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See some info in this thread: http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/bb/9-5/index.html?bID=149614
To answer your questions:
1) "scanner" and "reader" are often used interchangeably. Technically a "reader" might be limited to reading/clearing fault codes, while a "scanner" can provide more data. Basically there are two types of tools available for Saabs. Option 1: Generic "OBD2" scan tools. These have limited capabilities but are inexpensive ($30-$500 range). Option 2: The full "Tech2" system that Saab-specific shops use. This system has much greater capability, but also costs several thousand dollars. Tech2 is cost-prohibitive for most people, so I'll stick to talking about generic scan tools.
2) "Most useful" is subjective. Some people prefer the convenience of a simple self-contained hand-held unit like the Equus or Autoxray. The Equus looks pretty good to me for DIY use. If you want more capability and flexibility, the the PC/PDA-based solutions are better.
3) Since the CAN interface will soon be standard on all new vehicles, I would advise against buying a tool that doesn't support CAN. I can't specifically comment on Ebay, but if you're referring to Auterra or Autoenginuity, they look pretty good. They are toward the more expensive side, but they appear to have good software and support. There are less expensive options from "obd2 all in one", scantool.net, and others. If you do some googling, you'll see a dizzying array of OBD2 products. You just have to decide what you want. Some of the more expensive tools like Autoenginuity and Autotap offer manufacturer-specific extensions which may be valuable if you own one of the supported vehicles (not Saab).
4) Don't get your hopes up too high for the capabilities of the generic OBD scan tools. They are inherently limited in what they can do, because the OBD2 standard is limited. Basically they can read and clear fault codes, and the better ones can monitor various powertrain-related data. That's it, you can't reprogram anything. There are some vehicle or manufturer-specific tools that have additional capabilities, but nothing is available for Saabs. With that said, I still think that an inexpensive scan tool is still a useful tool to have in your garage. It's worth it to not wast your time going to Autozone, and most of the scan tools give you more data.
Note that a 2003 9-5 uses the ISO-9141-2 protocol, commonly referred to as "ISO".
posted by 206.169.200...
, Wed, 7 Feb 2007 09:41:00
, Wed, 7 Feb 2007 14:27:30, Wed, 7 Feb 2007 13:45:05, Wed, 7 Feb 2007 14:22:52, Wed, 7 Feb 2007 11:53:45
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