[Nmelche]

Here is a way to code a lot of what the Carly app can do for free! Thoughts?

[Nickco43]

INPA and NCSExpert blow every dumb dongle away. Well worth the $18 for a cable.

[Nmelche]

Does that include the cost of software?

[GoDores]

He needs to say "um" and smack his lips more. That'd make it way more watchable.

In all seriousness, I may look at the app, since I have that exact OBD dongle sitting around somewhere. But I'm not sure it's going to do anything you couldn't already do with a KCAN cable from a laptop with free INPA/Ediabas/NCSExpert software. And I don't get why he thinks it's okay to use the software and then not pay for a copy, but it's not okay to use the dongle and then return it for a refund.

[BimmerNugget]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

INPA and NCSExpert blow every dumb dongle away. Well worth the $18 for a cable.

Yep! INPA and NCSExpert is awesome. I only paid $15 for my cable and it's the one with the K+D line switch.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

INPA and NCSExpert blow every dumb dongle away. Well worth the $18 for a cable.

Seriously. People will *pay* to be stupid or lazy. You can do MORE than what Carly can for $20 or less, without a vin lock etc. If you don't own a d-can cable and a copy of BMW tools, you're begging to be screwed at a shop.

[desertman123]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Seriously. People will *pay* to be stupid or lazy. You can do MORE than what Carly can for $20 or less, without a vin lock etc. If you don't own a d-can cable and a copy of BMW tools, you're begging to be screwed at a shop.

Originally Posted by Nickco43

INPA and NCSExpert blow every dumb dongle away. Well worth the $18 for a cable.

Oh it's way too expensive for what it can do, but you pay for convenience. Do the new ones have VIN locks? Mine doesn't - I've coded a bunch of friends' cars.

I like mine because I can just keep it in my glove box - I'm not lugging a K+DCAN and a laptop everywhere I go just to read BMW codes. Also it was a gift

And the title is incredibly misleading. There's nothing free about this. The app cost $60 and the bluetooth dongle cost another $60.

[Nmelche]

It’s actually a WiFi dongle that you can get for $15 or less on amazon and the app has a free trial

[Nmelche]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

INPA and NCSExpert blow every dumb dongle away. Well worth the $18 for a cable.

Do you have a link to a good cable?

[Nickco43]

Originally Posted by Nmelche

Do you have a link to a good cable?

All of them work fine unless you are flashing modules with winkfp.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by Nmelche

Do you have a link to a good cable?

Yes. The Bimmer Geeks cable seems to be le câble de choix around here. Easy to find on Google.

I've also used cheaper cables with success, but you can get yourself into trouble with these if you're trying to flash certain modules. In that case, I'd recommend BG cable.

To answer your earlier question about the cost of software: it's $0... Free.

Anyone charging for NCS Expert, Dummy, WinKFP, INPA, etc, are simply profiting off of peoples' ignorance. Don't pay a dollar for any of these.

[Beensoe]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Seriously. People will *pay* to be stupid or lazy. You can do MORE than what Carly can for $20 or less, without a vin lock etc. If you don't own a d-can cable and a copy of BMW tools, you're begging to be screwed at a shop.

So I to was about to drop the cash on Carly tomorrow what should I do can someone please shoot me a link to the cable and website

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by Beensoe

So I to was about to drop the cash on Carly tomorrow what should I do can someone please shoot me a link to the cable and website

Lots of Google-able info can be found in my last post in this thread, but since I’m nice and like to help, here is the link

https://www.bimmergeeks.net/product-...eeks-pro-cable

IMO, it’s worth the $45. Yes there are cheaper cables out there that will work, but in my case I had planned to flash modules that don’t play nice with the cheaper cables. The BG cable was confirmed to work for what I needed (VGS for GM transmission) so that’s what I got.

Bimmer Geeks also have available for (free) download most of the software that’s been discussed in this thread. There are some very good guides to get you started; just search the web for coding 101 and you’ll find what you need.

If at the end of the day you value convenience and an easier-to-use interface more than power and versatility, then perhaps Carly is still the better option for you.

Best of luck!

Edit: And if all you’re looking to do is code and not flash modules, then the ~$20 cables others have mentioned should be just fine.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Beensoe

So I to was about to drop the cash on Carly tomorrow what should I do can someone please shoot me a link to the cable and website

you should wait until the bimmergeeks wireless dongle and app are ready.

it's in beta right meow.
the dongle will be like $40, cheaper than carly, and AFIAK no yearly subscription fee, like carly.

[Bali]

Originally Posted by Nmelche

It’s actually a WiFi dongle that you can get for $15 or less on amazon and the app has a free trial

The Carly WiFi gen2 dongle is not the same as the typical ELM327 WiFi dongle you get from ebay, Amazon, etc. I have several of those cheap WiFi dongles (as well as the Carly one) and none worked with the Carly app (except the Carly one).

[Nmelche]

Originally Posted by BaliDawg

The Carly WiFi gen2 dongle is not the same as the typical ELM327 WiFi dongle you get from ebay, Amazon, etc. I have several of those cheap WiFi dongles (as well as the Carly one) and none worked with the Carly app (except the Carly one).

The one I have was a cheap amazon one and it works perfectly with Carly.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Nmelche

The one I have was a cheap amazon one and it works perfectly with Carly.

until you try and do coding things.

then carly is gonna bitch and tell you to buy their dongle when you hit the idrive stuff.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by desertman123

I'm not lugging a K+DCAN and a laptop everywhere I go just to read BMW codes.

With the mileage on my car, that's exactly what I do. I have an old heavy laptop that takes forever to boot and isn't useful for much else, however it runs INPA just fine and has successfully coded my E90 using the bimmergeeks cable. Speaking of that, the cable looks the same as the ones that are 1/3 the price on Amazon/Ebay, however I felt it was worth the extra cost for one that's proven and tested.

[hassmaschine]

it's not the same - the firmware is different. If you try to flash certain modules with a generic cable, it sends corrupt data that *will* brick them (MSS60/65, certain transmissions, etc).

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

With the mileage on my car, that's exactly what I do. I have an old heavy laptop that takes forever to boot and isn't useful for much else, however it runs INPA just fine and has successfully coded my E90 using the bimmergeeks cable. Speaking of that, the cable looks the same as the ones that are 1/3 the price on Amazon/Ebay, however I felt it was worth the extra cost for one that's proven and tested.

I have an inpa laptop as well.

it's way more convenient that I have it in my phone. That said, I bought before it was a subscription. Not sure I'd cough up $50 a year for it.

[JonEQuest]

What is a INPA laptop? I have an old Windows XP laptop I use to mess with my 2014 Tundra and it works fine with the cable I bought off e-Bay. Will the android phone app do the same things?

[BravoJohny33]

Originally Posted by JonEQuest

What is a INPA laptop? I have an old Windows XP laptop I use to mess with my 2014 Tundra and it works fine with the cable I bought off e-Bay. Will the android phone app do the same things?

INPA and NCSExpert a million times better than any android app.