ScanGauge II 3-in-1 Compact Multifunction Vehicle Computer with Customizable Display

I have owned my ScanGauge II for almost a year now and overall it has functioned pretty much as advertised. I say "almost" because it had an initial problem with communicating with any vehicle I tried to scan. I sent an email to the company and received a reply within hours asking for an address they should ship the replacement to. They apparently had a bad batch and were very responsive in correcting the problem. The replacement has worked well, until recently. It has developed a problem with the average MPG and at times the display will indicate "9999". I have also found that it will not communicate with another vehicle I own. As bad as these problems are, they are not the big problem I have run into. The support for these devices has apparently gone away. I have been attempting to contact the company for 3 weeks now and have received no response whatsoever. It is really disappointing to see a company that has a reasonably good product feel that it does not need to provide customer service. A year ago I would have recommended this device to anyone that asked. Today I would recommend that you stay clear of ANY product from Linear-Logic.

It has been 5 weeks since I installed and used the ScanGauge on my 2001 Diesel VW New Beattle. The install was a simple as the instructions and others online indicated. Placed the unit up onto of my dashboard and cover it with a towel during the summer heat. This helps with the adhesive.

Following the instructions I fine tuned calibrated the unit using my GPS indicated speed to adjust to the tire size, not off enough to worry about. I also adjust the fuel used by refilling from the same pump each time and allowing the nozzle to simply shut off and not pump more. That has been a significant change in the accuracy of the unit as it was off nearly 20% in overestimating my fuel use. After three refills the unit seems more on the mark with my actual fuel use.

While using the unit I initally tried the X gauge however the instant fuel used was not as useful as when I simply starting using only the calculated MPG per trip. This now has helped me to realize at least a 10MPG per trip improvement as I manually shift at the more appropriate times and smile quite large when after driving to or from work and see a typical 50+MPG for the trip when previous to the gauge I would often fill up to 35 MPG per tank.

For a gadget geek this is nearly what I wanted, would be nice if the unit allowed the X gauge to reflect trip MPG however using the trip mpg is all I REALLY need.

My brother asked me to buy him the ScanGauge II for his birthday. This is his review:

"ScanGauge is helping me get 4-5 MPG better than I was. It is training me to drive more fuel efficiently. In my daily commute to work, about 45 miles, I've increased my MPG from about 20 MPG to 24-25 MPG.
I've found that maintaining a steady speed is the main way to higher MPGs. Also, coasting where possible really runs up the MPGs. It's the immediate real time feedback it gives that puts you in control. It's fun to drive to work to see how high I can get the MPGs to go...Thanks, A Happy User.

pros:
1) mpg readings
2) trip and tank figures
3) compact and portable design
4) four user defined readings in gauge mode
5) obdii readings

cons:
1) hard to read in the sun
2) cable is really thick
3) questionable build quality
4) auto-start doesnt start right away when you start your car

Features are meaningless if you dont use them or if you dont know how to use them. ScanguageII could be used for multiple purposes. If you do not understand how your car works, i suggest you learn first.

What i use it for is for fuel consumption. Like many people who uses it, they monitor their mpg. With the other readings such as Throttle position and Engine load, you can refine and optimize your driving technique by observing how your driving habits affect the multiple variables that ultimately affect mpg. You can also use it to evaluate how the driving environment affects your vehicles performance. For those who use it for mpg. i suggest you follow the directions on calibrating your gas tank: Use the same gas station. After calibration, the scanguage told me my mpg was 33.4, manual calculation was 33.1. so it was pretty accurate. Its never gonna be perfect as there are so many variables that affects mpg calculation, including your tank shape and piping.

I wish the cable was a bit thinner so its easier to route, since most port for the OBDII are under the steering columns, the easier the routing the lower chance the lower the chance the cable will affect the pedals. The build quality could be improved too, the buttons and the housing feels like a hobby or two bit operation, not something that was manufactured with care. I also wish the auto start would turn the device on when the car starts, no 2-3 seconds after the car starts.

It does what it says, very easy to hook up, adjust, and see. even my wife likes it, and does not like any of my toys. It would make a great Xmas present.