Ultra Gauge OBD-II Bluetooth adapter / apps

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97tbird

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UG now has an OBD-II BlueTooth adapter and apps (iOS/Android):
http://ultra-gauge.com/blue.htm

And the UG EM Plus is now on sale: $70

I am trying to decide which way to go. I think I like my phone to remain dedicated to normal phone stuff, and not having to jump from app to app (task to task) and just have the UG completely separate....

What do you guys think?
 
I bought a similar unit off ebay for a lot less money but never got it to work. Maybe a different app would have worked. I just gave up. It connected to the phone but app would not do anything.
 
UG has been rated and reviewed very highly, AFAIK. It's very popular in some automotive forums and I have yet to hear anything negative...

I am seriously considering one now...
 
I bought a $7 Bluetooth adapter off eBay and use it with the torque app which is free.

Works great to read and clear code, as well as a ton of cars ecu info
 
UG may solve my dilemma regarding poor OEM instrumentation. However, I would like to display the gauages a bit larger than on a small iphone screen. I suppose a small ipad or an Android pad would work?
 
I've been very happy with my UltraGauge EM. It reads the codes from the few cars I've plugged into, a Volvo, 2 Subarus, a Dodge and a Saturn.

It has been living in my 09 Subaru to provide some real gauges with real numbers. I enjoy having an actual temperature in degrees available, as well as some other things like catalytic converter temp and air/fuel numbers.

My only gripe is that it seems to interact with the readiness monitors, so I need to pull it before my NY inspection so they run long enough to pass. Not really a big deal, as it has to get unplugged so they can connect to the OBDII interface.

I would imagine their bluetooth adapter to be at least as well made.
 
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
I bought a $7 Bluetooth adapter off eBay and use it with the torque app which is free.

Works great to read and clear code, as well as a ton of cars ecu info


This. I bought an $11 Bluetooth adapter on Amazon and use it with the $5 torque app and I can live stream data and do all of the code reading and clearing. No need to spend $70.
 
Originally Posted By: Ga129
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
I bought a $7 Bluetooth adapter off eBay and use it with the torque app which is free.

Works great to read and clear code, as well as a ton of cars ecu info


This. I bought an $11 Bluetooth adapter on Amazon and use it with the $5 torque app and I can live stream data and do all of the code reading and clearing. No need to spend $70.


+ 2
 
Originally Posted By: Wheel
I've been very happy with my UltraGauge EM. It reads the codes from the few cars I've plugged into, a Volvo, 2 Subarus, a Dodge and a Saturn.

It has been living in my 09 Subaru to provide some real gauges with real numbers. I enjoy having an actual temperature in degrees available, as well as some other things like catalytic converter temp and air/fuel numbers.

My only gripe is that it seems to interact with the readiness monitors, so I need to pull it before my NY inspection so they run long enough to pass. Not really a big deal, as it has to get unplugged so they can connect to the OBDII interface.

I would imagine their bluetooth adapter to be at least as well made.

"Interacting with Readiness Monitor" does not make much sense!
 
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I use the UG on my Accent full time. It's great for the items I monitor. For the Genesis Coupe I use Torque and the Advanced Hyundai plug in on my phone It has many more pids to monitor and log if I want.
 
No thanks, for multiple reasons:

1) Even if it is not ionizing radiation, Id prefer to not have another BT device beaming data across my person to a phone or other device constantly.

2) Id hate to let there be an impression by LE that Im playing with my phone while driving

3) Id hate to have my phone tied up doing that if/when I need to use it for phone calls, gps, etc.

4) If that BT dongle has a battery in it (there is a battery logo on it, not sure what it means), then the device has finite life and a possibility for leaks, both undesirable at my OBD port where there is a 12V constant source.

5) To be able to review the info consistently would require mounting the phone/device somewhere, which is undesirable to me.

6) The actual scangauge/ultragauge type devices are small, easily mounted, and the wire easily managed.
 
I wouldn't pay that much for it, but I like the concept of wireless. I have a phone mount that I built for my Ridgeline that slides into the opening below the radio in the dash. I use it for navigation, things like Torque (on my Android phone), etc. It's completely removable (I usually store it in the huge center console), and I usually don't use it.

Here's what I've found with gauges like this: I think they're fun to tweak and tune with, but I tire of them after a few weeks. I like a temporary solution that is convenient to use on a short term basis and inexpensive. Fortunately, Torque fits that model perfect -- it's 5 bucks, and the BT dongle is something like $15. Nearly every BT dongle will get its power from the vehicle (I presume the lead acid battery icon means that it receives power from the vehicle's lead acid battery).

So, ask yourself if you'll be using this on a long term or a short term basis. If long term, I'd go for the actual unit that you could affix to the car. If short term, I'd use a much less expensive solution.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
UG now has an OBD-II BlueTooth adapter and apps (iOS/Android):
http://ultra-gauge.com/blue.htm

And the UG EM Plus is now on sale: $70

Do you know if it's able to display oil temp on your BMW?


AFAIK it cannot. The fault lies with car though - some car models allow such data to be displayed, some models don't. UG has no control over that kinda stuff.
What I would use UG mainly for is to monitor coolant temps and set alarms when it reaches a certain temp, as what the car is not a REAL temp gauge.
 
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Originally Posted By: Ga129
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
I bought a $7 Bluetooth adapter off eBay and use it with the torque app which is free.

Works great to read and clear code, as well as a ton of cars ecu info


This. I bought an $11 Bluetooth adapter on Amazon and use it with the $5 torque app and I can live stream data and do all of the code reading and clearing. No need to spend $70.


Torque is only android, right? I have an iphone.
I don't want anything on my phone, the more I think about it. I want the phone to be dedicated to phone functions, and would prefer such a device to be separate.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas

"Interacting with Readiness Monitor" does not make much sense!


Yes - I'm not phrasing it right. It appears to set some sort of indication that the readiness monitors were reset, even if you haven't cleared a code. I've been late pulling it out before 2 inspections, and my mechanic has had the car fail the OBD check. 20 miles of driving later, it passes, never having lit the MIL, or shown any fault thru it's display.

That's the best I can explain it, I'd dig at it more, but it isn't that big a deal.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: 97tbird


AFAIK it cannot. The fault lies with car though - some car models allow such data to be displayed, some models don't.

Some (more expensive) obdii software out there is able to report oil temp from e46, so its not the car's fault, IMO.
 
They are computer-based, but still connect via ODB-II. If the information can be pulled via ODB-II, then it's not the car's fault. It's UG's fault.
smile.gif
 
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