diff --git a/main/can.c b/main/can.c
index fb5d9f8..20cc220 100644
--- a/main/can.c
+++ b/main/can.c
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 #include "freertos/ringbuf.h"
 #include "xvprintf.h"
 
-static const char* LOG_TAG = "can";
-
 bool is_error_passive = false;
 
 SemaphoreHandle_t can_mutex;
@@ -50,10 +48,10 @@ static can_status_t get_can_state() {
     return result;
 }
 
-void can_msg_to_str(twai_message_t *can_msg, char *out_str) {
+void can_msg_to_str(twai_message_t *can_msg, char *start_str, char *out_str) {
     char byte_str[3];
     out_str[0] = '\0';
-    sprintf(out_str, "can frame: ID: %08X dlc: %d ", (int) can_msg->identifier, can_msg->data_length_code);
+    sprintf(out_str, "%scan frame: ID: %08X dlc: %d ", start_str, (int) can_msg->identifier, can_msg->data_length_code);
     if (can_msg->data_length_code == 0) {
         strcat(out_str, "(no data)");
     } else {
@@ -67,11 +65,11 @@ void can_msg_to_str(twai_message_t *can_msg, char *out_str) {
 
 // TODO: add software filtering
 void can_task(void* arg) {
-    static const TickType_t can_task_timeout = pdMS_TO_TICKS(100);
+    static const TickType_t can_task_timeout = pdMS_TO_TICKS(10);
     uint32_t alerts = 0;
     can_mutex = xSemaphoreCreateMutex();
     twai_message_t rx_msg;
-    char data_bytes_str[50];
+    char data_bytes_str[70];
     for (;;) { // A Task shall never return or exit.
         if (twai_read_alerts(&alerts, 0) == ESP_OK) {
             if (alerts & TWAI_ALERT_ERR_ACTIVE) {
@@ -81,22 +79,22 @@ void can_task(void* arg) {
                 is_error_passive = true;
             }
             if (alerts & TWAI_ALERT_BUS_ERROR) {
-                ESP_LOGE(LOG_TAG, "CAN error!");
+                print_w_clr_time("CAN error!", LOG_COLOR_RED, false);
             }
             if (alerts & TWAI_ALERT_BUS_OFF) {
-                ESP_LOGE(LOG_TAG, "CAN went bus-off!");
+                print_w_clr_time("CAN went bus-off!", LOG_COLOR_RED, false);
                 // ESP_ERROR_CHECK(twai_initiate_recovery());
             }
             if (alerts & TWAI_ALERT_BUS_RECOVERED) {
-                ESP_LOGI(LOG_TAG, "CAN recovered!");
+                print_w_clr_time("CAN recovered!", LOG_COLOR_BLUE, false);
                 // ESP_ERROR_CHECK(twai_start());
             }
         }
         curr_can_state = get_can_state();
         if (xSemaphoreTake(can_mutex, 0) == pdTRUE) {
             while (twai_receive(&rx_msg, 0) == ESP_OK) {
-                can_msg_to_str(&rx_msg, data_bytes_str); 
-                xprintf(LOG_COLOR(LOG_COLOR_BLUE) "recv %s\n" LOG_RESET_COLOR, data_bytes_str);
+                can_msg_to_str(&rx_msg, "recv ", data_bytes_str); 
+                print_w_clr_time(data_bytes_str, LOG_COLOR_BLUE, false);
             }
             xSemaphoreGive(can_mutex);
         }
diff --git a/main/can.h b/main/can.h
index ac81644..597090f 100644
--- a/main/can.h
+++ b/main/can.h
@@ -39,10 +39,11 @@ typedef struct {
 
 extern SemaphoreHandle_t can_mutex;
 extern volatile can_status_t curr_can_state;
+extern bool timestamp_enabled;
 
 // functions
 
 void can_task(void* arg);
-void can_msg_to_str(twai_message_t *can_msg, char *out_str);
+void can_msg_to_str(twai_message_t *can_msg, char *start_str, char *out_str);
 
 #endif // MAIN_CAN_H
diff --git a/main/cmd_can.c b/main/cmd_can.c
index 7814dca..4c2a10b 100644
--- a/main/cmd_can.c
+++ b/main/cmd_can.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static struct {
 
 static int send_can_frame(int argc, char **argv) {
     twai_message_t msg = {.extd = 1};
-    char printf_str[50];
+    char printf_str[70];
     int nerrors = arg_parse(argc, argv, (void **) &cansend_args);
     if (nerrors != 0) {
         arg_print_errors(stderr, cansend_args.end, argv[0]);
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ static int send_can_frame(int argc, char **argv) {
     msg.data_length_code = dt_l / 2;
     msg.identifier = msg_id;
     twai_transmit(&msg, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
-    can_msg_to_str(&msg, printf_str);
-    printf("sent %s\n", printf_str);
-    // free(can_msg_str_buf);
+    can_msg_to_str(&msg, "sent ", printf_str);
+    print_w_clr_time(printf_str, NULL, true);
+    free(can_msg_str_buf);
     return 0;
 invalid_args:
     printf("Invalid arguments!\n");
diff --git a/main/xvprintf.c b/main/xvprintf.c
index 738c731..5e321eb 100644
--- a/main/xvprintf.c
+++ b/main/xvprintf.c
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include "esp_log.h"
 
 RingbufHandle_t can_messages;
-
+bool timestamp_enabled = true;
 
 void init_tx_ringbuf() {
     can_messages = xRingbufferCreate(2200, RINGBUF_TYPE_NOSPLIT);
@@ -26,3 +26,19 @@ int xprintf(const char *fmt, ...) {
     va_start(args, fmt);
     return vxprintf(fmt, args);
 }
+
+int print_w_clr_time(char *msg, char *color, bool use_printf) {
+    print_func pr_func;
+    if (use_printf) pr_func = printf;
+    else pr_func = xprintf;
+    char timestamp[20];
+    timestamp[0] = '\0';
+    if (timestamp_enabled) {
+        snprintf(timestamp, 19, "[%s] ", esp_log_system_timestamp());
+    }
+    if (color != NULL) {
+        return(pr_func("\033[0;%sm%s%s\033[0m\n", color, timestamp, msg));
+    } else {
+        return(pr_func("%s%s\n", timestamp, msg));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/main/xvprintf.h b/main/xvprintf.h
index 5dc83df..d046896 100644
--- a/main/xvprintf.h
+++ b/main/xvprintf.h
@@ -3,11 +3,15 @@
 
 #include "freertos/ringbuf.h"
 
+typedef int (*print_func)(const char *fmt, ...);
+
 extern RingbufHandle_t can_messages;
+extern bool timestamp_enabled;
 
 void init_tx_ringbuf();
 int vxprintf(const char *fmt, va_list args);
 int xprintf(const char *fmt, ...);
+int print_w_clr_time(char *msg, char *color, bool use_printf);
 
 // functions