Review on 🚗 ANCEL BD300 Bluetooth BMW/Mini OBD1 OBD2 Scanner: Read/Erase Error Codes, Reset Services & Enhance Diagnostic Experience by Alex Britton

I've been using cheap ELM327 scanners for a long time with apps like Torque (Android) and Car Scanner (iOS) and dedicated OBDII portable diagnostic tools. They've worked really well for me over the years and do a pretty good job of reading basic OBDII diagnostics and real-time status information. My BMW E46 is almost 20 years old and has a lot of separate "private" subsystems that I just couldn't access without dealer diagnostic tools. So far it has been like this. I was quite skeptical about this tool at first because not only does it look like one of those generic OBDII adapters you find everywhere, it also only works with a dedicated app. However, there are a few clues that suggest it could be something more. First of all, this is not a regular ELM327 but a more sophisticated device that actually has upgradeable firmware with software support for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. . This means that there is a considerable development time behind this product. Second, this device is specific to BMW and can communicate with all the different CAN bus subsystems in the vehicle. This is a higher level of complexity and requires additional hardware to gain access. The setup was trivial. I installed and launched an iOS app from the App Store and gave the app permission to access Bluetooth. It immediately begins searching for the tool and connects within seconds of turning on the vehicle. If it doesn't connect to the device after about 30 seconds, you'll be taken to a detailed connection guide that will walk you through the entire process. This app has tons of features with nifty menus and animated transitions. The primary diagnostic functions are extensive and include standard OBDII diagnostics, battery registration, ETC reset, brake pad replacement, service light reset and BMW diagnostics. The OBDII functions are pretty standard but this app presents them in a very convenient way. There is an automatic self-test that simply reads and reports all standard OBDII error displays. You can search for individual trouble codes, read the live data stream and open a customizable toolbar (e.g. Torque Pro) to quickly view real-time information. You can access freeze frame information (information obtained when the DTC is written), view pending codes as well as active codes, check your O2 sensors and onboard monitors, etc. There is also a "performance test" that is in progress an acceleration and a stop. Tests, trip recording and more. At BMW Special Diagnostics, this tool really shines. When you start, you must first enter the make, model and equipment of your car, after which the device will establish a connection. There are few functions - system scan, which allows you to "quickly" or "deep" check the system, extract information from each subsystem, special functions that provide a more detailed version of the service indicator reset and ETC reset functions are, and manual selection, which allows you to delve into individual subsystems. There are literally dozens of different subsystems in these cars and mine initially reported around 48 different trouble codes. As you browse them, you can click on them, which will bring up a Google search that will help you find the information you need very quickly. In my case, I was recognizing codes from previous maintenance activities such as battery changes, suspension work, etc., as well as codes related to my buggy behavior (e.g. my passenger mirror not returning to the correct position). The best part is that you can use it to clear the codes for individual subsystems - I've cleared the codes for all things I've detected but left the codes for problems I know exist. That's cool! There are some other help features like a feedback tool, a help center with basic information and procedures, a "member center" inbox (don't know, haven't used it), a flashlight and settings where you can find the app configuration and Device settings, including firmware updates and a way to limit the app to a specific device, which can be useful if you use multiple of them in the store. I absolutely love this gadget as I just wanted to replace the lost scan tool. I wasn't expecting so much information or opportunities. It costs about twice as much as my previous "high-end budget" tool, but it's worth it in my opinion. Highly recommended.