![]() Actron CP9180 AutoScanner Plus Diagnostic Code Scanner with Live, Record and Playback Data Capability and O2 Monitor Test for OBDII Vehicles $282.99 Preface: Professional industrial machinery engineer. Cars are simple compared to what I work on all day. So maybe I'm not a "shadetree mechanic". I have no brand loyalty, nor am I getting a kickback of any sort for this review. I just needed a good scan tool, NOW. I wish this one had been available 10 years ago. My son is a professional, ASE certified auto mechanic, and this is better than his, by his own admission. 1) 9V battery not included (only needed if not connected to vehicle). 2)Worked flawlessly out of the box. Didn't read the manual and figured it out in about 5 minutes flat. Intuitive menus. Clear, plain english fault description. 3) You'll read on the internet that the computer software that comes with it is junk. I'm running Vista 32 Home Premium and the software installed and worked flawlessly. Not a single "work around" or problem. However, I'm also a computer geek, so what I regard as normal might drive somebody else nuts. You have to "install" your scan tool in the software for it to know what to update/ look at. Took 12 minutes to flash the tool to the latest software version. Another 10 to update the scan tool computer software suite. 4)Used it to diagnose a 1999 Neon prior to purchase. Check engine light on. Tool said "cylinder #3 misfire". Checked plugs and wires. Found all spark plugs loose, particularly #3. Tightened. Car runs great. Cleared codes in ECM. No new faults. Dealer mechanic and salesman looked at me like I was a wizard. Because I did this and gave the mechanical and electrical system a thorough inspection (and found several minor problems), they knocked $700 off their price. (Tool paid for itself 5 times over in the first day). Even the GM dealer (Neon being a Chrysler product)Didn't have a scantool like this that would read multiple MFG (generic) OBD-II codes. Plugged it into my 2000 and 2003 Corolla's; and my 2009 GMC Van. Communicated flawlessly. Note: It's a little slow, but thorough. Gent at Advance Auto says this one is better than the one they use. In other words, this is a moderately priced, powerful, upgradeable, nearly "obsolete proof" Scanner, better than some "professional" auto technicians use. Note: WILL NOT READ PRE-1996 OBD-I OR ANY MANUFACTURER SPECIFIC CODES. NOR WILL IT READ "BODY" OR "ABS" OR OTHER NON-ENGINE/ EMISSIONS CODES. But I promise you, on anything newer and for basic diagnosis, "check engine" light problems it's all you'll need. I would recommend it to friends, enemies, and my own mother if she needed one. ![]() ISA-TEST-Isatori Advanced Testosterone Formula, 104 Capsules $59.95 The first time I took this product I felt like dragging someone out back and beating the sh@t out of them. I haven't been that wired since I was a Marine. The second time I took it I still felt aggressive, only slightly less so. The third time I felt a little ornery. After that, nada. I'm still on the my first bottle, but when that's finished I'll be stopping the dosages. It recommends an eight week cycle for max benefit, but the pills are huge and your taking four in your pre-workout stack. The container just doesn't last very long, and at twenty-something a pop, it's just not worth it. Also, it did squat for my sex drive. ![]() xUnit Test Patterns: Refactoring Test Code $59.99 Our team has been doing TDD for 6 years since the seminal Kent Beck book. We as a team have learnt read and improved our practice over these years but this book has had the most impact on how 2 do TDD properly. It has significantly improved our code and our testing practices. Many of the leasons we learnt where emphasised and standardised in this book. All I can say is that you will save yourself years and years of hard knocks learning if you read this book first. By following the patterns in this book we have been more easily able to implement the principles in Kent's book. Brett ![]() Test Driven Development: By Example $49.99 Remember back in college when you would come up with 2 pages of good material then bs it into 5 to meet the length requirement? This guy does it to make a 200 page book. Test-Driven Development is not very complicated. You can fully understand it just reading the wikipedia article on it. This book doesn't explain much more than that. There are a ton of examples for just about any situation you can think of inside this book, but any decent programmer could just look at an example or two online and be just as well off. This book would be most helpful to someone who has just started learning programming on their own (no degree or job experience), but this book is mostly just a waste of time. |
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