For BMW owners looking to take control of their vehicle’s functionalities and personalize their driving experience, the Carly OBD scanner and app have emerged as a popular solution. Initially, my journey with Carly began with a simple need: clearing a couple of pesky airbag fault codes after a DIY seat removal. However, I quickly discovered that Carly offers much more than just basic diagnostics.
The Carly unit, readily available on platforms like Amazon, is reasonably priced, and the accompanying app, while subscription-based, unlocks a wealth of customization options. The cost might seem like an initial hurdle, but when you consider the potential savings compared to dealership service charges and the added convenience, Carly proves to be a worthwhile investment. Dealerships often charge exorbitant fees for simple tasks like clearing fault codes, tasks that Carly can handle in minutes. Moreover, for someone like me who enjoys tinkering with cars and anticipates encountering more fault codes down the line, having Carly at hand is invaluable.
Setting up Carly is incredibly straightforward. The app download is quick, and connecting the Carly adapter to the OBD port is a breeze. Bluetooth pairing is almost instantaneous, establishing a reliable link between your smartphone and your BMW.
My first task was to address those airbag fault codes. Carly swiftly diagnosed and cleared them in about five minutes. At that moment, the device had already justified its cost. But the real fun began when I started exploring Carly’s coding capabilities. I ventured into customizing several vehicle settings, and to my satisfaction, every coding modification was executed flawlessly.
One of the first things I personalized was the iDrive system’s shutdown behavior. I preferred the iDrive to power off immediately upon opening the driver’s door. The standard setting, requiring a double press of the power button, had always felt counterintuitive to me, often resulting in accidentally leaving the stereo on. This seemingly minor coding tweak alone significantly enhanced my daily driving convenience and, in my opinion, was worth the price of Carly.
Next, I enabled the feature to automatically fold and unfold the side mirrors when locking and unlocking the car. On a vehicle in the luxury price range, it always struck me as odd that this feature wasn’t standard. Carly effortlessly rectified this, adding a touch of premium convenience.
Continuing my customization spree, I coded the windows to operate via the remote key fob. Holding the lock button now rolls up the windows, and holding the unlock button rolls them down – a particularly useful feature on hot days to vent the car before getting in.
Finally, I programmed the door locks to unlock automatically as soon as the vehicle is turned off. Similar to the iDrive and mirror preferences, the factory door unlock behavior – often requiring a double pull on the interior handle – felt cumbersome. Carly allowed me to streamline this, making exiting the vehicle more intuitive.
These personalized coding adjustments, all accomplished with Carly, have truly refined my BMW ownership experience. The coding process itself was remarkably user-friendly, and as mentioned, every function I coded worked perfectly without any glitches. For BMW enthusiasts seeking to personalize their vehicles and gain access to diagnostic and maintenance capabilities, Carly is undoubtedly a valuable tool and a worthwhile investment.
