[CharlesStevenson]

Glad to see you had some success with the reader.

Yes it is definitively rather tacky looking ... & it gets VERY hot when connected and reading for more than a few minutes so I'd not use it myself on a run, just outside the house.

I do recollect it asked to connect to contacts etc when installing for the first time; I think you can select "no" but I don't remember what I did, just that my phone's still working, so it seems an ok app.

A thought: Assuming your CEL (engine graphic) is working (ie it comes on when you put the key into the ignition position and then goes out when the car's running), then your car currently has no error codes to read, which is good news as such.

For mine, whenever the CEL stays lit the reader will show the error codes & let me clear them.

You said ".. so don't expect all the bells and whistles you get from a modern car." Yes, there are some codes that these tools can't read or reset; AFAIK that includes safety related such as airbags, aircon, some diesel engine codes & stuff that's been set as proprietary to each car make. They've got to get you into their garages somehow!