A recent cooling issue brought home how our Minis are really lacking in giving us info, like, you know, a temp guage? So I started to look at my options.

I have searched some here, many threads started out years ago, and do have recent posts, but mostly about specific quirks.

I like the idea of the Torque app and an ELM327 sending unit, but the ones I've been able to find the reviews are so-so it seems.

Also, it seems that most apps are Android centered, but some will work ok with ios?

For example here, http://www.cravenspeed.com/obdii-connector/ it has a disclaimer "Note: There have been reports of Wi-fi version of this product is not compatible with iOS8"

Anybody know of a good setup that will work with what I have? Or should I look at other options, like scanguageII or some of the others.

I guess I'm just looking for the latest insights. I appreciate any thoughts you may have.

 

I have the SG II, and like it. The display is very basic, though, only showing four quantities plus abbreviated labels. It is a dedicated device, and I leave it in the car full time, always plugged in. (The Craven mount for it rocks, BTW!)

If you want something pretty, the SG II is probably not it. It is also not as cheap as an OBD2 dongle, which only has to talk to your existing hardware (the phone) for the display and such.

UltraGauge is another dedicated device, and it looks better than the SG II. There were problems reported a couple years back about the UG waking up a powered-down MINI and draining its battery overnight. I think those may have been solved, but I do not know for certain.

 

Thanks for the response. Do you have a link for the SG and/or a better description?

 

I have the Dash Command app on my 5s and reads codes perfectly
also data logs real time and very inexpensive easy plug and play.
just my two cents..

 

I just got the scangaugeII for the same reason, no cooling information. I love it, its pretty cool, easy to read and has a lot of information. I wish it had oil pressure but it doesn't. It also tells you trip fuel costs, although the scangaugeII and the mini avg MPG differs which I didn't understand.

I say buy the scangaugeII

 

I use a OBDLink MX and my phone/table with Torque Pro. You can't go wrong. I don't think Iphones have torque, so it only a Android app. But there are other alternative for ios.

Here is the link
http://www.obdlink.com/

 

I got started with OBDII on my 2009 MCS because it didn't have water temp - I used a Palm Pilot + my own programming!

My daily driver is OBDLink MX + DashCommand + Android + GalaxyS4 (Android). There are some customizing programming features (a.k.a. macros) not allowed on iPhones.
Here's a link with pictures. http://tinyurl.com/CoopMk3

I also have played with Torque and BMW Lite. so-so.

-Mike
2014 MCSa

 

http://www.scangauge.com

If you send it back to the manufacturer, or contact them before you buy, they can program it to show some MINI-specific items as well as the standard ones. I'm not sure if oil pressure is one of them, but if it isn't then oil temp is.

 

Thanks.. and thanks for the tip to ask them for a mini code load!

 

Oh, and folks like Way who are MINI specialists will send them out already programmed. Not sure about other vendors, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.