Mangoose Cable SP116 SP205 SP205-B Review: What’s the Difference?

What’s the main difference of JLR Mangoose SDD cable SP116 SP205 SP205-B and is it good to have a cloned unit?

 

What is SP116 and SP205, SP205-b?

The supplier numbers of the different Mangoose versions.

 

For the manufacturer codes

SP116 means Mongoose
SP205 means Mongoose Pro (-B I guess is just a revision)

 

I have been using the Mongoose clones for years.
Supplier was http://www.obdii365.com/. I am using JLR 130 and 134 on a designated 8,9″ Netbook and that’s absolutely sufficient.

I bought all around 10 adapters from them to also provide friends with that functionality. each of them worked fine so far.

I have used them so far on my X308 (2001), on a X308 (1997), X100 (1999), X350 (2005), X400 (2001). So far they never failed.

I have been screening DTCs but also programmed keys out of and into the safety module in a X308 and a X400. Even new keys could be programmed into a X400 so far. I will try this with my X308 this year too.
I also added a new instrument cluster (odometer) into a X400 when it had been immobilized by the change of the odometer.
All of this had been done in the JLR 130 in XP Pro SP3 on a Acer Netbook.

 

For me it makes more sense to have a “handy” device for fault detection and/or programming.

jlr-sdd-review-1

But this, of course, is up to everyone himself and it could be from 8,9″ to 14″ as I tested here:

jlr-sdd-review-2

I once opened both – the original Mongoose Pro and the clone.
From the components being used there was no difference – might just be the programming.
jlr-mongoose-cable-clone-pcb-1 jlr-mongoose-cable-clone-pcb-2

But you have always to be aware what you are doing there.
Writing code into control modules is always a risk – power loss, loosened plugs. Always double check your arrangement.

Best regards
André

OBDII365