Found this at the local hardware. Not sure if the best product for my ageing X202? Should I spend some more and look for a better unit?
Any advice appreciated!

 

It's probably very basic, engine-only.

What do you actually want to do as there are existing posts which you could use to decide what to buy...

 

Well, who wouldn't want to be able to do everything a workshop can do, but that's not a commercial reality!

I have read all the posts but little sunk in as I'm a complete novice when it comes to readers, never used one. Also I'm just realising that there's a myriad of different versions. Myriad of different prices too, up to $4,500!
The domestic market also has unique local variants, different to the US and Europe etc...
Ideally one of the the locals may have an insight into the best local brands or I may just have to (read the posts again!) buy form OS.

Cheers,

 

The below site seems like a reasonable review of some of the products on offer.
Not sure how independent the reviews are?

https://obd2pros.com/scanners/jaguar/

 

Quite a few of the members here and on the GB forum use one of the models from the iCarsoft line. I personally have the LR-II, which is a pretty capable unit; it is capable of detecting which of your parking sensors has failed, for example.

 

I'd avoid review sites if what you want is for the S-Type - e.g. just grab one of the above.

 

I enjoy an Amazon type Bluetooth ODB2 transmitter to a freeware app for most of my interfacing across all my cars. I often check my fuel trims while driving. Can clear basic codes right from the phone. $20 will do it. More advanced codes in other modules such as ABS, I use an iCarsoft.

 

Although it's advertised as a "scan tool", that's a bit deceptive. It appears to be a very basic code reader and not a scanner at all. A true scanner is so much more useful for troubleshooting. It does all code reader functions, plus can show and record live data. Fuel trims, for example, are extremely helpful when chasing a vacuum leak. Live fuel pressure is the cat's meow when diagnosing a suspect fuel pump, and so on.

The extra capability of a true scanner is a bargain, as a basic scanner is not much more expensive than a simple code reader. I have a Bluedriver scanner myself. It has a small doohickey that I leave connected to the OBD port. It talks to my iPhone via a Bluetooth connection. I'm not especially impressed with this particular brand (clunky interface), but there are plenty of similar models out there at a very reasonable price. I think I paid about $60 maybe 3 years ago.

This model is generic OBD II only. It won't access ABS codes and stuff like that.

 

"Doohicky," Karl? Do they have doohickys in the Land Down Under, or perhaps merely "thingamabobs"? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

Gents, some great replies. Many thanks. Put me in the picture a lot more!

You Yanks make me laugh, some great slang!
No, while standing upside down here we're not know to throw around the term "doohicky'. My pet Tasmanian Tiger wouldn't know what I'm talking about. May think I may want to give him a 'love-bite' (in Australian slang: 'hickey').
'Thingamabob' I may've heard bandied around now and then but I think we've *******ised that term a bit and came up with the similar - 'thing-a-ma-jig'.

 

In England we use "whatjama-call-it", wotnot or oojimaflip. The late, great, Terry Pratchett invented a tool called a three-eighths gripley. I've been trying to get hold of one of them for years without success! I think it may be similar to a twiddly-bit but with a rotary-valved side-angled sparge arm, but don't quote me on that. I have heard many Brits refer, usually in a loud voice, to a "copulating-fatherless-child-thing". But of course we're not allowed to use language like that on here, and quite rightly so!
Surprisingly, it is not easy to find authoritative definitions of these terms. Perhaps it would be worth bringing to the attention of the Oxford Dictionary people.

 

Classic comment. Best laugh I had all week!