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Comparison · BMW and MINI

Vgate vLinker BM+ vs generic ELM327 for BMW and MINI

Any ELM327 will read a BMW's engine fault codes. To code with BimmerCode or run a full diagnosis with BimmerLink, the app asks for an adapter from its list, and the vLinker BM+ is on it.

By Redacción de Satkit Updated 3 min read

Which one to choose for your case

If you want to use BimmerCode or BimmerLink

ChooseVgate vLinker BM+ €47.97

BimmerCode lists it among its adapters for iPhone and Android; generic ELM327s are not on that list.

If you only want engine fault codes on Android

ChooseELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 v1.5 €8.60

With Torque or Car Scanner it reads and clears the engine codes of any OBD2 BMW.

If you only want the engine on an iPhone

ChooseELM327 Wi-Fi OBD2 €17.22

Over Wi-Fi it works with Car Scanner or OBD Fusion on the iPhone, without BMW-specific features.

Side by side

Vgate vLinker BM+ vs generic ELM327 for BMW and MINI: Vgate vLinker BM+ / ELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 v1.5 / ELM327 Wi-Fi OBD2
Feature Vgate vLinker BM+ELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 v1.5ELM327 Wi-Fi OBD2
ConnectionBluetooth 4.0 (LE)Classic BluetoothWi-Fi
Works with
  • iPhone
  • Android
  • Windows
  • iPhone (not compatible)
  • Android
  • Windows
  • iPhone
  • Android
  • Windows
ChipVgate electronicsPIC18F25K80PIC18F25K80
ProtocolsStandard OBD2 plus the BMW and MINI ones used by BimmerCode and BimmerLinkThe standard OBD2 ones: CAN, KWP2000, ISO 9141 and J1850The standard OBD2 ones: CAN, KWP2000, ISO 9141 and J1850 (PWM/VPW)
CAN busBMW and MINI CANHS-CAN onlyHS-CAN only
Best forBMW and MINI with BimmerCode or BimmerLinkGetting started on an Android phone: fault codes and engine dataiPhone at the lowest price
Price at Satkit€47.97€8.60€17.22

Pros and cons

Vgate vLinker BM+

Pros

  • Listed by BimmerCode for iPhone and Android
  • Bluetooth 4.0: iPhone without losing Wi-Fi
  • Coding, filter regeneration and battery test (depending on the app)

Cons

  • Costs more than a generic ELM327
  • On iPhone, BimmerCode does not support E-series cars from before 2008

ELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 v1.5

Pros

  • PIC18F25K80 chip
  • Simple: pairs like any Bluetooth device
  • Works with Torque, Car Scanner and MotoScan on Android
  • Compatible with TuneECU (full ELM327 with the 25K80 chip)

Cons

  • Does not work with iPhone or iPad
  • HS-CAN only: cannot see the MS-CAN on Ford and Mazda

ELM327 Wi-Fi OBD2

Pros

  • Works with iPhone, Android and Windows
  • PIC18F25K80 chip
  • Cheaper than the Vgate iCar2

Cons

  • While connected, the phone has no internet over Wi-Fi
  • Does not reach ABS or airbag

On a BMW or MINI the question is not just which adapter but which app you will use. General apps (Torque, Car Scanner, OBD Fusion) read the engine with almost any ELM327. The BMW-specific ones, BimmerCode (coding, i.e. enabling or changing features) and BimmerLink (faults in every module and live data), only work with the adapters on their list.

What you can do with each one

  • Vgate vLinker BM+: BimmerCode and BimmerLink, plus general apps. Module coding, particulate filter regeneration and battery test, depending on what the app allows. Works with iPhone, Android and Windows.
  • ELM327 Bluetooth v1.5: general apps on Android and Windows: read and clear engine fault codes and see live data. It does not work with iPhone or BimmerCode.
  • ELM327 Wi-Fi: the same as the one above, but with iPhone too.

Bluetooth 4.0: iPhone without losing Wi-Fi

The vLinker BM+ is Bluetooth 4.0 (LE): it works with an iPhone and the phone keeps its Wi-Fi. On the iPhone you do not pair it from Settings but from the app itself. One limitation of BimmerCode, not of the adapter: on iPhone it does not support E-series BMWs from before 2008 (on Android it does). The connection steps are in how to connect an ELM327 to an iPhone.

Before coding

Changing a module's configuration is a write: back up from the app first and connect a battery charger if the session will be long.

And for a BMW motorcycle?

That is a different story: the reference app is MotoScan, Android only, and it works with an ELM327 Bluetooth v1.5 (plus the 10-pin cable on bikes from before 2017). On an iPhone, the alternative is Biketune. We cover it in ELM327 for motorcycles and in MotoScan vs Biketune vs TuneECU.

Frequently asked questions

Does BimmerCode work with a generic ELM327?

No. BimmerCode only works with the adapters on its list, and generic ELM327s are not on it. The Vgate vLinker BM+ is, for both iPhone and Android.

Does the vLinker BM+ work with an iPhone?

Yes. It is Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), which iOS supports. You connect from the app, not from the iPhone's Settings.

Can I read my BMW's fault codes with a normal ELM327?

The engine ones, yes, with general apps such as Torque or Car Scanner. For the other modules and for coding you need BimmerLink or BimmerCode with a compatible adapter such as the vLinker BM+.

Does the vLinker BM+ work on other makes?

Yes. With general apps such as Car Scanner or OBD Fusion it works like any OBD2 adapter on cars of other makes.

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