I want to invest in a decent diagnostic tool for my 2005 CDI...... My independent uses a laptop and can simulate functions, pull data, etc..... What tool would give me the most bang for the buck, and could it in any way be also used on my 1999 E300D?

Thanks,

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Currently Driving
2006 E320 CDI
1999 E300 Turbo Diesl
2002 ML500
1995 E320 Station Wagon


MBs I've owned
1997 E320 Assassinated by Pine Tree
1987 300E Wife Killed Engine
1981 300D Stretch Limo Total Loss
1970 250 Coupe 212,000 mi.
1974 450sel 184,000 mi.
1974 240D 377,000 mi.
1977 300D 204, 000 mi.
1979 280se God Only Knows!
1983 240D 130,000 mi.
1972 220D 280,000 mi.
1983 300SD 244,000 mi.

An iCarSoft MB II gives you a lot of bang for your buck for $150. If you don't want to spend more than a couple of hundred, that's the one to get. Other than the limited OBD2 functionality, though, it will be of no help with your 99.

If you can spend $600 or so, you can get an Xentry system, complete with laptop, cables, and multiplexer, that will do essentially EVERYTHING...including HHT emulation for your 99.

I have both and am glad I do....the iCarSoft is easy to toss in the trunk.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Or get an icarsoft i980 which fits in the glovebox.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

The i980 is excellent as well and is only $113. It has slightly more limited functionality… but not dramatically so. The larger screen of the MB II is the main reason I went with that.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

The screen size and functionality is exactly the same. The only advantage for MBII is if you also work on a sprinter or smart car.

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG4ujP91w4M

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Screen on the MB II is 4.0"....on i980 it's 2.8" (this from the icarsoft web site).

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

They're counting the giant black bezel around the screen.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

I don't think so...they're giving the size of the DISPLAY...one is 480x320 pixels...the other is 320x240 pixels. Plus, just look at the pictures of the screens...i980 is more squarish, MB is more rectangular. They're obviously different screens. And I can confirm that, on the MB II, 4" is the actual diagonal measurement of the screen excluding the bezel.

https://www.icarsoft.com/Product/s-298-icarsoft_multi_system_scanner_i980.html

https://www.icarsoft.com/Product/s-282-icarsoft_mb_ii.html

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Anyway, both are great scanners!

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

How likely are you to service the CDI SBC pump yourself? You’ll need SDS for that job.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon
02 C320 wagon

With the MM II you can deactivate and reactivate the SBC ...But I don’t know if there’s any functionality beyond that.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife