The history of car scanners is a long one. There was a time when scientists and car manufacturers invented theOBD1 scanners which gave you minimal information regarding your car. But the time has changed. The vehicles manufactured after 1996 are all running OBD2 scanners which provide the car owners with all relevant information regarding their vehicle. It can track some major problems which cannot be detected by the car owner or even the mechanics that easily. These problems can be lowperformance, low-fuel efficiency,and 
What do the best OBD2 scanners have?
The buying process might be a very exhausting one if you do not do a proper research about what you need. You cannot rely on your supplier to present every feature clearly. Of course, the supplier will misrepresent things to sell his product.
The product reviews and detailed articles would usually revolve around some features. These characteristics of the best OBD2 scanners are as under.
Features:
- Ability to transmit car data at the fastest time
- Easy to use
- Compatible with most vehicles, even the older ones
- Upgradeable
- Usage on different devices such as a laptop, tablet etc.
- Ability to store and log data
- Large screen to make information readable
- Easily transportable
- Availability of accessories
- Alternate power source
- Support for wireless
- Cost efficiency
- Warrantied by manufacturer
What to look for in the OBD2 market?
There are numerous scanners providing hundreds of different features. As we said earlier, you cannot rely on your supplier to give you the best OBD2 scanner. You just need to do the research and see what kind of scanner fulfills your needs.
We have brought some things to consider while buying the OBD2 scanners.
The basic code reader vs The high-end unit:
The names say it all about the difference between the two. The basic code reader just informs you about the car problem and communicates the code of it. There is no other feature to help your cause. These code readers are suitable for you if your budget is low and you cannot afford anything else. The main issue that you might face is the compatibility issue. The basic code readers do not support the advanced car models.
The high-end unit,on the other hand, has no compatibility problem at all. It tells you about the car problem and provides some other additional features as well, which are:
- On-screen definition
- Live data
- Printing feature
- Airbag compatibility
- Storage and data logging
Upgradeable:
The low-cost scanners do not support any upgrade at all. As scanner purchase is a long-term investment, we prefer you to buy an expensive but upgradable scanner. The upgrade ensures that your scanner is compatible with even the most recent models. There is one small thing to keep in mind. Each upgrade costs money. So it is better to estimate the future cost of an update that might come your way.
The compatibility ofthe scanner with your vehicle:
The OBD2 scanners run on the 5 signal protocols which assure the compatibility. Even if your supplier promises that the scanner is compatible with your vehicle, it is better to double check the scanner and see whether it actually is compatible or not.
The computerized machine in your car will support the scanners which are made for it, not every other scanner. Of course, finding the best OBD2 scanner is not a piece of cake.
The different kinds of OBD scanners that you can choose from:
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PC Scanner:
Utilize the power of your PC to resolve the issues in your vehicle. These scanners run on your PC to diagnose any problem that you might face during the use of your car or motorcycle. PC scanners have some advantages over other scanners, which are:
- Display that can be easily read,
- Considerably bigger storage space,
- Unrestricted power,
- Anda comprehensive number of software for the diagnoses.
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Bluetooth auto scanners:
These scanners can turn your mobile, tablet and laptop into a scanning tool. This mean of scanning allows you to do a live performance scan.
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Handheld auto scanners:
These are high power scanners, which can be used by the mechanics to diagnose several failures like engine and brake failure etc. Handheld auto scanners never come alone. A kit is provided by the supplier which has a power battery, a power and data cable, an energy supply and much more.
Popular OBD scanners in the market today:
Now we know what a perfect scanner would provide you, and how you can select the nest suitable scanner for yourself. It is time to discuss which scanner brands and models are trending in the automobile market.
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Actron:
Actron is a well-established brand which makes scanners that are both quick and accurate in calculating and communicating the data. The brand is known for the CodeConnectfeature that it has introduced in the market. This technology provides a database of almost 4.3 million verified fixes.
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Autel USA:
This company has its head office in New York and is specialized in manufacturing diagnosis tools. These tools include a wide range of basic OBD2 scanning tools along with accessories.
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BAFX Products:
This company established itself in the modern automobile market due to its vast range of electronics products. These quality products include scan tools, infrared thermometers,and anti-shock hiking poles etc.
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Innova:
A 15 years old veteran company in the scanning business is the only statement which can explain the Innova company completely. The company, based in California, is popular for the durability and accuracy of scanners that it makes.
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Launch Tech:
One of the most experienced scanner manufacturers is Launch Tech. The company was founded in the year 1992. They are known for the variety of products produced and developed by them to allow auto-testing, auto-scanning,andeven auto-servicing.
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Lemur Monitors:
The Lemur Monitors are popular because of several scanning tools which they have developed for the Android and smartphone. The BlueDriver is the first choice in the experienced automobile community.
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ScanTools:
The company was founded in 2002, and since then it has developed numerous android scanning tools. The reputation that it has made for itself, is all because of the smartphone technology-related word. Their product is compatible with almost every scanning software. PC scanning is another thing which the company targets alongside Android scanning.
