speeder, I'm not in LA, but thanks for the offer!

yasin, where can we get the STAR DAS inexpensively?? This is the only car I've ever bought new, and it's been surprisingly reliable for 13 years now. I wouldn't mind having the STAR DAS, if it doesn't cost more than the car is worth!

hydrorocket, that app sounds really cool. Are you saying it will read ALL the codes, even all the MB factory specific codes??

Like I said, this is the first OBD car that I've owned that I've had to fix something on (other than routine maintenance). After getting the reader, I'm starting to wonder if these cars may be EASIER to work on than 80s cars??? On my 80s 911, for example, I'd have to check all the sensors with a multimeter, one by one, to find a bad CHT, etc.

The diagnosis on the Mercedes took 3 minutes by just plugging the reader in!

The one thing I don't like about these 2000s cars (Mercedes and BMW) is the plastics used in the engine compartment and the wiring harness. They get brittle as all hell over the years and makes it very difficult, or even completely impossible, to get them off without breaking/cracking them.

If you look up C3 Mercedes (or even C4) on eBay, that's the most affordable units and please remember to include the Multiplexer and Laptop in your search. Mine is not a genuine MB unit and works flawlessly, I have used it on my E55 consistently and also on several friend's MBs for the past 3 years and it has been a life saver and beats taking the car to the dealership for a simple code read or check engine / diagnostic that can be done inexpensively and conveniently at home.

Yasin

Yasin, thanks for the tip. Am I understanding correctly that the particular laptop (T60?) will always be necessary? There's no way to use my current laptop with a USB multiplexer?

That is correct, having said that some folks have been able to successfully use other Laptop brands but the T60 will work without issue (I have a T60 operating mine).

I know MB developed the C3 STAR DAS with the T60 which was "the" Laptop at the time, so I am not sure what proprietary architecture is in place that makes other Laptops buggy when trying to run STAR DAS.
Yasin

Not true.

I know from a reliable source that this one, including international shipping for $295 works great.

Here's the one of MANY links.
2013 Newest MB Tester mb c3 star mercedes benz diagnosis multiplexer with 03/2013 Version software(DAS +Xentry + WIS + EPC+Sd)-in Code Readers & Scan Tools from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com

No- You do NOT need any specific laptop. You run a virtual machine (VMware)- Works fine on any modern fast laptop running Windows 7. I've seen it work on a Thinkpad W520. You WILL typically need a USB to RS232 Serial adapter to hook to the unit's RS232 to RS485 cable.

You will have to spend some time reading on the MB forums how to install and operate it. But it's definitely worth the effort. I recommend spending an afternoon googleing and researching. The effort will be worth it.

It's been used on my 2001 CLK55. It's effing awesome.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1381775632.jpg

Yep, I have one that I keep in the truck. A couple weeks back it started to stumble so I reached into the storage box and plugged it in while driving...

Code came back as misfire on 8, I knew it would be a coil and wheeled into my FLAP store on the way home, changed it in the lot and away I went.

New cars are a dream to work on compared to the 80s vacuum line Medusas :)

Awesome. So on a modern benz would you hook it up via the obd port? Are all the other wires for older vehicles? Any idea if the link you sent is good to order off or do you know which seller to go with?

On my 2001 CLK55 I could hook to either the ODB port or the big round port in the engine compartment. I needed to use the engine compartment port for access low level Mercedes proprietary stuff. I have HEARD that on the "new" Mercedes that you just hook to the ODB port and you can access everything from there.

The link provided worked 3 weeks ago. YMMV... :-) When I read though all the reviews it looked to me that the unhappy customers were the ones that didn't realize they would have to put some work into understanding the way the device worked and how to install and run the software...

I caution you though- It is NOT shipped with documentation on how to set it up. You have to dig and read on line for that stuff. There is also a "developer mode", all in German which allows you to set some really low level stuff on the new cars... Like changing default behavior to ROW, for things like lights, warning etc. You can set the ride height on the air adjustable suspensions... All in software/firmware. Pretty amazing.

I couldn't imagine working on one of these cars with out access to one of these tool.

Thanks for the response. I am willing to try a different laptop, for what its worth I am running Virtual Machine VMWare on my set-up.

The scanner worked? The car got fixed?

Yep, scanner worked perfectly.

Hooked it up, it showed a faulty crank position sensor.

Got the factory part for $40 off the internet (it was something like $140 at the dealer!).

It was a little difficult to access it, it's on the top of the engine buried deep near the firewall, but I have a lot of experience using mirrors to spot things, and then replacing by "feel."

Used the scanner to erase the error code, everything has been perfect since.