VIDA / DICE for the Novice - advice please

Post by **BlackBart** » 09 Sep 2021, 17:11

If I go ahead with this pre-loaded laptop with VIDA and a DICE connector (2014 for my 2004 car), will I be able to learn to run it and make a useful tool out of it? I've read it's not exactly intuitive. I've read it's fine. Our pal who is selling this package offers help.

I sit at a computer all day, but I'm not a tech guy, and it's a mac. I used PCs back in the day at a sweatshop job - I did fine. But I'm not going to load software and coordinate and download patches and all of that.

It's a good amount of money to invest, but I feel like it'll help me keep this car going for many years. I can learn to be better at diagnostics, especially electrical stuff. I can record real time engine issues while driving (is this true?).

But if I'm faced with a page covered in columns of numbers, which are clearly (to some experts) the answers to the question I asked the car and computer, I don't know that I have the time to learn another complicated system, and it may just sit on the shelf as an expensive experiment.

I plan to make it an exclusive garage tool with nothing else loaded on it. I'd take it on long trips to diagnose problems out on the road far from Volvo help.

My worry is obviously showing, but I'd like to hear some feedback and experience out there.
Thanks for your time -

Post by **jonesg** » 11 Sep 2021, 07:33

I'm a retired baker, vida is great, it looks deeper than anything at the price, paid $300 for mine.
Its not that hard to learn, watch youtube videos for tips.
Once you load your vin , do a full scan and save the profile you can disconnect and play with it offline in the house.

Post by **BlackBart** » 12 Sep 2021, 16:35

Thank you.

Post by **FireFox31** » 24 Sep 2021, 02:01

I'm also considering buying a laptop preloaded with VIDA 2014D for my 2000 V70. I would like to do all diagnostics without ever connecting this sketchy software and hardware to the Internet. What functionality requires connecting the laptop to the Internet? Thanks.

Post by **manovlov** » 27 Sep 2021, 11:35

I think it could be a good idea to stick a post with the required stuff for "each" type of cars.. To say the truth, on my P80 with the diagnostic unit under the hood, the question isn't may be useful, but for the rest of the car, there's no way to me to plug that soft anywhere on the car, right ?