[dkpete101]

Have recently bought a 2011 335d and am learning all about the coding & tuning options, products and possibilities.
Today is coding day (i guess) and I'd like to buy the best app for this type of customization.

Thanks, y'all!~

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

You don't need to buy any app. All you need is an old laptop, a K+DCAN cable, BMW Tools, and NCS-Dummy. You'll set it up once then never need to do it again. You'll have near complete control over modules in the car.

[dkpete101]

Great, thanks! I have the cable and the laptop. The BMW tools and NCS dummy?? Sorry but brand new to this.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Read through this:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1204192

Try this:
https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=879366

After you learn a little about the software used to talk with BMW modules, you'll be able to do a *ton* with the car. You can edit all available options you want.

Also consider getting ISTA/D and ISTA/P. They're standalone and are the dealer tools for diagnostics and programming. I use ISTA/D often, but use ISTA/P much less. I find using what comes with BMW Tools easier.

[ctuna]

Bimmergeeks.net download there cable is a preferred one.

go to the coding subforum for install and operating instructions
and the following.

diagnostic manual ista/inpa
https://bimmerprofs.com/diagnostics-inpa-part-1/
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...xo19teM9vkTF-C
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...7x8H3pN8h1fMuF
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-P-actually-do

georges links
https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/at...9&d=1539905743

Avoid Ista P if possible there are easier coding solutions in most
cases.

[dkpete101]

Appreciate the feedback and links you guys have graciously posted in response to my lob query.

When I read-: "You don't need to buy any app. All you need is an old laptop, a K+DCAN cable, BMW Tools, and NCS-Dummy. You'll set it up once then never need to do it again. You'll have near complete control over modules in the car."
-I assumed the process would be nearly that simple, or as simple as described in the BimmerCode video I had just watched. Put in some info and all the possibilities are right on screen (life was so simple back then).

Anyway, must admit I studied and/or downloaded most of what's mentioned above but could not make sense of any of it. The fact that you guys make it sound relatively simple is either amusing or I'm a full-on idiot. (i have my suspicions).

The result was 4 or 5 separate programs on my desktop and none of them were clearly related, or recognizable, or showed me much of anything I understood. Although I did figure out to put my E90 designation under E89, so perhaps that's a moral victory but I hadn't a clue what would happen after that. And nothing did.

SO, I'm either way out of my league here or missing something.
Have adopted a staunch DIY approach to this vehicle and so am willing and patient to learn, and appreciate any feedback that you may yet provide.

May the torque be with you,
dp

[flgfish]

If you have an Android phone, then Bimmergeeks Protool + a DCAN cable is a good option. It has modules for pulling codes/debug, and a module for coding that is extra.
If you have an iPhone, then Bimmercode for coding & Bimmerlink for codes/debug is the best option. You can use a bluetooth or Wifi ODB2 adapter.
The BMW Standard Tools + DCAN cable + Windows computer is the cheapest & most powerful option. It is the hardest to get started with, though, so it can be a bit daunting the first time you look at it. Basically, "NCS Expert" is the program you use to code, and ISTA+ (Rheingold) is used for pulling codes/debug. ISTA+ is a tool I highly recommend you spend some time with, because it's worth its weight in gold (literally) if you want to work on your car yourself.

When I got my car, I paid for Bimmercode to do the easy coding right away, since I already had a compatible ODB2 adapter. Now I have the cable and the free software, and I'll probably never use Bimmercode again. It was pretty cheap though, and it's easy for a novice to use.

Don't use or buy Carly.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

BMW tools have a higher learning curve than downloadable apps. For the trade in simplicity you get unparalleled access and control over your car, as these are even tools that the dealer doesn't have access to. These are tools BMW use/have used for developing software for the car. They're about as low-level access as you'll get. This may or may not be worth it for you depending on what you're trying to do.

If you do decide to set up a coding box, you'll have:
- BMW software developer module coding tools
- BMW software developer module programming tools
- Factory diagnostics
- Dealer diagnostics, diagrams, and test flows
- Dealer programming tools

People have created pre-made images and packages where everything is already set up for you with minimal configuration, but nothing will compare to downloading an app and installing it on your phone.