Should I purchase a OBD-II Scanner?

When it comes to automotive repair, many people just go to a garage. There’s nothing wrong with getting professional help with this, but what if you could save money? What if you could fix things yourself?

That’s the notion that many are looking into, especially those that are aware that there is a software and diagnostic device that can help with moving forward. That option is known as an on board diagnostics scanner. You can find these by searching for OBD-II scanner, and see what’s available.

If you searched for one of these in any search engine, you’ll find thousands of options come through. Which is the best for you, however? Or rather, should you even buy one?

There are a lot of reasons that make up the definitive, authoritative answer to the question, and it starts with answering a few questions beforehand.

How Old Is Your Vehicle?

The very first thing that you need to consider is the age of your car. How old is your car? Seriously, what make and model do you have, and what year was it made? The reason why this matters so much is simple, some cars cannot be tied to this type of scanner.

The reason why it doesn’t go with every vehicle is because only cars that were made in 1996 and afterwards are compatible with these types of scanners.

Unfortunately, if you have a car that was made before this time frame, and before the EPA mandate, your car may not have the right elements to scan. If you have a car that’s older than 1996, you will not benefit from purchasing this type of scanner, simple as that.

The answer would be, “no”, in regard to whether or not you should buy this.

Do You Want To Fix Your Own Car

Now, there is obviously a curve in regard to car maintenance. There are some things that you can do outright, and some things that require experienced mechanics to work with.

If you want to fix your own car, however, you will find that buying an OBD-II scanner is a good plan. This is a device that will scan your car, and relay data as to whether or not something is wrong.

If you want to fix your own vehicle, this is going to be mandatory, especially if you want to save money in the long term.

Because you’ll be able to scan things outright, you will be able to denote what area needs fixing, and what specific problem is going to need to be addressed.

Something as simple as a spark plug replacement may be needed, and you can’t really know that if you aren’t getting the data that comes from one of these scanners overall.

If you want to go DIY with car maintenance, then yes, it’s worth purchasing.

The Golden Standard Mechanics Are Using Today

Take your modern vehicle to a garage and have a mechanic look at it. You’ll notice that they will use a scanner to lookat the diagnostics of your car.

Even if you were to bring it in and tell someone that you hear something rattling, or you’re driving seems out of whack, the mechanic you choose to go with will hook up an OBD tool to scan the interface that runs your car.

Once they hook things up, within seconds, they’ll know exactly what is wrong, and how to fix it. The modern vehicles that were put together after 1996 have an interface that is easier to work with, but still requires professional assistance at times.

The golden standard today is that of the OBD-II protocol. Scanners that use this will be able to give you a great deal of information. By simply investing in this option, you’ll have the same type of device that professionals utilize, and that’s a good thing.

Proprietary Manufacturer Devices

Your vehicle has authorized repair people. There are some mechanics that only fix certain makes and models, and are certified to service specific manufacturer’s vehicles.

With that in mind, you’ll find that they will have specific devices that only work with proprietary codes. Those devices are available to the general public, but they cost a great deal of money.

You’ll need to spend a little more to get your hands on these, but they will help you fix specific problems that are common with your car.

It’s going to be something that you will no doubt want to explore, especially if you want to have the same thing that your local dealership is going to use to diagnose and fix your car.

Saving Money By Making Small Fixes

Moving forward, if you’re not sure whether or not you should be purchasing a scanner, you’ll need to consider the costs associated with vehicle repair. A simple repair could run you several hundreds of dollars.

Changing out spark plugs, wires, and things along those lines could cripple your budget. Finding yourself paying for these can be tough, and saving money to get the money together to fix these issues is not advantageous.

If you do not address certain issues quickly, you will find yourself paying thousands as they could cause larger problems overall. In order to save money, you’ll need to make small fixes today.

Saving money with a good OBD-II scanner will be simple, because you’ll know issues before they become bigger, and you can apply a fix long before it becomes too problematic.

Overall, if you’re looking for the definitive, authoritative answer about whether you should purchase a good OBD-II scanner, the answer is, yes. You should have one of these if you have a car that was made in 1996 or later.

By simply having this in hand, you’ll be able to get information about what your car is doing, and whether it needs to be fixed. Sometimes, just having a little information is going to go a long way.

Saving money is easy, when you know what is going on with your car, instead of just guessing whether it’s ok or not.