allan 295 Report post Posted November 26, 2012 Wish to get opinions on vehicle scanners and what people have and what is considered good value for money. As it is becoming more difficult to do anything without one on bmw's these days. Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) Wish to get opinions on vehicle scanners and what people have and what is considered good value for money. As it is becoming more difficult to do anything without one on bmw's these days. Thanks It depends what you want to do, and how much you want to spend. for basic stuff, and quite a few neat things, get BMW Scanner 1.4.0. It lets you fit used modules too - I upgraded my LCM to allow me to turn off cold checks on the LED angel bulbs. It lets you change the VIN to match the car, and change the mileage to match the car. The BMW software doesn't do that. The BMW software does have its advantages though - you can do all the stuff the dealer could. It code/programs modules based on the cars original build etc, and loads up the correct software etc (although you may have to get the latest DATEN files from the net, for the models you're working on). I've got both (and then some!). When I fitted the used LCM, it was from an '06 X5, so I used BMW Scanner 1.4.0 to change the Vin and mileage on the module, then used NCS Expert (from the BMW software) to "code" it to the car. I then changed some settings using BMW Scanner AND NCS Expert (changed the litres between oil changes, set the indicator to flash when locking and unlocking, set angel eyes to blink with indicators, set hazard lights to double flash, turned of the cold checks mentioned above, set the settings for my OEM xenon retrofit kit, etc). If you're going to get into really deep stuff (like you might be doing on your project!), it pays to invest in a power supply to keep the car powered up - you can have issues if the battery goes flat part way through - I'm sure you can imagine! I think BMW says a 20 or 40 amp, I've so far used a 13.8V 10A supply and not had issues, but It's still not what is recommended. PM me if you want some good sources. The guy I got the BMW software off, I know from another forum, and he's reliable, and trustworthy - maybe not the cheapest, but it's good gear and he's a good guy - will help out if there's problems, and is english, so easy enough to communicate with. It's about $80, plus the 16 pin OBDII to BMW 20 pin adapter if you require it (He charges about $50 for it, but there are cheaper ones available). The BMW Scanner 1.4.0 is from a Chinese website, it's cheap and it works, just takes a little while to arrive. It's about $42 (although you can buy it on Trademe for $150 Edited November 26, 2012 by Allanw Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
