The vLinker BM+ is Vgate's BMW and Mini adapter: a Bluetooth 4.0 LE dongle with a bigger data buffer for BimmerCode coding, and a 3 mA sleep mode that lets it stay in the port.
BMW owners buy an OBD2 adapter for one reason more than any other: BimmerCode. The app turns on hidden settings the car already supports, from mirror folding on lock to changing how the start-stop system behaves. It needs an adapter that can move a lot of data quickly and reliably, and a generic dongle often cannot.
The vLinker BM+ is built for that job. Vgate took the iCar Pro design, gave it a bigger data buffer and added support for the TP transport protocol that long coding sessions depend on. The radio is Bluetooth 4.0 LE, which is what lets an iPhone use it alongside Android phones and Windows PCs.
With the right app, the BM+ covers the usual BMW wish list:
Vgate also names Carly among compatible apps. Carly's developer pushes its own adapter, so confirm current support inside Carly before counting on it.
Which features you can change depends on the car's build, not on the adapter. The BimmerCode app lists what it supports for each chassis, and it is worth checking your model there first. The car compatibility guide covers what ELM327 adapters reach on BMW and other brands.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Vgate |
| Model | vLinker BM BLE4.0 |
| Link type | Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes |
| Android | Yes |
| Windows | Yes |
| BMW coding app | BimmerCode |
| BMW diagnostic app | BimmerLink |
| Other apps | Torque Pro and most ELM327-compatible apps |
| Older E/R-series (2008 and earlier) | BimmerCode iOS has connection limits; Android recommended |
| Data handling | Expanded data buffer, TP protocol support |
| Upgrade path | Upgraded from the Vgate iCar Pro design |
| Sleep current | 3 mA with automatic power saving |
| Protection | Over-voltage, over-current and overheating |
| Vehicles | BMW and Mini, plus generic OBD2 on other 1996+ cars |
| Weight | 80 g |
| Power | Vehicle OBD port |
| In the box | Adapter and user manual |
The BM+ comes with one clearly stated catch. On BMW E-series and R-series models from 2008 or earlier, BimmerCode for iOS has connection limitations with this adapter. Vgate's advice is to run BimmerCode on Android for full functionality on those cars.
That makes the choice of phone part of the adapter decision. Newer BMWs and other brands work on both iOS and Android. Older models are where the split appears.
| Your car | Your phone | BM+ with BimmerCode |
|---|---|---|
| BMW or Mini after 2008 | iPhone | Supported; check your chassis in the app |
| BMW or Mini after 2008 | Android | Supported; check your chassis in the app |
| E/R-series 2008 or older | Android | Recommended route |
| E/R-series 2008 or older | iPhone | Limited connection; borrow an Android device |
If you own an older E90 or E60 and only have an iPhone, an inexpensive Android phone or tablet kept in the glovebox solves it. The adapter does not care which device it talks to, though a BimmerCode unlock bought in one app store may not carry over to the other.
For drivers who never plan to use an iPhone, Vgate also makes the vLinker BM, a Bluetooth 3.0 model for Android and Windows only.
Plenty of BMW owners leave their coding adapter in the port so BimmerLink can grab data whenever they want. The BM+ supports that with an automatic power-saving mode that drops the draw to about 3 mA once the car goes quiet.
For scale, seven days at 3 mA comes to about 0.5 Ah, a sliver of a typical car battery's capacity. A car stored for a month or a weak battery in winter is a different case, and unplugging costs nothing.
The BM+ also carries over-voltage, over-current and overheating protection. That guards the adapter and the car's port against a spike from jump-starting or a failing alternator.
If the BM+ does not respond after sleeping, unplug it for a few seconds and reinsert it. A dongle sitting at an angle in the port causes more failed connections than any software setting, so press it fully home.
If connections still fail, the ELM327 connection fixes walk through ignition states, app settings and Bluetooth resets.
BimmerCode works with a short list of adapters, and three come up most often for phone owners. They differ more in price and support than in what they can code.
| Adapter | Link | Devices | BMW notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| vLinker BM+ | Bluetooth 4.0 LE | iPhone, Android, Windows | BimmerCode and BimmerLink; older E-series best on Android |
| OBDLink CX | Bluetooth 5.1 LE | iPhone, Android | Made for BimmerCode and recommended by its team |
| Veepeak OBDCheck BLE | Bluetooth LE | iPhone, Android | No BimmerCode or BimmerLink before 2008; no G and U series in BimmerCode |
| vLinker BM | Bluetooth 3.0 | Android, Windows | BimmerCode and BimmerLink; no iPhone |
The OBDLink CX is the adapter the BimmerCode team itself recommends, with full coverage of what the app supports. The BM+ trades that official stamp for a lower cost, Windows support and the same leave-in sleep mode. The Veepeak is a solid general adapter with real BMW limits.
Price aside, support is the other difference. Vgate lists BimmerCode, BimmerLink and Torque Pro as core apps for the BM+, and the adapter shares the leave-in sleep mode of the rest of the vLinker range. OBDLink adds its own app for live data and diagnostics.
None of the three is a Ford tool: for FORScan and MS-CAN, look at the vLinker FS family instead. And none of them replaces a dealer programming system for full module flashing, which BimmerCode does not attempt.
For a broader comparison of Vgate against OBDLink and others, see ELM327 vs OBDLink and Vgate.
Yes on newer BMWs and Minis. On 2008-and-older E/R-series models, BimmerCode on Android is the recommended route.
Yes. It uses Bluetooth 4.0 LE, which is why it works with iPhones as well as Android and Windows.
It drops to about 3 mA in sleep mode, so daily drivers are fine. Unplug it if the car will be stored.
The BM uses Bluetooth 3.0 for Android and Windows only. The BM+ uses Bluetooth 4.0 LE and adds iPhone support.
Yes. It works with Torque Pro and other ELM327 apps for generic OBD2 on 1996-or-newer cars.