real diagnostics uses carly. Its a toy. Nice for coding your window buttons and whatnot but useless for real diagnostics. Its a layman's tool and no better than a 2 pound costing obd2 reader + a free version of torque.
 
GuidoK said:
AnubisZed said:
Hence my comment...
AnubisZed said:
"Best" is a concept only the user can quantify....
Click to expand...
Carly is a user friendly application where as ISTA you need to learn.
I'm not saying anything bad about ISTA, it's a great program (obviously) but not everyone can use it or even should try.
Click to expand...

Carly produces codes in a format that most of the time has no meaning and searching on them is useless.
Anything more than the usual problems and you're stuck with carly. No person that does real diagnostics uses carly. Its a toy. Nice for coding your window buttons and whatnot but useless for real diagnostics. Its a layman's tool and no better than a 2 pound costing obd2 reader + a free version of torque.
Click to expand...
Have you actually used Torque on an e89? It's utter crap, it doesn't show half the faults.
Don't forget, just because YOU know how to use ISTA doesn't mean it's easy to use, BMW technicians are trained, you've learnt but it's not for everybody.
Like I've already said it's not for everybody, I'm also not knocking it as its a very good program. But as I stated in the first place its entirely down to the end user as to what is best for them, its not about "well I know how to do it, why don't you" everyone is at different levels.

Oh and by the way, I've learnt how to use ISTA since I've owned Carly but that's not the point as I wouldn't recommend it without know the abilities of the other person, after all its not like there is a manual for it.
 
Carly is miles better than Torque but still junk. I can't get over how much people are willing to pay for such a poor app.
 
Just an update
Plugged in the carly module and found that my lamda sensors to be the prob so all sorted now
Easy piece if kit to use and it also flagged up a few more minor issues
Happy bunny
 
AnubisZed said:
"Best" is a concept only the user can quantify, but for code reading I use Carly for BMW. Does a fairly decent job and as I have the "proper" adaptor it reads from ALL available ECU's and not just some like my (otherwise perfectly good and spot-on) generic adaptor.
Click to expand...
I think in this case AnubiZed was correct. The OP used Carly to solve the problem he had. "Horses for courses" :poke:
 
I agree that the "best" is dependent on your needs and abilities. Carly is ok as people have said if you just want to be nosey and 'tinker' with the odd setting. No doubt you can do some damage with it if you're not careful but from my limited experience it's reasonably straight forward to use.

Obviously BMW use something far more detailed and complex which requires some training. I wouldn't like to think that I was paying BMW prices for dealer technician to use Carly.

I suppose it's like using MS Paint or Photoshop to edit photos on your computer. Both can do similar things but they're world's apart!
 
Best may also be dependent on price....
Carly adapter (android) €53,90
Carly full app: €55/year

BMW INPA/NCS/etc adapter: €11

So the first one is 10 times as expensive, has an annual fee and can only do a fraction of bmw's original software.
I guess knowing your stuff pays off.
I guess its indeed comparing MS paint to Photoshop except paying 10 fold for MS Paint :lol:
 
I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/C110-Scanner-Airbag-ABS-Engine-Diagnostic-Fault-Code-Scan-Reader-OBD2-For-BMW-UK/323212283754?epid=1765082214&hash=item4b40f40f6a:g:ra8AAOSwphNa1aEa

Pretty good for the price. It can read all specific bmw codes like Carly, but is a plug and play so tends to be what I reach for over inpa/ista-d or Carly.

Also small enough to store in the glovebox.
 
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