[tim.buckley]

Hi guys, I'm looking for your recommendations for a straight forward code reader please. I want to be able to read codes on my 2007 E90 N53, clear codes etc to save going to see my mechanic who is 8 miles away. I'm not really interested in programming features/upgrades to the car or anything like that.

I have access to a laptop that has built in Bluetooth, or my smartphone is an Android based one (S6).

I don't want to sound cheap, but I don't want to spend anymore than £50 really as I only need basic functionality.

I'd rather take peoples recommendations who have experience rather than potentially order an inferior product.

Thanks in advance.

[AWSAWS]

If you are at all good with computers then getting a copy of Rheingold ISTA-D is briliant. You can get a copy for free and just buy the DCAN OBDII cable for about £30.
The easiest method though will be an app on the phone and a OBDII wifi or bluetooth tool. Like that Carly App. You can read and clear the codes. Monitor parameters etc.

Rheingold can do all the apps can do and more obviously.

[J0K3R5]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1391010

[thesanchez]

I found that buying a decent quality DCAN cable and using INPA worked the best and was the easiest to get working. I wasted time and money on cheap cables and bluetooth adapters etc, none of which worked for me.

[oli3]

If you just want to read and clear codes, the Creator C310 is a best plug-n-play I've used. Very straight forward and inexpensive piece of kit!

Carly for BMW is more expensive and has a lot more bells and wistles. INPA is very technical and you need a good amount of time to set up and get to grips with. I would recommend the Creator.

[hazkirby]

I use a Bluetooth adapter ( 5 quid i think off ebay) and a free app called obd doctor.

Reads and clears codes.

Found and fixed thermostat , vanos and misfire with this kit.

[un1eash]

Torque Pro is really good and only cost a few quid.

[tim.buckley]

I ended up purchasing this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-FAULT-...4AAOSwZKBZIMlt

I have successfully installed it onto a laptop using the DVD provided which includes various software, including INPA. INPA is pretty technical and not user friendly as others have mentioned, so I will need to spend time with it. So far I have managed to read codes in German and clear the codes, but in doing this I have also managed to clear things like average MPG at the same time. I accidentally turned on "Transport Mode" at one point which was a bit of a brown trouser moment lol, all sorted in the end though.

Question - as I now have a working cable is there are software that I can download to the laptop for free or minimal cost to see how much more user friendly it is for basics like reading and clearing error codes?

[oli3]

Find and download Rheingold, it's on the forums here. In a nutshell it's a more user friendly version of INPA, it does everything INPA does and reads and resets codes.

[ccfj1]

Rheingold will also tell you what to check and how to fix problems once they are thrown up.

4.05.31 is the latest version.

[tim.buckley]

Thanks guys.