Ok. I've done the searches and asked around for months. Short of getting a "High-End" CanOBD2 diagnostic scan tool, big bucks, I've settled on two brands to choose from Innova/Equus and Actron/SPX. I had a line on a used Snap-On MT2500 and a used BluePoint YA3103? for a while, but those didn't materialize. So, after bugging the SS forum last week, I'm posting here. I have a question, not performance but maintenance related. Do any of your PC-based, or Kiwi, or Elm 327 etc. scan tools display any DTC's or ABS codes? I guess that is really what I've been looking for. The performance displays would just be a plus for me. Since I have multiple vehicles, and have friends and family to solve problems for (alas), I need a cheap(er), probably hand-held scan tool. I like the Innova 3130, or 3160 types and the Actron 9580 for their live data capability. The 3160 would be first, but the list of ABS compatible vehicles doesn't include any of mine except the Cobalt. Same for the Actron. That leaves the Innova 3130 (sans ABS) in the ring. Am I wrong in my conclusions? What are your experiences or preferences? After a coupla recent needs for a scanner, I'm gonna use my 61st b'day as an excuse to treat myself (no one else will, ha ha). Any body?

 

I purchased an Equus 3140 Innova last year and am very pleased with it. What I was really disappointed with was the fact that it doesn't scan Toyota products, and maybe other foreign makes. I have a Solara and really wish it worked on it. There are no add-on capabilities for it.
For limited use, it is just fine. I saw a Snap-on being used by my dealer and was really impressed with all of the deeper things it can do on just about any car, but I gotta believe it is huge bucks.

 

Another happy Equus 3140 Innova owner here, a very capable tool and I picked mine up for $184 through Amazon.

You're right though AJochum, it has limited capabilities when it comes to "talking" with imported cars, but I know which terminals to jump in the wife's old Civic Del Sol...so its not really an issue for me.

 

If you're just looking for one that's a 'bang for the buck' kind of thing, you cant beat the one that Harbor Freight and Tools sells. How often do you really need scanner? I really don't have the need for anything "high end". I've had mine for about 5 years. I've used it on Toyota's, Nissans, a Lincoln LS, a Honda Odyssey, various other vehicles owned by my neighbors, as well as my GTO and my wife's HHR. It was on sale for $39.99 when I bought mine so it appears that they've gone up.
http://www.harborfreight.com/can-obd...enu-98568.html

 

About $5k plus paying for regular updates to keep it current

 

Concerning the HF tool: it's just a code reader, not capable of caturing live data, which I need. The HF $129 CanOBD2 is capable, but only has a 90 day warranty, and some negative comments about being a throw-away on some forums. For a few dollars more, I can get an Innova 3130 with the same features and more, plus a 1 year warranty, from many sources (Walmart, Amazon, and others) on the internet, and from autoparts sources (higher prices) nationwide. Or the Sears Craftsman eqiuvalent, a rebadged 3130, with a 2 year warranty (it's a Craftsman!) for $145 thru yesterday (just missed it). Concerning the Snap-On $5k tool: great tool,can't afford one, but can use one for free at my bud's home/shop. But, I wouldn't borrow it, though I could, for use on other friends or family's cars on my own.Plus, a 100+ mile roundtrip to do so.

 

Here's how I do it: https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/hhr-ss-45/my-roll-your-own-performance-display-28807/
I think the bluetooth OBD-II interface was $50-$60. Then I found some free/cheap scaner software and run it on my netbook. You could get a wired USB interface too.

I can read codes, clear them, get live data, design gauges, run dyno and quarter mile tests. Lots of fun really.

 

Just as I was about to buy a scanner to use on my "fleet" of vehicles, I switched gears, and got obsessed on another project that drew my attention (and time, and money) away from my cars. I built a modified "teardrop" trailer (more accurately called a hopper/simple...trailer terminology), and found myself neglecting my vehicles a little. I took this week off work, to work on my HHR, if time permitted, and for my wife's surgery (I guess I should've listed that first...). Some problem "lights"s have popped up lately on my HHR and GMC, that come and go, and I am in the hunt for a scanner again (having completed my trailer build). So has anything come along better than the scanners discussed two years ago? Another thing I'm going to get is a "tablet": to hold data, pictures, videos, and whatever, so I need not get a "smartphone" in lieu of my Rugby 2 flip-phone (indestructible...I've done everything to try) that I will probably never replace. I don't want to carry my big (expensive) laptop everywhere, or especially into the garage (or under the shadetree) as I work on the vehicles, so I wonder if a "tablet" (which I, as relatively naïve computer tech newby) would be usable to help the "plug-in" type of interfaces Jeff mentioned two years ago. Or should I just go back to the stand-alone scanner idea? Any updates?

 

If the tablet has BlueTooth Elm327 should work, I think that Torque works on tablets (Android). Elm327 units are also available in USB.

BlueTooth units can be challenging to use. The ELM327 units are touch & go they seem to have a 50% failure rate from the factory, so be sure the vendor will replace the item free incl. shipping.

 

If you decide to spend more that $200 then I would recommend buying the software and cable from AutoEnginuity. I have used it since 2003 and it reads EVERYTHING. I found the HHR (and wife's Caddy) have over 17,000 data points and sensors and will display everything. You can set it to monitor what you need to watch and drive a bit to see what happens. The shop that worked on my wife's Caddy switched from their hand held machine to the laptop based unit once I showed them how it worked.