Actron scanners

[Dave928]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

It actually works the other way; Durametric can do things on a 986 that no current Actron can even see. Only problem is that the Durametric only works on Porsche's, while Actron's work on anything............

the problem with Durametric is that unlike Vag-Com for VW's, the Durametric is limited to 3 cars unless you want to pay the BIG shop price. and it doesn't do near what Vag-Com does. just like most things for Porsches, it's overpriced simply because it is for Porsches. it's really not much better than a stand-alone scan tool.

Vag-Com can check everyone's car, all day long. and there's a lot more VW's on the road than porsches.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by Dave928

the problem with Durametric is that unlike Vag-Com for VW's, the Durametric is limited to 3 cars unless you want to pay the BIG shop price. and it doesn't do near what Vag-Com does. just like most things for Porsches, it's overpriced simply because it is for Porsches. it's really not much better than a stand-alone scan tool.

Vag-Com can check everyone's car, all day long. and there's a lot more VW's on the road than porsches.

That may be true, but what good is a Vag-Com on a Porsche?

[Mark_T]

Cool. When I saw JFP saying that he used an Actron and a Durametric it got me to wondering if there was a reason to need both. I'll likely go with the Durametric - they seem to come up used with two VIN's left over often enough.

One thing I want it for is to turn on my outside temp display (and perhaps do the OBC hack). I understand that the latest version of the Durametric software will do this. Just activating the OBC looks like a very simple thing to do, but when I asked about having it done at the dealership, the goomba's consulted with the trained monkeys and informed me that because this was an American car the procedure would rank right up there with brain surgery on a difficulty scale and that the cost would be similarly high (Which in monkey-speak means "we don't know how and we don't wanna learn"). They suggested flinging poo at it.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by Mark_T

Cool. When I saw JFP saying that he used an Actron and a Durametric it got me to wondering if there was a reason to need both. I'll likely go with the Durametric - they seem to come up used with two VIN's left over often enough.

One thing I want it for is to turn on my outside temp display (and perhaps do the OBC hack). I understand that the latest version of the Durametric software will do this. Just activating the OBC looks like a very simple thing to do, but when I asked about having it done at the dealership, the goomba's consulted with the trained monkeys and informed me that because this was an American car the procedure would rank right up there with brain surgery on a difficulty scale and that the cost would be similarly high (Which in monkey-speak means "we don't know how and we don't wanna learn"). They suggested flinging poo at it.

You better double check with Durametric before buying it. They have had trouble turning on OBC and Temp display depending on model year Boxster.

[stateofidleness]

I use the cheapest Actron (the small one) and keep it in the car with me. In the winter, I was throwing CEL's a lot (I'm thinking due to coil packs getting wet and causing a misfire) so I would just pull the code and reset it.

The more expensive one (which my friend has) can pull the fuel trims and stuff which is awfully handy, but I couldn't see spending that much for the next bigger model

I'm happy with the small one!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Dave928

the problem with Durametric is that unlike Vag-Com for VW's, the Durametric is limited to 3 cars unless you want to pay the BIG shop price. and it doesn't do near what Vag-Com does. just like most things for Porsches, it's overpriced simply because it is for Porsches. it's really not much better than a stand-alone scan tool.

Vag-Com can check everyone's car, all day long. and there's a lot more VW's on the road than porsches.

Ummmmm..........From Ross-Tech's (the creators of Vag-Com) web site:

“Porsche: Although Porsche now owns more than 50% of Volkswagen AG, Porsche still does diagnostics quite differently than VW and VCDS does not do OEM diagnostics on most Porsche system. However, we've heard good things about Durametric's Diagnostic Tool for Porsche.”

So it won’t do quite every car……………

[Dave928]

every volkswagen. jesus christ.

[yimmy149]

"Vag-Com" sounds like it's mean for diagnosing lady problems to me.

The Durametric beta was not able to turn on the OBC on my 2001 S. It did make some changes to the cluster, as the back lights now stay on for 10 minutes after I leave the car, and I have a key in ignition & headlight gong.

We see that your instrument cluster unit accepts the commands Durametric sends successfully, but the unit does not make the coding change required to enable the OBC. This is the reason the unit says OBC is already disabled when you try to disable it.

It is our belief it is due to the hardware installation, or possibly due to another coding option that causes a conflict with the changes required on the instrument cluster. We recommend looking back over the your hardware connections to be sure everything is in place. When the instrument cluster unit is ready, the coding command sent to it by Durametric will be successful.

Considering the OBC stalk is just a four position switch, I don't think it's a wiring issue. I have a fairly fast laptop and find the beta 6 software to be painfully slow, but maybe they just have extra debugging code enabled right now.

-james