Those car analyzing under the dash thingies on TV?
Hina said
05:48 PM May 29, 2012
Has anyone bought/used one of those car analyzers they were advertising on TV, and if so, what are they called? I am almost ready to buy a tow vehicle, but with used truck prices these days, I want my 5 figure investment to be as solid as possible. Thanks!
Jane
The Bear II said
06:37 PM May 29, 2012
Your best bet is to take the vehicle to a trusted mechanic and have them look it over. The OBD doesn't keep track of everything...mostly just sensors. Oil leaks, overheating, bad transmission or other problems not tracked by a sensor won't show up.
However, if you have the confidence to do it yourself......
A better purchase or rental would be an On Board Diagnostics (OBD II) reader available where auto parts and tools are sold.
These are similar to what you have seen on TV but like what the auto dealer service department uses. They are a lot more detailed in diagnosing problems. You can rent them or take the vehicle to some of the auto parts stores and they will use theirs to see if anything is wrong.
Keep in mind it will only display codes that have bee stored in the On Board Computer memory. If the codes have been deleted due to age or repair, you won't see a history. So you won't have a complete picture of the health of the vehicle. Ask to see service records. If the vehicle has been maintained on a regular basis and no big problems show up (engine rebuild, transmission replaced, wreck...etc) Have a mechanic confirm it's a good buy.
Hina said
01:17 PM May 31, 2012
Thanks for your help! With a tow vehicle, I think some really important things would be the condition of the drive train and transmission, and those analyzer thingys wouldn't do that.
Hey, any suggestions on a 3/4 ton? I've noticed some older Chevy 2500 diesel SUVs, any opinions? Anyone driving a diesel SUV, and what's up with it?
Jane
-- Edited by Hina on Thursday 31st of May 2012 01:19:46 PM
MikeH said
06:56 PM May 31, 2012
Yeah, if you aren't mechanically minded then take it to a mechanic. The analyzer just tells you the code, it doesn't say your oil need changed or your tires are low on air.
53 Merc said
07:19 PM May 31, 2012
You can purchase condition analyzers that plug into the OBDII port. Several companies make them, several of them are programmable to enhance performance and can be set to monitor different data points. Edge makes one, and there are many more out there. Some of them run a couple of hundred dollars (some a lot more). Tire pressure ain't one of the data points, for that you gotta go to a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) unless you have a new rig. I think the Escalade has that installed from the factory. A lot of the autos have all the gee-whizbang stuff already on them.
Racerguy said
10:26 PM May 31, 2012
As far as the drive train goes regular maintenance will be your best friend.That includes ALL fluids including anti-freeze and all filters.If you have an automatic transmission I also suggest a manual temperature gauge to monitor it.
The Junkman said
02:43 PM Aug 10, 2014
Yea.. don't do the scanner.. useless unless you can diagnose a car.. and if you could, you wouldn't be asking.
Maintenance records, and spend money on a Honest / good mechanic ..
Has anyone bought/used one of those car analyzers they were advertising on TV, and if so, what are they called? I am almost ready to buy a tow vehicle, but with used truck prices these days, I want my 5 figure investment to be as solid as possible. Thanks!
Jane
However, if you have the confidence to do it yourself......
A better purchase or rental would be an On Board Diagnostics (OBD II) reader available where auto parts and tools are sold.
These are similar to what you have seen on TV but like what the auto dealer service department uses. They are a lot more detailed in diagnosing problems. You can rent them or take the vehicle to some of the auto parts stores and they will use theirs to see if anything is wrong.
Keep in mind it will only display codes that have bee stored in the On Board Computer memory. If the codes have been deleted due to age or repair, you won't see a history. So you won't have a complete picture of the health of the vehicle. Ask to see service records. If the vehicle has been maintained on a regular basis and no big problems show up (engine rebuild, transmission replaced, wreck...etc) Have a mechanic confirm it's a good buy.
Thanks for your help!
With a tow vehicle, I think some really important things would be the condition of the drive train and transmission, and those analyzer thingys wouldn't do that. 
Hey, any suggestions on a 3/4 ton? I've noticed some older Chevy 2500 diesel SUVs, any opinions? Anyone driving a diesel SUV, and what's up with it?
Jane
-- Edited by Hina on Thursday 31st of May 2012 01:19:46 PM
Maintenance records, and spend money on a Honest / good mechanic ..