* CarMD won't reduce repair costs but can save you from getting ripped off
Ever had one of those ”Check Engine” lights appear on your car’s dashboard followed by a sinking feeling, the certain knowledge that your wallet will soon be a lot lighter?
Today’s focus, CarMD, is a combination of hardware and a Web application that addresses this problem. Now before you ask, no, CarMD won’t make the garage bill any smaller but it will tell you what the financial damage is likely to be thereby making it harder for unscrupulous mechanics to rip you off. It is also a great tool when buying a used car.
The hardware consists of a pod-like device that jacks into the standard diagnostic connector found on just about every car manufactured since 1996. To use it you switch on the vehicle’s ignition but don’t start the engine. You then plug in the CarMD device and within a few seconds the device will have read the diagnostic codes and you will be ready to check them.
You can set up to three vehicles on CarMD and by simply providing your Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) CarMD can identify your car’s make and model.
The CarMD device connects to your PC through a USB cable and when the CarMD Web site is loaded in your browser the diagnostic data is sent to the site.
The CarMD database is enormous because the diagnostic codes have in many cases different meanings for each vehicle and the associated repair costs for each diagnostic code for each vehicles also differ (for example, a Mercedes head gasket costs considerably more to fix than a Mini’s).
The CarMD site adds up all of the repair costs, adds in a fudge factor, and provides you with a report (which is retained online) that is a great resource when you are talking to a mechanic.
What is particularly interesting about CarMD is that they have collected information on each diagnostic code and priced each repair for each car model. Just collecting what the codes mean for each model is a challenge but tying that code to a price is a real challenge!
The CarMD database is constantly being updated and extended which is why the Web application side of the system is such an effective choice for providing the data to consumers. I must also note that if you experience a problem with the CarMD diagnosis process as I did, the company is right on it – their support and response times were excellent.
Now if you know anything about the price of professional car diagnostic equipment you are probably thinking that CarMD must cost an arm and a leg. Not so, CarMD costs just $89.99 and that one-time cost supports, as I noted, three vehicles and covers all updates. Amazing!
