Woodrobin
Veteran Member
I recently purchased a DashDAQ XL for my 2003 Jetta TDI. Let me lay out why I think this a decision that I have reason to regret, and you may want to avoid:
Preface: I am a huge GNU/Linux fan and advocate. Because this is a Linux-based device, I have been bending over backwards trying to find reasons to like it or at least keep struggling to make it into something useful for me. I've failed.
1. Price. We're talking roughly $550 USD for the base model, $635 for the GPS-enabled version. That's the cheaper third-party price; it's more expensive direct from Drew Technologies. I was in a position to take the hit, money-wise, but my problem is you don't get much for that cost.
2. Utility: While the site implies a huge list of possible OBDII data that can be read from a VW vehicle by the DashDAQ, in practice my Mk IV Jetta had 15 readable outputs. Four of these were OBDII diagnostics, so that leaves 11 driving-relevant data points. Here's the list:
For comparison, my Ultragauge, which cost less than 10% of the DashDAQ's price, found 34 relevant gauges. So the problem is not, or at least not wholly, an OBDII issue.
3. Customer service: The DashDAQ forum seems to be the main source of information on technical issues. The problem: all posts must be vetted by the moderator before being posted. In my experience, this means that friendly posts can take a week to see the light of day, and critical posts get silently killed. Questions about software updates and performance issues get what seem to be canned answers, with no evidence of any actual fixes in most cases. So my issue with customer service is that there doesn't seem to be any available. Also, they charge a restocking fee of 20%, apparently regardless of reason for return. People who sell a product that works and has satisfied customers rarely need to charge a percentage of the price to people who return the device. Reason: people keep the device.
4. Navigation: The ~$150 additional GPS option is essentially worthless. The last time the maps and software were updated was apparently early 2009. The software is so old that newer third-party maps can't be used with it (v4.5 of software that is now at v6.0). Questions as to when and at what price updated maps may be available are answered with some price, some day, we'll let you know. In other words, probably never. Three year old maps, in my area, would miss a good number of street changes, not include a good number of points of interest that didn't exist three years ago, and would be worse than no map at all. If I know I don't know where something is, I'll try to look it up before I leave or ask for directions. If I think the map is right, I'll be caught short by bad information. Please note that nowhere on the DashDAQ site do they mention the lack of map updates. They don't even mention the need to plug in the separate GPS receiver and load an SD card with the software on it in the only SD slot on the device before it will work, as far as I can tell. For comparison, many new GPS devices come with lifetime map updates, supported by ads. As for functionality, leaving aside the outdated information, the nav software tends to lock up if you deviate from the appointed route (it almost seemed to be pouting at me ) and is fairly inaccurate. Routing algorithms are odd at best. For instance, to get to my house when I was parked in front of it, it told me I need to drive around the block and park at a house that isn't even on the street I live on.
TL;DR version: DashDAQ will disappoint you on almost every level. Mine's going back tomorrow, even if I have to eat the restocking fee. I'll never buy another Drew Technologies product again. Do yourself a favor and get a Scangauge or Ultraguage and a decent GPS (or a Garmin nuvi with the Ecodrive HD OBDII device) and save yourself money and headaches.
Preface: I am a huge GNU/Linux fan and advocate. Because this is a Linux-based device, I have been bending over backwards trying to find reasons to like it or at least keep struggling to make it into something useful for me. I've failed.
1. Price. We're talking roughly $550 USD for the base model, $635 for the GPS-enabled version. That's the cheaper third-party price; it's more expensive direct from Drew Technologies. I was in a position to take the hit, money-wise, but my problem is you don't get much for that cost.
2. Utility: While the site implies a huge list of possible OBDII data that can be read from a VW vehicle by the DashDAQ, in practice my Mk IV Jetta had 15 readable outputs. Four of these were OBDII diagnostics, so that leaves 11 driving-relevant data points. Here's the list:
Code:
DashDAQ Available Signals Report
Time: Mon Dec 12 17:57:23 2011
Firmware Version: DashGUI-2.1.4-2086
Device: a-Generic OBD2 Version:2.1.4-2086
9998 "Latency" "OBD Latency" "ms" 0
9999 "Updates" "OBD Update Rate" "Hz" 0
9996 "NET" "OBD Network Type" "" 0
14 "TP" "Absolute Throttle #1 position" "%" 0
13 "MAF" "Air Flow Rate from MAF" "g/s" 0
1 "LOAD" "Calculated Load Value" "%" 0
17 "MIL_DIST" "Distance Travelled While MIL is Activated" "miles" 0
2 "ECT" "Engine Coolant Temperature" "°F" 0
9 "RPM" "Engine RPM" "RPM" 0
11 "SPARKADV" "Ignition Timing Advance (#1)" "°TDC" 0
12 "IAT" "Intake Air Temperature" "°F" 0
8 "MAP" "Intake Manifold Absolute Pressure" "PSI" 0
200 "MIL" "Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Status (On/Off)" "" 0
303 "OBDSUP" "OBD Requirements" "" 0
10 "Speed" "Vehicle Speed" "MPH" 0
Device: b-Analog Input Version:2.1.4-2086
1 "V" "Analog In - Raw" "Volts" 0
2 "V(C)" "V(C)" "Volts" 0
3 "VBATT" "Battery Voltage" "Volts" 0
Device: c-Analog Input Version:2.1.4-2086
1 "V" "Analog In - Raw" "Volts" 0
2 "V(C)" "V(C)" "Volts" 0
3 "VBATT" "Battery Voltage" "Volts" 0
3. Customer service: The DashDAQ forum seems to be the main source of information on technical issues. The problem: all posts must be vetted by the moderator before being posted. In my experience, this means that friendly posts can take a week to see the light of day, and critical posts get silently killed. Questions about software updates and performance issues get what seem to be canned answers, with no evidence of any actual fixes in most cases. So my issue with customer service is that there doesn't seem to be any available. Also, they charge a restocking fee of 20%, apparently regardless of reason for return. People who sell a product that works and has satisfied customers rarely need to charge a percentage of the price to people who return the device. Reason: people keep the device.
4. Navigation: The ~$150 additional GPS option is essentially worthless. The last time the maps and software were updated was apparently early 2009. The software is so old that newer third-party maps can't be used with it (v4.5 of software that is now at v6.0). Questions as to when and at what price updated maps may be available are answered with some price, some day, we'll let you know. In other words, probably never. Three year old maps, in my area, would miss a good number of street changes, not include a good number of points of interest that didn't exist three years ago, and would be worse than no map at all. If I know I don't know where something is, I'll try to look it up before I leave or ask for directions. If I think the map is right, I'll be caught short by bad information. Please note that nowhere on the DashDAQ site do they mention the lack of map updates. They don't even mention the need to plug in the separate GPS receiver and load an SD card with the software on it in the only SD slot on the device before it will work, as far as I can tell. For comparison, many new GPS devices come with lifetime map updates, supported by ads. As for functionality, leaving aside the outdated information, the nav software tends to lock up if you deviate from the appointed route (it almost seemed to be pouting at me ) and is fairly inaccurate. Routing algorithms are odd at best. For instance, to get to my house when I was parked in front of it, it told me I need to drive around the block and park at a house that isn't even on the street I live on.
TL;DR version: DashDAQ will disappoint you on almost every level. Mine's going back tomorrow, even if I have to eat the restocking fee. I'll never buy another Drew Technologies product again. Do yourself a favor and get a Scangauge or Ultraguage and a decent GPS (or a Garmin nuvi with the Ecodrive HD OBDII device) and save yourself money and headaches.
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