Okay so Christmas is here... What is the near consensus OBDII tool everyone uses for their XK8/XKR?

I've seen quite a few remote ones that you can pair to your smartphone via bluetooth and WiFi?

What says the forum?

 

I use the iCarsoft i930 available through amazon.com. I ordered it in February and it has already paid for itself on both of our Jaguars. Just be certain that the source you order it from has a generous return policy because it does not communicate with all of the various models it claims to be able to, and iCarsoft's "customer support" is laughably nonexistent....

 

There seem to be 4 options:

1. ELM327-based BlueTooth/Wifi dongle
   
   This probably barely qualifies as a gift, it can be had for downright cheap. It is a generic scan tool that supports ALL X100 hardware data protocols. It is usually paired up with Torque Pro on Android. TP is unfortunately not aware of any specifics for our cars, much less any of the procedures, but it is very good at dealing with whatever standard OBDII messages are advertised on the X100 (think RPM, fuel trim, intake temp, etc.). Even if you are thinking of getting something else, get this one anyway. It is the best bang for the buck by far.
   
   
2. Generic OBDII handheld scanner
   
   Not sure why anyone would want these anymore, but these are handheld scanners that support basic OBDII functions. At best, only standard functions are supported, but they work all the time, do not need a phone, and can be loaned to a friend. Probably best to scan and reset emission-related problems. FWIW, the X100 implements standard OBDII over the ISO9141 protocol only, so there is no need for CAN, really.
   
   
3. Jaguar/Land Rover scanner
   
   As other have or will point out, there are OBDII handheld scanners out there that claim to have been supplemented with Jaguar/Land Rover-specific code. As usual, the claims are big for a brand, but the specifics are thin for a specific model (forum members can definitely provide guidance, here). The short version is that you can more than likely scan/reset all modules for faults (think ABS, airbag, etc.), beyond standard OBDII, but the more advanced function will still be out of reach (adding keys, etc.).
   
   
4. "Factory" tool
   
   Apparently, the "factory" software tools can be obtained through some online vendors. They are meant to run on a PC laptop, and communicate with the car through a USB cable. As they were meant to run under older operating systems, a number of technical hurdles have to be overcome to run them on modern hardware. These tools are reputedly only friendly to folks having received the official training, but supply just about all the functions a dealer can perform (the exception being the re-flashing of control modules with new code). I understand they can reset the transmission adaptations, add transponder keys, etc. From memory, folks have even posted charts of the resistance value of the tilt sensor in the steering column, pretty detailed stuff, because this software "knows" all there is to know about all the bus messages.
   

There you have it. Let us know what you find under the tree.