Recommend a car code reader thingy for around $100 please!

[blurredvision]

I know nothing about cars, so sorry for the common-man slang.

Looking for a Christmas gift for the father in-law, and he doesn't have a car code reader, so a few of us was going to pitch in for one. I've seen these before for around $100, but I don't know anything about them.

So, recommendations for one around this price range? Or are the ones in this range just pure shit?

Thanks a lot!!

EDIT: I will go as high as $125, so if it's above that price, don't even bother trying to upsell me.

 

[SoulAssassin]

This is probably the last thing you want to hear but why not just go to autozone where they do it for free? I have a wrangler I beat up all the time and I'm always breaking something on it and I just take it to autozone if the CEL comes on.

A buddy of mine has this one you can get for <$100. IMHO, the big feature to look for is making sure it not only gives you the code but the description too. It's a PITA to get the code and then have to go look it up.

http://store.summitracing.com/...il.asp?part=sun-cp9135

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
This is probably the last thing you want to hear but why not just go to autozone where they do it for free?

Because my father-in-law is a car guy and has wanted one of these for a while. Plus, he's always working on other people's car for them and stuff, so it only makes sense for him to own one.

And thanks for the suggestion, I saw some of the Actron readers over at Amazon and saw one that showed the description along with the code.

 

[dud]

Go to ebay and search for "OBD II scanner". You will find many models for less then $100. I bought mine there for $69 and it has saved me a lot of grief and aggravation.

Good luck ...

 

[Vette73]

If you want a basic one then just go to eBay or harbor freight. Should be able to get one for $50 or less.

Now if you want something that can see real time what the sensors are doing then get the software and cable and install on a laptop or Palm.


From HF...


Basic $45

Mid-level $80

Higher End $130


They go on sale all the time so these are the normal prices.

 

[blurredvision]

Thanks a lot guys. I found one on Amazon, and will probably pick it up since it has pretty good reviews. It's also pretty similar in features and price as the mid-level scanner that Marlin posted.

My father-in-law has previously expressed interest in getting one of the packages that has a laptop and scanner/software all bundled together that Marlin mentioned, but he doesn't know the first thing about computers, and I'm not spending that much money . He's definitely an old-school mechanic type, and actually dislikes working on newer cars, but even he realizes that he needs to change with the times, and this scanner is a first step. He's been frustrated before working on newer cars, because sometimes he can't figure out what's wrong, so this scanner should help sometimes.

 

[evident]

scangauge II

 

[amdhunter]

Is it possible to actually damage your car with one of those? (like hit the wrong button and format the car?) lol

 

[joutlaw]

Do they make any cheap readers that can read ABS codes?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: amdhunter
Is it possible to actually damage your car with one of those? (like hit the wrong button and format the car?) lol

they are readers...really the only write action you can do is clear the CEL/MIL

 

[bamx2]

A good deal is one of those ELM scanners you connect to a laptop . Google for ELM OBDII .

 

[thomsbrain]

The scangauge II is great if he also wants to be able to use it for MPG or other gauge readings on top of just scanning codes.