Scangauge Vs. Dashhawk, Comparing perfomance monitors Options

[asabo]

I was looking at the Scangauge (I REALLY want it) and tried to try my local lordco to see if they have it. they said you mean "MSD Dashhawk"?

I said what's that? With a biref google search, I found: www.dashhawk.com and some websites discussing one versus the other.

A thread in the Gassavers forum (http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=5018&highlight=Dashhawk) had a discussion of how the dashhawk has more displays and a data logger. It also references second thing called CarChip which is a data logger that will duplicate many of the features that Dashhawk has.

I'm new to all this, so has anyone tried both? I tried to email smartzuuk, but his inbox is full. I emailed info@100mpg.ca to ask this same question.

[asabo]

I was just reading gassavers top 200 tips list and they recommend a "Gas consmption display" such as Scangauge or another one called "SuperMID".

I will post more on these as I research a bit.

Tony

[Mike T]

If you have a diesel, I don't think those other products have been tested on one, so you would be the guinea pig. ScanGauges are available from smartzuuk here.

[asabo]

Does anyone know fi the Smart Fortwo (2006 Diesel, 450) has an OBD-II connector, that is "Controller Area Network (CAN)" Compliant? The CAN was introduced in North American cars (to many but not all models) as a standardized communications protocol in about 2004. I looked in the SMART manual, but don't see that there.

[asabo]

Here's another option:
PLX Kiwi MPG Trip Calculator and OBDII Scanner PLX Kiwi MPG Trip Calculator and OBDII Scanner

SubSLR88 said [on http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f4...-scanner-22985/]
"I seriously considered this Kiwi gauge over the ScanGauge II before purchasing the ScanGauge. The Kiwi has less available gauge functions, i.e. outside temp.,
mpg, battery voltage, just to name a few, compared to the ScanGauge. The Kiwi is basically just a trip/mileage meter with OBDII trouble code clearing."

I like the price, but wonder how painful the lack of features would be? I haven't used any of these tracking computers, so I am unsure how really useful the advanced features are on the more expensive models.

[asabo]

A quick note to smartzuuk: I am not trying to hurt your business, indeed I've emailed to ask you about some of this. Alas, I seem to have caught you on vacation as your inbox on Club Smart Car is full and the order now button on 100mpg.ca isn't available.

I am researching the others to makes sure I understand what I'm buying. I hope this informaiton is useful to the other club members. If I'm out of line, please let me know and I'll quit.

[bilgladstone]

I believe smartzuuk (Keith) is out of the country until the 14th of the month.

Bil

[asabo]

I seem to be getting better searching on scanning monitoring computers. I googled the three names mentioned above and found a site called OBDSpy:
OBDSpy's listing of monitoring computers

On the tools page you get: "OBDII Diagnostics and performance tools"

1. ScangaugeII - 3-in-one Automotive Computer
- described as the most popular fuelsaver world-wide
2. DashDyno SPD - Performance - Diagnostic - Scan tool
3. DashHawk - 3-in-one Automotive Computer
4. PLX Kiwi - a fuel saver device based on OBDII - EOBD technology
5. DashDaq - Customizable Gauges, Data Recording, Diagnostics
6. DM-200 & DM-100 - 52mm and 60mm OBDII instruments

Each has a summary of sales information on the details page. It gives a bit of a breakdown of how each one works and it's features. The information on all of them seem mostly clipped from each of the individual websites for each product.
Dashdaq is a touch screen tool that claims to have diagnostics, data recording, GPS and many other functionality built in. The youtube promoitonal video is slick.

more anon ,

Tony

[asabo]

I just found another:

DashCommand + OBDLink (Bluetooth and USB) $219.00
http://www.palmerperformance.com/store/

This doesn't come with a small in-car display, but can be done wireless over blue tooth, possibly to a small phone or other display. I can't tell if it even remotely offers hypermiling type features. (I hesitate to use the term FE, since it is an on-board scanner and all maintenance diagnostics will give FE benefits.) I'm just not clear on weather this has benefits to real-time milage.

Tony

[asabo]

So far it seems to me that:
1. ScangaugeII ~ $165 CAN
3. DashHawk ~ $300 CAN
5. DashDaq ~ $550 US

Are the best for watching real-time performance and mileage statistics. They also do the best job of getting diagnostic data and downloads. However, it's not clear to me that the price increase over Scangauge is warranted.

I still haven't found a comparitive review from 'Motor-Trend' or 'Car and driver' (or other auto reviewers) to give an independant view of OBD tools. (And Smartzuuk is still on holidays (and it's really killing me to be reading about them, not playing with them!))

Tony

[SameGuy]

None of the rest are proven to work with the smart cdi. Just be patient and order a ScanGauge next week.

[dennisc72]

None of the rest are proven to work with the smart cdi. Just be patient and order a ScanGauge next week.

I was able to get a MaxiTrip Auto Computer at Princess Auto for $100 2-3 weeks ago. It appears to be working but requires calibration and won't come on when the car is hot inside. To calibrate, fill up and tell it you did. Then with your next fill up, tell it again and compare what you put in to what it thinks you used. Once the adjustment is made that's it.

It is usually $150 but on sale when I got it. If it's not on sale you might as well get the ScanGauge here because you would get support much easier. :-)

[asabo]

So, the more I read on other forums the less convinced I am of Scangauge II. This isn't a knock on Sangauge, but there seem to be advantages to others. I have been trolling ecomodder.com, gassavers.org, cleanmpg.com, and others looking for similar discussion to this. I have found a discussion from cleanmpg.com that puts some of my own thoughts into perspective. I think it's best in his words:

/quote
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CleanMPG Forums » Clean MPG Topics » Fuel Economy
> ScanGauge versus ELM327+Bluetooth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#1 10-16-2008, 08:50 AM
VekTor
My Rides Join Date: Oct 2008
Vehicles: 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

ScanGauge versus ELM327+Bluetooth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a new 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid, and I've been contemplating getting a ScanGauge II, but frankly, the thing seems just downright ugly and the display seems horribly limited. I'd also rather not have to either cut holes in my new dashboard or drape cables over it to get additional data.

So I went looking for devices with better displays, to begin with.

I found http://dashdaq.com, which looks really nice, but $700 seems way outside my pricerange... even the $160 for the ScanGauge seems a bit much given the limitations I've mentioned. The one upside of the DashDAQ, however, is that the source code for the software it runs is available on the website.

Since I already have a Palm TX, which has an excellent display and BlueTooth capabilities, ideally I'd like to be able to port the features from DashDAQ that I'm interesting in over to the Palm TX. I started hunting for software/hardware combinations that could take an OBD II port and feed that data to the Palm.

I came up with the following:

http://store.mo-co-so.com/bluetooth-...face-p-31.html

This would seem to be what I'm looking for. Is there anyone here who has experience with this device, and most specifically, with the "Vital Scan" software that is included with the device? If Vital Scan gives me enough of what I need, porting the DashDAQ code might be entirely moot.

The Bluetooth capability seems ideal for not having to have cables running over your dash, and the device plus software comes in cheaper than the ScanGauge. It would seem to me that if you already have a Bluetooth-capable PDA or laptop, this could be a cheaper and possibly more powerful alternative to the ScanGauge II...
/endquote

[Mike T]

I doubt these work on the cdi, but you are welcome to try!