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I did a search on this forum for this title -OBD2 Blluetooth and the latest thread was from 2016.
Surely there is later technology.
What is latest recommendation?
Thanks
Depends on what you're looking to pair it with - if Forscan or Torque Pro, you could check out their webpage and forums as they usually have recommendations on what is latest/greatest.
There are several people here who have done their research recently, hopefully they will chime in and save you the hassle.
Many brands but it's literally all the same **** from China. Get the cheapest one you can find, should be $20 or less. If you want high dollar fancy nonsense get the AE Scantool. Otherwise, especially if you have Android, any OBD2 bluetooth adapter should work exactly the same. What's more important is the software. The free version of Forscan has done everything I have needed, including datalogging.
Some of the cheap ones work yes but I went with the OBD MX from Amazon, always works, auto ON/OFF, faster sampling and USA made and USA support. I also have 2 cheap ones that work on some vehicles but not on all, sometimes the cheap ones like to drop out forcing you to restart the app.
I run live data all the time when I travel. And I use it in my late model TDI to predict regens and watch EGT's, I don't like to shut down if a regen is in progress with EGTs over 1,000 degrees
How often are you guys using these? Geeze. I run mine twice a year when I have an issue. Mine never drops out.
Android head unit runs Torque Pro with a nice looking gauge panel literally any time the truck is running. I'm still learning the quirks of the engine and what is "normal", so I'm interested in seeing it under every condition.
I think my BT adapter was $30, but that was at least 5 years ago. It was the hot ticket for TP at the time, cheapest one that worked - that was when I was using it on a GMC pickup. Works fine on the 7.3, I do get app crashes on startup sometimes but I have no idea if that's the app, the head unit, or the adapter. Since it works flawlessly on my Nexus 7, I'm not sure I'd suspect the adapeter first. YMMV.
I originally bought a cheap Chinese bluetooth module & it has very limited success with Torque pro & when connected to Forscan it just comes up with "cloned device" & doesn’t work, it works fine on newer vehicles but our dinosaurs need the real deal due to running a different protocol.
The OBD2MX works seemlessly.
I plug it into a laptop with Forscan on it. Very happy with the setup, but having a laptop in the front would probably make using it regularly somewhat awkward.
I have the PLX kiwi 2. It's reliable. I bought it for the auto on/off and the long cord so I don't have to reach down to the power button should I need access to it. I also wanted to keep the option open to add EGT, Fuel Pressure, and Coolant temp sensors and modules to run in Torque Pro but never went that route. I'd go with the OBD2MX if I had to buy again. Although, I've been hearing good experiences with the bafx obd2 off amazon too and it's considerably cheaper.
I was tossing between the BAFX and the OBDLINK MX. Just ordered the OBDLINK MX as it appears to be more capable, but I sure liked the price of the BAFX.