Interest in diagnostic laptops?

[Perfectjake]

Thinking about putting a package together, with laptop loaded with XP, leads and INPA/ncs expert for diagnostic purposes. All setup so you just need to plug it in and it works.

Thinking prices between £100-150, maybe even less depending on laptop pricing/availability.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

note: Sorry if post is in the wrong section, please move if needed.

 

[Jack Ratt]

Could be worth a punt at that price

For pre facelift cars you will need an old type laptop with RS232 port to read all of the modules, eg on a pre facelift Zed you can't read the ABS module through a USB port.

 

[Perfectjake]

Thanks for the input,

I checked the setup on my 99 2.8 and my dads 01 facelift 1.9 and they both worked. I've got my grandads pre-facelift 1.9 auto coming down next week so I'll just confirm if it works on that.

 

[Pingu]

I bought an old laptop for £75 (it's got an RS232 as well as USB 1.0) and loaded everything I need on it.

XP SP3
Adobe Acrobat
MS Office 97
INPA
Testo
TIS
ETK
WDS
a load of other BMW stuff I have.

No internet. I transfer stuff using the USB and a flash drive.

It's physically quite fragile (especially around the charging port), but does the job. If I need RealOEM, I can use a computer with internet access.

I also have a 12v charger for it. This is essential if you are going to run the laptop in the car for extended periods.

You can get pre-loaded Panasonic Toughbooks on eBay from the US, but these are around $500, so £100 is a good price - I'd have paid that.

 

[Chrisr1949]

A range of laptops worh a look at for diagnostics is by RM, they are an Abingdon company and specialise in ruggedised machines for such as schools and colleges and they often are offered on eBay quite cheaply, even cheaper if you don't mind a psychedelic keyboard. They have a perspex panel over the screen, rubber corner protection etc. They are sort of half way to a Toughbook at a good price.

Here's an extract from their blurb:

Robustness - the RM Mobile ONE
has been drop tested to military
standards, has a reinforced screen
and a spill/splash proof keyboard
to withstand the everyday
classroom environment