Car diagnostic tool: CarMD

For the true road warrior -- someone who's always driving -- what better gift than a clever diagnostic tool called CarMD? It's a handheld tester that can tell if your car is running normally or whether it's time for an appointment at the garage. Plug the tester into the car's OBD2 Data Link connecter, located near or under the dashboard, and turn on the ignition so the tester can collect the car's information.

Next, take the tool inside and plug it into your computer via a USB cable. The information is downloaded to the CarMD Web site, which produces a report on what's probably wrong with your car and what needs to be done to fix it. If you're not near your computer or need a faster response, the tester provides color-coded LED lights to show the car's health status: green, the car's running normally; yellow, there's a possible problem; red, service is required.

One caveat is that CarMD works only on vehicles made since 1996, when onboard computers became standard. At $90, it's a handy device to keep in the glove compartment for a road trip. It could also be useful for a quick check of a used car you or someone you know is thinking of buying.

-- Marian Prokop