Ford Focus mk1 onboard diagnostics+trip computer

[Gkikas]

Hello folks.

Would like to know if someone here has bought and used one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Gauge-4-in-1-TurboGauge-IV-Auto-Computer-Scan-Tool-free-shipping-/301972790872?hash=item464efb1e58:g:N1QAAOSwnFZXT~qY . My poor mk1 foci, doesn't have a trip computer, so I am thinking to buy one of these and add it to my car as an adition of a trip computer mostly, cause I would like to see my momentarily mpg. Has anyone here bought one of these and used it in their car for an extended period of time? mk1 focuses have kind of a difficult to pair obd port, and I am kind of afraid that I will buy it and it won't work at last.

 

Looking forward for your replies!

[MickyG1982]

It's a bit OTT on price considering you could get the same information with this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007XPPKVO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?_encoding=UTF8&ie=UTF8&message=&psc=1&riskType=deactivatedCard&successUpdatingPreference=1&updatePaymentsPortalPreferenceSuccess=true

and Torque for Android.

[Gkikas]

What do you mean by OTT on price? I have dont that thing like a mllion times, and I got bored of getting the phone in and out all the time, it tiring af, so I am looking for a more stable instalation, so that I can have it at all times in my car.

[MickyG1982]

I mean it's expensive for what it does.

Over The Top.

Torque has exactly the same functionality (plus a shed load more) with it & a bluetooth adapter that plugs into the same port, costs £10 or less.

By all means go for it, it does it's job, it just costs more than it should for what it gives you.

[Gkikas]

24 minutes ago, MickyG1982 said:

I mean it's expensive for what it does.

Over The Top.

Torque has exactly the same functionality (plus a shed load more) with it & a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the same port, costs £10 or less.

By all means go for it, it does it's job, it just costs more than it should for what it gives you.

Ok then so it should be compatible. I am probably going to buy it, I got bored of getting in and out my phone all the time :(

[MickyG1982]

The simple fact is;

I wouldn't.

An old phone could be Velcro'd to the dashboard have an app (torque) that costs £2-3 running on it connected up to a bluetooth OBDIIport and have exactly the same functionality as the system you are looking at for a fraction of the cost.

[Gkikas]

4 minutes ago, MickyG1982 said:

The simple fact is;

I wouldn't.

An old phone could be Velcro'd to the dashboard have an app (torque) that costs £2-3 running on it connected up to a bluetooth OBDIIport and have exactly the same functionality as the system you are looking at for a fraction of the cost.

I don't know if you've used this method for a long time (I have), but let me tell you some of the faults but keep in mind I was using my personal phone.

1) Everytime I had to plug it in and unplug it, and the battery gets severly drained (trust me bluetooth eats loads of battery) so lets say the donor phone has to be either hardwired in the car or pluged in and out everytime is nearly at the dead point.

2) I used to mount it on a suction thingy on the windscreen, had to unmount it everytime and it goes on and on.

3) I live in Greece, and even if I was living somewhere else, I wouldn't like a phone to be there when I am not in the car, cause of theft reasons.

4) Phones tend to get hot when you use them extensively, and especially when you have a phone exposed in the sun, you don't even know what will happen (has happened to me, my phone got turned off cause of the heat!).

5) The app itself is very nice, but it has some issues, like I used to have faulse readings every once in a while.

6) I don't have an old phone I usueally give them to my parents :D

 

I can't think of anything else right now, but I am telling you it isn't so convenient. Plus I don't know I didn't like the idea of having a chinese manufactured device that costs 10€ plugged in my ecu day and night.