I've got 2 gray market Mercedes Smarts, (450 body) an '05 gas euro model and a '05 diesel canadian model. No U.S. Smart dealers will touch them. What scanners would work with these cars? I have a Programma unit with VW and Volvo but their $2000 MB software doesn't cover Smart. Am I correct to assume that even U.S. Mercedes Star wont cover these cars? What is the deal with these from China on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCEDES-BENZ-STAR-2009-Diagnostic-Scanner-IBM-T30_W0QQitemZ280380995087QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Automotive_Tools?hash=item414802760f&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

Like everything from China.. bootleg software with a bootleg interface.

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

Those clones will work if you know how to get it working , Risks are no support expect for exchanging bad interface, MB regularly blacklists these clones so mostly DAS upgrade will not work.

But again people provide solution for all blocks MB introduces with each DAS update. Google for "Mercedes DAS install guides" and check with person running that website before buying cloned interface.

I ordered one of these yesterday for $650 delivered: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170369064952&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT I'll post back on how it works.

I own a snap-on Vantage pro, the German software and plug in devices are an option. Snap-on on is a generic scanners a very well made unite with continuous updates that you must pay for if you work on many different Domestic and foreign automobiles. It is not a Factory tool

If you know the tricks of the trade a good fluke Digital multi meter will get you buy. Unless you plan to see serious and take a good class about scanners and read upon how they work ,spending over $1000,00 will not give you a clue about the problem and may Miss direct you to the wrong part to replace. working with scanners is a way of live know for the new generation of automobiles. It drives the service cost up because the techican has to investigate were the problem originated and what set the mill light on the dash.

I would first invest in a good colledge night course on using scanners to fine problems or read some good books to get an over view of what s involved.
Just having the equipment does not make the problem go away. You have to know were to look and how to read the Factory side of the scanner and the Generic side. invest in learning about mode 06. their are some good sites on the web that can help direct you to places that your money will be better spent.

Bob Geco

I bought one of these setups a year ago with internal hard drive. It works beautifully and is a ridiculously good buy. None of these sellers mention it, but you also get the Electrical Troubleshooting Manuals (ETMs) for most models dating back to the early R129.

The previous poster makes good points but misses the fact that what is being discussed here is not simply a scanner -- it is a complete diagnostic system. The interface to the scanner is integrated with the troubleshooting procedures described in the software.

__________________
For Sale: many used R129 parts from a white '92, black interior. Send email if interested.

Did you have a chance to try it yet?

I just tried it this weekend and so far I love it. I spent $650 delivered on this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170369064952&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT and it arrived from Hong Kong by DHL within 5 days. The only thing it needed was a special key code to unlock the pre '07 Smart models and that cost another $30 from JCRecordings.com.

On my first car a 2005 Smart cdi originally from Canada, I had removed the seats previously and happened to turn on the ignition which set the airbag light on. I couldn't reset it by just disconnecting the battery. 10 minutes with this tool and I had it erased. A mobile airbag service wanted $100 to do this and may not have had the right software anyway.

On my second car a 2005 Smart gas turbo originally from Mexico, the odometer was showing ------ and the other display features were inop plus the tachometer didn't work. The instrument cluster may have been replaced previously and nobody in the U.S. had a way to code it to the car. In less than 30 minutes I had the odometer display coded and showing the correct kilometers, as well as the fuel gauge, temperature gauge and transmission gear indicator working, then I coded the tach and it was working again too.

Overall I'm very pleased with it so far. The only problem is it takes like 15 minutes to "bootup" from the time you turn the computer on to when you are ready use it but that could be a function of the computer's specs. I can't wait to try it on my '94 E420 with an inop cruise control and ABS light on and buy some late models needing some work.

Yes, please let me know when you try it on your E420, and if it properly reads all codes from the various modules (the E420 will have LH, E-GAS, ABS/ASR, BM, EZL/DI, DM, ACC, and SRS... total of eight different systems that the unit *should* communicate with). I'd also like to know if it properly displays the live data when available (mostly from LH, E-GAS, and EZL).

The auction is showing $499 now plus outrageous shipping of $178 to my zipcode, for a total of $677. But if it really works....

__________________
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

What was the eBay auction item linked here? (It's long since expired from eBay, of course.)

I'm considering buying a '94 E420 and would like to have a better way to read trouble codes than the LED method...

__________________
AlexTheSeal: hack mechanic, inadvertent drifting champ, builder of infernal devices, professional epistemologist

'87 300D Turbo, roadtrip mileage champ (for sale!)
'92 Isuzu Trooper, mudder extraordinaire (for sale!)
'82 Honda Silverwing, cockroach of motorcycles
And various boring daily drivers...

Something like: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-Mercedes-Benz-MB-STAR-C3-Diagnostic-scanner-IBM_W0QQitemZ260538745450QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Automotive_Tools?hash=item3ca951c26a

It's a Chinese copy of the factory SDS (Star Diagnostic System). I believe it works quite well. With the required IBM laptop, total cost will be near $1k, but it will offer complete functionality for pretty much any Mercedes model, same as what the dealer can do.



For simply reading codes, the LED blinker box works very well for all systems on a W124 V8 except E-GAS. The E-GAS module has some digital codes, where multiple codes get lumped into a single analog blink code (see sample WIS screen shot below... digital codes 2, 6, 7, 9, and 25 all appear as LED blink code "2"). The hand-held LED blinker is simple, reliable, and cheap to buy or build. No waiting for Windows to boot on a laptop. Now, for reading live data, then you need the digital scan capabilities. The live data elements available from the 400E/500E are in this PDF file. The full list of diagnostic codes & procedures for the W124 V8 models is in this PDF file.

The Snap-On MT2500 with MB software cartridge & cables does offer digital communication for some modules & systems, but not others, and it's not all that reliable. I have this and it works well for certain things (reading LH adaptation values, O2 sensor data, etc) but not others (locks up when trying to display EZL live data, doesn't always report fault codes that appear via LED blinker, has no support for ABS/ASR systems). But, the cost is less than half the Chinese SDS, so on a tight budget it's still useful.

__________________
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

Uh, you do know that the late interiors are not a direct swap, right? The rear seat belt sockets are different (the '87 body lacks the mounting holes for the late style sockets), and the V8 front seat frames have different bolt spacing, not to mention totally different electrical connections. You'll need to keep your '87 seat frames/motors and swap on the E420 cushions + backrest. Can't swap B-pillar or C-pillar trim either. I already went through this drill when I installed an E500 interior into my 1987 300D. The heated seats were worth it though. The door panels are about the only thing that is a direct swap...

I do now! Thanks for ruining my day, Dave.

Seriously, though, if it's doable, it's worth it to me. The '87 has a pretty worn Tex interior (I think the PO had dogs and small children) but is mechanically in fabulous shape (it should be, I've put enough money, time, and bloody knuckles into it). I might end up PMing you for clarification of some of the details you mention above. At the very least, not being able to swap the B-pillar and C-pillar trim is not a big deal---the old interior was gray and the new is black, so it'll be easy to dye/spray whatever from the old interior needs to match.

And maybe if I have to take the seats apart I can add aftermarket heaters in the back as well as the seat cushion, and wire them to factory switches in the console... hmmm...

__________________
AlexTheSeal: hack mechanic, inadvertent drifting champ, builder of infernal devices, professional epistemologist

'87 300D Turbo, roadtrip mileage champ (for sale!)
'92 Isuzu Trooper, mudder extraordinaire (for sale!)
'82 Honda Silverwing, cockroach of motorcycles
And various boring daily drivers...