Recommend me a diagnostic scanner to buy

[DSK]

What do you use or, recommend?

Wighty mentioned an icarsoft and I have had a look and the icarsoft cr v 3.0 (add 3 marques) or icarsoft pro plus (download all marques) would be ideal as I do deal with a few different makes but, it must do MB as fully as possible.

I was about to buy one of the above today from ljm car diagnostics but their business number is invalid. As a result thought I’d ask you all for your input before buying.

This place https://www.ukpartsdirect.com/icar...tic-tool-the-official-icarsoft-uk-outlet.html looks legit so I plan to try them tomorrow unless unless there’s more suggestions.


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[Slartibardfast1]

What do you use or, recommend?

Wighty mentioned an icarsoft and I have had a look and the icarsoft cr v 3.0 (add 3 marques) or icarsoft pro plus (download all marques) would be ideal as I do deal with a few different makes but, it must do MB as fully as possible.

I was about to buy one of the above today from ljm car diagnostics but their business number is invalid. As a result thought I’d ask you all for your input before buying.

This place https://www.ukpartsdirect.com/icarsoft-cr-v3-0-full-system-3-makes-diagnostic-tool-the-official-icarsoft-uk-outlet.html looks legit so I plan to try them tomorrow unless unless there’s more suggestions.


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Same company selling same one on eBay for £175 free postage: (Just noticed - Maybe different model)

 

[supernoodle]

I bought an icarsoft CR Max from LJM a couple of years ago. It was impressed with the service as it was delivered using before 12am next day service at no extra cost. If they aren't still trading, may be that's why!

I've been a little underwhelmed with the CR Max though. Yes it can connect to all the modules, read and clear faults ok. The live data seems a little hit and miss. It's been better on a Nissan Xtrail than the S211 and S212 MBs I've tried it on.
Graphing of data is awful. The x axis is is fixed at the last few seconds and when it only logs once per second, useless. You can export, but only in pdf format and it's tabulated records. No use to anyone.

The service functions and actuator test that I've tried worked on both ok.
I should add I tried injector programming and Eolys functions on Peugeot, the tool offered them and said the functions were successful, but they didn't actually do anything.

From what I've seen Autel and Launch graphing is way better, but how good they are for the service function support, I don't know. Unfortunately at this end of the market support from all the brands is lacking. The literature showing what the tools are capable of is lacking...or may be that's on purpose!

I'm probably expecting too much at this price point.

 

[Wearsafoxhat]

Speak to the guys at “ukparts direct” they are the authorised distributors of iCarsoft in the U.K. I bought mine from here.
I have the iCarsoft MB 2 which is fine for what I need, R129 upto V220.

I send a lot of R129 owners their way and have had no negative comments. I am nothing to do with them, not even a free pen..

 

[DSK]

I’m not expecting these to be on par with thousands of pounds worth of xentry/star etc and neither do I need them to be for my capabilities.

It’s more for trying to help oneself get out of a pickle where frankly a more sophisticated tool is needed with todays vehicles, compared to the £30 jobbies we had years ago. It will also give me a better check to add when I source vehicles to request.


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[DSK]

Ordered : icarsoft crv 3.0
They state it will do 10 marques (not 3 as advertised).

As for things like injector coding etc, Uk parts advised that there are certain things that the manufacturers illegally lock down to retain business, so one would need things like dealer kit like Star, Vida etc. As some vehicles get older some of these features should be released by the manufacturers.


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[supernoodle]

UK Parts were almost correct with that info.

Manufacturers have always made the running of service procedures (eg reset adaption values, run a DPF regen and writing of DIDs( eg writing injector codes) accessible in a ln extended session that is security protected. Reading fault codes and DIDs (eg soot level, Exh temp) are normally available in the default session.

These tools generally all adopt the ISO14229 standard or variant of. Here the tool first requests the extended session using service $10, then requests secure access to the module using service $27. The module responds with a seed. The tool uses that seed to calculate a key using a secret algorithm, which it sends back to ECU. ECU uses the same algorithm to check the key is correct. The tool then can access these privileged services.

In the early days the algorithms used were quite simple and so it didn't take long for hackers to reverse engineer them.
The security methods used by the manufacturers have become tougher recently, so they aren't as easy to hack. Some have moved their tools online, making it even more difficult.

This security access isn't illegal. The manufacturer just has to make any special repair and maintenance information available to third parties, which they do so but at a cost.
Low end tool suppliers don't pay for this info, so they just wait for the information to disseminate.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

UK Parts Direct are an authorised outlet for iCarsoft I bought my CR Pro from them but it’s important with the cheaper end diagnostic tools to contact them and be specific about what you want the tool to do, I wanted to scan for faults on multiple cars, reset service indicators and update the Battery Management System when a new battery is fitted I’m sure the tool can do a lot more but that’s what I wanted it for so quite happy with it

 

[DSK]

Not had the best of starts with this.
The unit is all setup as needed and just decided to plug it into the 2000 Volvo and read some live data to kill some time.

The info shows the car, goes through its modules under an auto scan and then at the end says something like the vehicle is not supported. Same issue if using the generic obd2 feature. Called the vendor and they said the Volvo doesn’t have OBD, I said oh yes it does, i have a £30 autel which hooks up fine and reads codes and some basic live data. They have gone back to icarsoft….


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[Botus]

how many cars or brands do you want to play with ?

car diagnostics tends to fall in 4 categories

1) ODB2 std - budget rubbish - free phone apps - and only tells of a few 'ideas' that could be wrong on the way the engine and gearbox are behaving... the law mandated the car must provide 5 out a possible 16 generic codes - utterly pointless on a German car as they have about 3000 diagnostic fault codes for the entire car

2) Budget stuff, which can go from useless lies to brilliant - autel do one for $200 that will tell you more about a Merc than a $5k snap on tool can - but that's the key it can only tell - you can't interact with it other than tell codes to go away

3) High end bi-directional third party tools that can do lots on lots of brands - however they are a mine field of updates, costs, missing features - but with vastly more capability where the the vendor bothered to do their homework - see above the Snap On tools ones can't even diagnose any w221 interior entertainment / comand issues - so you pay $1200 a year to update it and they still don't bother to add it 5 years down the line - or even add the Genesis brand (posh Kia's) to the UK versions even though Snap On USA developed the software two years ago. And even though an Aston Martin of 2011, is just a Volvo electrical system, they can't even be bothered to support this - so when my brother in law's car battery goes flat I can't help at all !

4) Then we get to the Single Brand Dealer kit that does everything properly - (although slower and far harder to use than autel kit). However if you have a decent modern laptop this is a bargain (note: never buy junk off ebay). The best bit is his knowledge is the best out there https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-...ics-coding-remote-assistance-usa-s-n-1-a.html the guy behind this is by FAR the most capable of any I have ever met - and his live support for your first benz is extraordinary - he spends much of his time supporting USA main dealers fix car's they have NO IDEA about how they work, let alone could ever repair

 

[Botus]

Not had the best of starts with this.
The unit is all setup as needed and just decided to plug it into the 2000 Volvo and read some live data to kill some time.

The info shows the car, goes through its modules under an auto scan and then at the end says something like the vehicle is not supported. Same issue if using the generic obd2 feature. Called the vendor and they said the Volvo doesn’t have OBD, I said oh yes it does, i have a £30 autel which hooks up fine and reads codes and some basic live data. They have gone back to icarsoft….


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ALL these tools need as many updates as you can get hold of - I think it comes with NOTHING you go online and get the updates and they are pretty good....
But I thought most of the exciting stuff is linked to single car brand versions? - although its usually missing software - the tools isn't the brains its the license for the software to get at the full features....

as per 1) in the post above - most tools have the std ODB2 std built in, plus whatever else you bought - but ODB2 is almost as useless as a chocolate teapot on a german car

 

[Jim2]

Apologies for barging into this conversation, but maybe I can get some help, and offer some help? I bought
the iCarsoft CR Pro about 3 years ago, and while its main purpose was Mercedes Benz, it offered a very good range of scans for most makes of vehicles, and up to now, was very good with updates, and for all makes. The most trying issues I have had with it was when it came to updating, it occasionally refused to recognize the SN .. This was usually resolved by emailing a Mr Barnett at iCarsoft and informing him of the problem, and he usually solved it. That is until last week, when it refused to update the VW (amongst other) files (with a see licensee) msg popping up. Despite several e mails to Mr Barnett informing him of the problem, no reply so far, and I'm starting to think that I'm not going to get any reply's either, we will see.
So, I'm wondering if any other iCarsoft users are having the same problem, and have you managed to solve it? For anyone of you thinking of buying iCarsoft products, take care. Make sure that what you are buying will have guaranteed updates. Any OBD Scanner that cannot be updated is not going to last long in the ever-changing world of modern vehicle electronics.

 

[Wighty]

Apologies for barging into this conversation, but maybe I can get some help, and offer some help? I bought
the iCarsoft CR Pro about 3 years ago, and while its main purpose was Mercedes Benz, it offered a very good range of scans for most makes of vehicles, and up to now, was very good with updates, and for all makes. The most trying issues I have had with it was when it came to updating, it occasionally refused to recognize the SN .. This was usually resolved by emailing a Mr Barnett at iCarsoft and informing him of the problem, and he usually solved it. That is until last week, when it refused to update the VW (amongst other) files (with a see licensee) msg popping up. Despite several e mails to Mr Barnett informing him of the problem, no reply so far, and I'm starting to think that I'm not going to get any reply's either, we will see.
So, I'm wondering if any other iCarsoft users are having the same problem, and have you managed to solve it? For anyone of you thinking of buying iCarsoft products, take care. Make sure that what you are buying will have guaranteed updates. Any OBD Scanner that cannot be updated is not going to last long in the ever-changing world of modern vehicle electronics.

Welcome back stranger

 

[Steed]

how many cars or brands do you want to play with ?

car diagnostics tends to fall in 4 categories

2) Budget stuff, which can go from useless lies to brilliant - autel do one for $200 that will tell you more about a Merc than a $5k snap on tool can - but that's the key it can only tell - you can't interact with it other than tell codes to go away

Any hints at which Autel scanner for simple reading and clearing of codes?

 

[AMGeed]

A member is selling an Icarsoft MB3 on the other side. £55 saving and used 3 times.

[SOLD] - Icarsoft mb3 | Classifieds - Mercedes Parts or general for Sale

Year old , used 3 times . Updated software 3 times , so very much genuine. Original box and screen protector still there , all cables and SD card. Was brilliant for my 2016/2017 e350 . £120 posted , payment by bank transfer or PayPal friends and family. Can provide Photos but please consider...

forums.mbclub.co.uk

 

[Wighty]

https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/icarsoft-mb3.199103/unread

here it is

 

[AMGeed]

^ Just found that advert. Was unaware it was advertised here as well.

 

[onefortheroad]

^ Just found that advert. Was unaware it was advertised here as well.

I try to use both websites .unit sold overnight. So now I'm on the hunt for another better unit than the mb3.