DICE/VIDA??? or a cheapy?

[silverhorse]

Thinking of getting a Diag reader. Prompted to do this as I have just fitted a sport air filter and it has thrown up a message. (2005 V70 T5)
I know that if I take car in to indie, they will charge to plug me in.
Also I will be doing my own servicing so will want to clear all messages, etc.

So.......
DICE/VIDA. Its the Volvo kit so I know will be good. But what can it do? Is it just a reader and code clearer?
For example, I want to turn my daytime running headlights off. My indie says it is a plug in job and £50 please. Will DICE/VIDA enable me to do this at home?

Or.......
Should I just buy a cheaper code reader off ebay so I can get the codes and then take it in and save the money from them not plugging me in?

Has anyone got DICE/VIDA? How do you get on with it? Where did you get it?
Your help greatly appreciated. Don't want to be wasting my money!!

[Lsvolvo1]

Get a bsr code reader, less hassle than vida and pin points problems quickly and easily. With added bonus reset airbag, abs and service lights

[silverhorse]

Get a bsr code reader, less hassle than vida and pin points problems quickly and easily. With added bonus reset airbag, abs and service lights

If its the one I have found on the internet, its a bit pricey

[Lsvolvo1]

That ones sold, unless its another they go £150-200

[deathrider311271]

i personally would go for Vida Dice everytime for the simple fact it can do everything a dealer can do apart from software upgrades as you need to have an account with volvo for that.

For convenience the BSR is good, but it cant do as much as Vida Dice can. Im not sure about the lights, i seem to remember it needing software to turn them off/on

[Lsvolvo1]

I have cleared codes where hardware has been taken out and reinstalled bringing a code up. So that it doesn't work again, clear code and it works again.

Can do 90% with code reader and keep it in glove box, but advanced functions use vida

[silverhorse]

i personally would go for Vida Dice everytime for the simple fact it can do everything a dealer can do apart from software upgrades as you need to have an account with volvo for that.

For convenience the BSR is good, but it cant do as much as Vida Dice can. Im not sure about the lights, i seem to remember it needing software to turn them off/on

When you say software upgrades, do you mean to the car or the VIDA program? My car is not getting any younger so I suppose I would not need to update the VIDA program....
For the lights, you say needing software to turn off. Can this be done by me if I buy VIDA?

Also, just been researching. Looks like you need XP Pro with SP3. I'm on Win 7 64 bit.
Hmmmmm.

[V70 Graham]

When you say software upgrades, do you mean to the car or the VIDA program? My car is not getting any younger so I suppose I would not need to update the VIDA program....
For the lights, you say needing software to turn off. Can this be done by me if I buy VIDA?

Also, just been researching. Looks like you need XP Pro with SP3. I'm on Win 7 64 bit.
Hmmmmm.

Quite a few programs can be run by 'right clicking' hitting properties then the compatability tab then selecting XP or whatever you need.

[stribo]

If you just want to read codes, then go for a cheapie code reader, if you want to get technical then go for DICE/VIDA.

[Harvey]

Dice-VIDA if you have got a old laptop with xp pro on and meets the specs required if not wont run it.
When you see it working you would want one.the code readers you can get only do the engine brakes and not much more.

[jardon]

DiCE+VIDA if you really want to know what's going on. It will log every sensor in the car not just the engine. The diagnostic capability is superior to a generic code reader. I have both and like the convenience of the code reader but if I had to have only one then DiCE it is.

[volvokid]

Your version of windows isn't a problem, speak to Leet5 he will tell you what version of vida you need to run with that, he has it too.
I don't think you can turn your drls off, this is a s/w thing but I do know a guy who is working on resolving this so it will be possible for s/w changes in the future.
I'm new to vida so I don't know everything it can do, I know you can find every part number and drawing for your car, you can turn your get home lights on for different set times, increase or decrease your heated seat temps, function pretty much every individual electrical component individually I.e turn ur right head light on, spray window washers, all good for fault finding. You can do real time diagnostics, turn your stearing wheel fast and it will tell you the force you turned it, throttle positioning. And this is how I know I had more than a maf issue, when your car is idling with no ac on it should take in a minimum of 12 kg of air per hour, mine takes in 11 with the standard box on, for some reason it doesn't ping the fault light but with my air filter I get between 9 and 10 and that makes the car throw a fit...

[silverhorse]

I don't think you can turn your drls off, this is a s/w thing

This is what is confusing me. I can take the car to my local indie and he says he can plug it in and turn off DRL's and relieve me of some money. Is he not using VIDA? Or is he downloading a bit of software from Volvo and runs it through VIDA?
I will PM LeeT5.
Do you use your VIDA/DICE much? With what I want to do, it would pay for itself fairly quickly

[Yosser]

I think the DRL thing is related to the year of the car.

FWIW I turned off the DRL's on my '02 V70 and '01 XC70 without any problems - no software update required, just VIDA/DiCE.

[volvokid]

This is what is confusing me. I can take the car to my local indie and he says he can plug it in and turn off DRL's and relieve me of some money. Is he not using VIDA? Or is he downloading a bit of software from Volvo and runs it through VIDA?
I will PM LeeT5.
Do you use your VIDA/DICE much? With what I want to do, it would pay for itself fairly quickly

I'm not to sure what he will be using then....
Maybe you can do the drls I thought you couldn't though, I'm really new to it, no I don't use it much, I plan yo use it this week to read for any maf codes it may have. Mine has paid for it's self already.

[silverhorse]

I'm not to sure what he will be using then....
Maybe you can do the drls I thought you couldn't though, I'm really new to it, no I don't use it much, I plan yo use it this week to read for any maf codes it may have. Mine has paid for it's self already.

Can you let me know how you get on? I would be very interested to here what it tells you. I think my MAF is having a funny turn too.

[M-R-P]

Can you let me know how you get on? I would be very interested to here what it tells you. I think my MAF is having a funny turn too.

Tried cleaning the maf? I do mine now and again and it seems to sort it for a while. (gets a bit thirsty and lumpy sometimes)

Can't help thinking how much your problem looks like Martyn's (volvokid) problem with his optiflow kit.

[volvokid]

Can you let me know how you get on? I would be very interested to here what it tells you. I think my MAF is having a funny turn too.

Yeah I'm going to check it out so will let u know at the end of the week

[cookie]

DRL changed to software around facelift time at 2005MY if you have the flippy lid thing by handbrake then as a rule DRL's should be able to be switched off by VIDA etc most 54 plates and newer are software to switch them off

[volvokid]

That will be why I had to get the main dealer to sort my drls out :-(