I know this has been discussed before, but I am a relative curmudgeon when it comes to computers. I have Apple phone and iPad, and want to get a plug-in OBD device that actually works and tells me the important stuff. I don’t even care if it’s not Bluetooth, but these days, with downloadable apps, that would seem the obvious choice.
I seen cheap-and-nasty here for about 20 USD, but I don’t mind spending a reasonable amount on something good.

Wat have you all found that works?

I mainly want to see what my MAF is doing as I change things - I want to see if I get close to its max. Andy stated that LNA1620AA, the XJR MAF, maxs out at 1018kg/hr. I don’t even know if OBD devices will give that unit or if I’ll need to convert units.

Thanks in advance...

 

I use a ScanTool OBDLink LX. It is Bluetooth. It works with devices on Android operating system, but ScanTool also make the OBDLink MX which works with iOS.

 

As a fellow resident of the UK, will this scanner support a 95 XJ with no issues?

 

I believe you are limited to wireless rather than bluetooth with Apple. But I may be wrong.
I've had a succession of Chinese clones elm 327 BT adapters that have worked fine with my 95 VDP for awhile. One fine day they'll go batty and I'll order a replacement. After 3 or 4 of those, I thought....why not spend a little more and get the ScanTool 427201 OBDLink LX Bluetooth: OBD Adapter/Diagnostic Scanner for Android & Windows; one of the models recommended by the TorqueApp for Android I use with it? So I did.

I'm comfortably back on the Chinese CLones. the Scantool 427201 is rubbish for the X300 range. Oh, it is great if you want a 10 sec snapshot of what's going on, but then it freezes, stops recording and displaying data and you have to restart the app if you want another 10-15 seconds. And it's not the App. I also tried it with the included software and a Windows tablet. Exact same result. Put the adapter on one of the S-types? or one of the Ford trucks in the stable? No Problems. But the exact same results on both 96's and the 95. It's rubbish.

 

Thanks for the replies
It seems that there is first-gen OBD (which I think our old X300s Re), then OBD II.
Do we need a specific OBD I reader, or do they all ‘cope’ with earlier OBD systems like ours?

 

No, not OBD; They are OBD II compliant, more or less.

 

I have had experience trying the cheap ELM327, BlueDriver and the USB version of OBDLink LX. Would stay away from the ELM327 as after using it a few times, the instrument cluster lights all went crazy and car refused to start when connected. BlueDriver works on my 2005 X350 but not the 1995 XJR, so is the OBDLink LX. First the 1995 is marginally OBD compliant, second iPhone does not have many choices on OBD diagnostic. Having read the long thread in this forum about code readers for Jaguar especially earlier models, I have given up trying them, and am happy with a genuine VCM kit with IDS and SDD, although it does not read the airbag module and only has limited communication ability with the ABS.

I have not tried the OBDLink WiFi and Bluetooth versions for iOS. There are some reviews on Amazon. Maybe the latest versions are doing better than earlier versions, but I think XJR being a 1995 car and the use of an iOS device would compromise the functionality of any scanners of recent make.

 

ThanksQvhk

I understand Bluetooth, but can’t get around how they can now be WiFi - does it mean the OBD device communicates directly with one’s phone/laptop using WiFi frequencies, or do you have to go through your home WiFi network to connect the two? Probably a dumb question...

 

I use the Carly OBD II blue tooth plug since I also play with BMW's. And then use the torque pro app.

Works great.

1995 VDP.

 

... I found this review site...

7 Best OBD2 Software in 2018 and Beyond: Reviewed and Tested

And the 5th product down is OBD AutoDoctor, which they say works well with Macs. They recommend some good OBD devices that work well, and based on their recommendation I have ordered a PLX Devices Kiwi 3, not the cheapest at USD $85, but you gets what ya pays for, as they say

Once it arrives in a week or two, I’ll let you know how it goes...
Thanks for all the advice

 

The first generation of wireless OBD readers use the WiFi protocol which worked very much like Bluetooth. You hook up the reader to the OBD socket, the phone would detect the WiFi signal emitting from the reader and you are connected. Bluetooth device is a later model.

I think there were stability issues in earlier WiFi devices (line dropping, signal weak, draining battery...) and the Bluetooth device is supposedly an upgrade. I believe those that are selling well and keep getting good reviews are the safer bunch, but still, my hesitation is whether they would work as good on our 1995 models as on later models using iOS devices. I have bought three OBD devices after consulting other buyers' review and have now given up. Some device are more powerful or more sensitive than others - it is a matter of the quality of the hardware in particular the electronic material used, compatibility with the car manufacturer's ECU (Jaguar is notorious), and the functionality and user-friendliness of the supporting Apps. You will find that some devices work on some cars (and model years) and not on others. More modern Alfa, Volkswagen, and BMW, for example, are inert to many non-factory readers.

 

As a cheap OBD scanner I can recommend the D900. Not bluetooth and you dont have to bother yourself with apps,etc. Shows everything that's needed.
If you want to see some extra codes that standard OBD scanners wont show - get one of these Delphi DS150E scanners with a PC software and if you want to have everything then get the IDS.

 

I've got Jaguar fault code reader, bought it on E-bay for $30, didn't want to spend too much money on it. And I downloaded a free app from here https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....motordata.obd. Everything works well.