Please help my son find a good BMW mechanic!

[martinjsxx]

Originally Posted by markjames68

The problem with basic ones for BMWs is that they’re basic. Good enough if you have nothing, but they often point at a subsystem rather than the specific component or reason.

That’s why I recommend Carly if you have a smartphone. You can read the errors with the free app (the dongle is around $60) but if you pay for the app you can also change other parameters and reset codes. Also they tell you more specific issues and possibly reasons for them.

Spending $160 for a professional code reader could be a waste of money unless the user has some level of expertise. If the OP's son has that expertise then it could be a good purchase but I didn't get that impression from the first post. Also, more functions doesn't always mean better results, it depends on the problem. I was getting a check engine condition off and on for a year or so. My $20 code reader told me as much as my mechanic's super duper professional code reader did. A $20 code reader will give you the codes that were found which you can then research online where there is a wealth of information of what is wrong and how it can be fixed. Even the cheapest code readers will let you clear the codes if the fix was simple.

If the OP wants to spend $160 that's fine, it's not my money.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by martinjsxx

Spending $160 for a professional code reader could be a waste of money unless the user has some level of expertise. If the OP's son has that expertise then it could be a good purchase but I didn't get that impression from the first post. Also, more functions doesn't always mean better results, it depends on the problem. I was getting a check engine condition off and on for a year or so. My $20 code reader told me as much as my mechanic's super duper professional code reader did. A $20 code reader will give you the codes that were found which you can then research online where there is a wealth of information of what is wrong and how it can be fixed. Even the cheapest code readers will let you clear the codes if the fix was simple.

If the OP wants to spend $160 that's fine, it's not my money.

My $20 reader tells me P20EE. Great, it narrows it down to an issue in the SCR system of my X5 Diesel.

Carly tells me it’s a 4D16 and 46A4, which narrows it down further to a couple of likely subsystems.

I realize this is a specific example.

But I don’t disagree with you that $160 could also be spent for an hour’s labor and gas money to have a good independent look at it as well, and probably diagnose it, and maybe even fix it then and there.

[ovi8]

I have been using Carly for years. Because it can program (new battery) and code "hidden" features, it's well worth the money. The fact that it can read and give better codes is icing on the cake. Carly was able to tell me an external antenna for comfort access was giving faults. No $20 code reader showing general information will do the same (and I have one of those too). If your son is technically inclined and doesn't mind tinkering, you can't go wrong with it.

[chattyneighbor]

Ok thanks everyone. He really isn't mechanical enough to fix much himself. Actually, nobody in our family really is. Little things we can find on a You Tube tutorial - maybe - but I think its more to make sure we're taking care of what could be a little fix first, then as a check on what the mechanic is doing or says he has to do - and to try to do a reset to clear the codes to see if the little fix did any good. That's really what we're after. Would love to find a reliably honest, good mechanic that we don't feel the need to check up on and hopefully one of the above recommendations might just be what we're after. Much appreciation.