[vankyan]

US-based Bimmergeeks gets recommended, but what is an equivalent for Europe?

Alternatively, are the Chinese ones safe if I am not flashing or updating modules (just diagnostic and coding in INSTA, INPA, and Bimmercode)? I know there are variations of those too - which to choose?

Thanks

[mattanderson]

I've had fine luck with one of the Amazon cheapies. I've used it to code w/ NCS Expert, flash the Bimmerlabs 330i tune, run diagnostics w/ INPA, ISTA.

I always connect the car to a power supply to be safe.

It is sometimes slow, but I've never had any issues. I recently acquired a Bimmergeeks cable, am curious to test if it's faster.

[vankyan]

Thanks mattanderson. Do you know which version of the cheapo ones you have? I saw there is some distinction on the chips and PCBs being white or green.

[mattanderson]

Here's the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079KC43WG

The reviews mention not to use the included software. I downloaded mine.

[lowrydr310]

I thought I bought the bimmergeeks cable but apparently not. I was new to the BMW game and ordered from bimmer software dot com which look like every other amazon/ebay cable, but apparently they test each one individually before shipping.

Either way, I've been using mine for the past six or seven years without issues. I think if you're doing diagnostics or basic coding with NCSExpert they're fine. It's only if you were updating modules where it might be an issue, and then you're probably better off with ICOM or enet and not a K+DCAN cable. I haven't done that yet so I can't comment on that, but everything else has been fine so far.