I was looking around at hand held obd code readers and i stumbled across this site called obdcom.com. The site sells this obdcom cable and software that allows you to use your existing laptop as a diagnostics tool. It seems like a really sweet product to me, but its so much less expensive than e verything else out there that im almost skeptical.

Anyone used this product on our cars? What can you tell me about it?

 

Sounds too good to be true. I'm interested to find out as well.

 

Thats how i feel too, if i dont get any answers in a couple days i may call them and check out the "world class customer service"... If i cant find anything between this forum and the others i frequent im tempted to get one and give it a try... as "too good to be true" as it seems the price seems right if you think of the materials you are getting as a simple cable and computer software....

 

interestingly i just found another similar product in the same price range... maby these are legitimate and just havent caught on yet?

 

obd2 communication is pie, any programmer could figure it out, im sure its legit, just like autotap is legit, but it has more resources

 

From google searching it, obdcom seems relatively new, but nothing negative about it I can find so far. Here is a positive review on it:

http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=122213

So if it is a new venture, I'm thinking biggest risk right now is long term viability of the company for support availability. Lots of new companies come out of the gate hard, but founder later. Software itself looks good.

 

It's only $90 why not? Cheaper than a handheld tuner.

 

There are much cheaper alternatives.

Here's some reading material:

http://www.obd2cables.com/products/o...obd-ii-cables/ (pre-made)
http://www.obd-diag.de/ (DIY w/ parts)
http://www.obddiag.net/allpro.html (DIY w/o parts)

The last site gives you a list of some software programs you can use with the cable, on a diagnostic laptop.

 

OBDCOM diagnostic system.
OBD Connector to USB cable, Software and Manual on CD.

I loaded drivers per e-mail sent with shipping notice. Installed OBDCOM Software from CD. Connected OBDCOM interface to computer USB Port. Windows XP detected the interface and asked to install software for device. Browsed to c:\WINDOWS\inf and windows found drivers for USB device. Repeated last step. Connected OBDCOM interface to Subaru diagnostic port. Ran OBDCOM program per instructions and communicated with car.

OBDCOM diagnostic system listed the DTC Error Code. Looked up code, cleared trouble
Code and reset the check engine light. Saved lots of $$.

Simple to use, gives a lot if information about engine systems.

OBDCOM diagnostic system shipped the next business day after order via Priority Mail.

 

I've been interested in this as well. I'm especially interested in the data logging ability. I could log each drag race pass and get answers for those odd runs where the car runs too fast or too slow.

Any other feedback?

 

O.K., so, I took the plunge and purchased the OBDcom. I ordered it last Wednesday and it arrived on Saturday. I'm just starting to play with it, but so far I'm digging it. I plan to post a more comprehensive review after some more use this weekend. If anyone has any features they would like me to look for in the software, post up and I'll see what I find.