Product Reviews or Recomendations??

Hello all,
Dumb question here, is it ok to ask for product reviews / experiences / recommendations here in this forum??

The world of bi directional tools is appearing to be somewhat of a black art or magic that nobody is talking about much other than to sell a product to you, and those products are appearing to be increasingly expensive and niche oriented to specific manufactures as well as apparently more and more required to repair sophisticated systems.

I have been looking for a scan tool for "diy" / limited use so I hate to sink a fortune into it at least right off the bat.

I already have a NEXIQ comm adapter that I used with CAT ET software, my question now is has anybody used the NEXIQ with the OBD2 dongle and the NEXIQ eTechnician software, I'm currently working on a 2012 Duramax which appears on their list of supported vehicles, just wondering if its worth fooling with third party stuff or if I should bite the bullet and buy an mdi2 and Tech2Win software which is all GM based.

Thanks

The comm adapter I have already, but need to get the proper dongle for
www.nexiq.com/Product/Detail/125032

The NEXIQ software I'm wondering about
www.nexiq.com/Product/Detail/856000

The current GM comm adapter
sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=5569

The software based version og the previous GM Handheld Tech 2 scanner
sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=4050

I think you can use the nexiq as a J2534 device and then use Tech2Win as a tech2 which would give you factory tooling. Unless the duramax you are working on is new then you need GDS2

Well whether you use Tech2Win or GDS2 you'll need an MDI. There's already an MDI2 so maybe you can find the 1st generation for a good price.

gav09 wrote: I think you can use the nexiq as a J2534 device and then use Tech2Win as a tech2 which would give you factory tooling. Unless the duramax you are working on is new then you need GDS2

gav09
Thanks for the reply, I was actually thinking when I bought the NEXIQ that it would work for this, and went back this morning to double check whether I had bought the OBDII dongle as well, but it appears that I did not so I will be ordering it asap to give this a go.

Thanks for your help
Dan


PS
Here is the basis for my assumption that the 2012 3500 HD Duramax Silverado I'm working with will still be a Tech2 supported vehicle

service.gm.com/userguides/GDS2_Supported_Vehicles.pdf

Looks like a handy chart to have around to tell which lins moved to GDS when

Dylan wrote: Well whether you use Tech2Win or GDS2 you'll need an MDI. There's already an MDI2 so maybe you can find the 1st generation for a good price.

Dylan,
So have you already tried a different comm adapter, or have experience with the Tech2Win software, about whether it will see an available comm adapter other than the mdi / mdi2?

I have not tried the software yet, but I do believe it can be subscribed on a monthly basis so it won't cost a ton to try it, and as I said before I was actually hoping I did already have the OBDII dongle for my NEXIQ but I haven't laid hands on it yet and will probably order one soon if it doesn't turn up quick, there have been a couple of reorganizations of tools and such here since it was purchased so I am still checking drawers, LoL

PS It appears three days will cost 55 bucks, monthly is no deal at all for 225, when a year is 550 bucks


Cross Your fingers
Thanks for your help
Dan

Dylan wrote: Well whether you use Tech2Win or GDS2 you'll need an MDI. There's already an MDI2 so maybe you can find the 1st generation for a good price.[/quote[/b]

Both Tech2 win and GDS2 can be used through a J2534 box for diagnostics and programming.