Keep in mind that you'll need to drive around a little for the suspension to settle. The same as with traditional set-up springs/shocks(struts)

Cheap DIS v44 laptop GT1 build
 

Since my laptop GT1 got stolen, I've been looking for a good replacement. My priority has always been good diagnostics and not really a focus on custom coding. I really like how DIS has Test plans.

With that in mind, I am building another "GT1" laptop with DIS running in VM vs native install.

Software:
- VMware Workstation v6.5 = $0 (downloaded)
- DIS v44 = $0 (downloaded)
- Windows XP OS for laptop = $0 (already on my laptop)

Hardware:
- Any laptop but must have an actual serial port = $0 (already have)
- Serial interface ADS/OBD PC cable = $100 (pre-assembled & tested. Available as a kit for $60)
- ADS/OBD adapter (needed for OBDII port under dash) = $35 (pre-assembled)
- Shipping for Interface cable and adapter cost $10 from:
ADS/OBD - Interfaces 4 Beemers

Total cost = $145


I will be give feedback soon. I will be testing this on my E36 M3.

Preliminary feedback: Setup was very easy as the interface cables came with instructions to use with DIS v44.

I just haven't had a chance to use it with the weather we've been having lately.

Sup J,

On no, do you know who stole the laptop, or no info at all?

Let us know how the build goes.

Why are you going this route anyway. The Romanian package, with the $15 cable, vmware, does the same thing. My laptop just took a dump on me, and won't support VMware for some reason so DIS is now dead. But I still have inpa, which not for nothing, is a whole lot easier to use. Mate that with NCS and you got coding and all diagnostics for $15.

Sup J,

On no, do you know who stole the laptop, or no info at all?

Let us know how the build goes.

Why are you going this route anyway. The Romanian package, with the $15 cable, vmware, does the same thing. My laptop just took a dump on me, and won't support VMware for some reason so DIS is now dead. But I still have inpa, which not for nothing, is a whole lot easier to use. Mate that with NCS and you got coding and all diagnostics for $15.

Hey Dennis! No info. I let someone borrow it and it got stolen from their car. The person paid me $100 but never paid me the balance that we agreed upon.

As mentioned above, I just really like DIS and its test plans. I guess its just that DIS is what I'm most familiar with. It has specific BMW codes instead of generic P-codes.

IIRC, NCS is not that easy to use?

EDIT: Also for the E36 I need to connect to both connectors - round and D port. So, I can't get away with just one cable.

Wow sucks.

NCS is just to code it. Inpa is the BMW specific software. Calibrate stuf with inpa too. Ride height, abs bump while bleeding. Activations and all that. Are you sure you need both round and obd2? You probably know better though.

Probably access all modules through the round port for the E36. For later model X5s, and they use the same interface cable as mine, they need to get the adapter to connect to the OBD2 port under the dash.

You picked a very nice cable. That was what I used for my E39 M5 and current E36 318. Both cars had the round 20-pin port, but were also OBD2 cars. I don't believe you need the OBD2 cable if your BMW has the 20-pin port as you get full communication to all modules through the 20-pin connector.

I am going to make my own OBD2 to 20-pin adapter this summer. The PnP will usually give you the 20-pin from a scrap car, and the OBD2 connector is $4 on eBay. All you need is some wire and a minuscule amount of soldering skill.