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What new scanner to get
Hey guys I’m a small shop In eastern Ky since 79 My grandfather has just
done exhaust only. He sold out in 1996 . I reopen the shop last year
with the same name ,I never dreamed how fast it would pick up all from
his good reputation, We are now opening a second shop . But anyway to
the point my techs all have there own opinion on what scanner to get but
I want a all around scanner that can scope sensors ,rehome master cyl
what would you guys recommend, I was thinking of getting the Genisys .I
will be buying 2 of what ever I get
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29 Replies
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Snap On Verus is My #1 choice in my arsenal
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Look into the Pico sold by Autoneard.
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Josh,
You may want to look at OE scanners. Buy 1 each of the most common vehicles you’re working on. Prices are very competitive vs after market scanners. We do have a snap-on versus in addition to our OE tools. We do use the versus the most, but OE tools can get you to the next level. Good luck.
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I would not buy 2 of whatever you decide to get, 1 of each “generic” brand would be better money spent, one brand will not be a do all machine.
As the others said, I would go for the OE stuff first based on what you service most. I have some OE scan software with the interfaces for the laptops, modis, genisys, mastertech, vag and recently purchased an Autel Maxidas, pretty impressed with it so far for the money.
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I agree with David. Don’t buy 2 of the same scanner. No scanner is good for everything and they all have pros and cons. I have a genisys, not crazy about it but keep it around because its fast to grab and hookup. For the tougher problems I use an Autoenginuity which is a laptop based scanner, I find it gives me information I can’t get with other generic scanners. It is great for CAN. Don’t be fooled by its price it is a powerful tool. To go with a scanner you need a good scope also. Someone mentioned the Pico from Autonerdz. That for me has been my go to scope, updates are free and Tom at autonerdz is dedicated to helping his customers get the most from their tools. That is also a laptop tool. I use ross-tech for Audi/VW that is laptop based also. I’ve been told that ross-tech is as good as factory? Laptop scanners are the way of the future.
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When you say you want to scope sensors you are talking about two different tools in most cases. A scanner will pull codes and read data. Some like the snap on solis will graph sensors and has built in tech tips for codes and such. A Snap on Modis will scope sensors as well as it has a built in lab scope. I have a tech II in the shop for GM and a Snap on Modis. I also have a couple of code and data readers only for quick snap shots. I have found that the Modis will do about 90% of what the tech II will do short of programing. The Pico others have reccomended is a very good scope but it wont pull codes or scan anything. If I were to have one all around scanner it would be the Modis. It’s easy to use and works for about 99% of our repairs.
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Guys you should look at the Autoland DOL or the Vedis II. If you move
up to the ISCAN II you can program 8 different car lines. I thought
about the auto logic just to much money but my guys love this tool.
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If you are building for the future, decide which car line you work on most and get the OE scanner for it. Use it for a while and then decide what else you need. The future is with the shops with capability and the ones that can market enough flushes. If you wish to fix cars there is no long term alternative but OE. Since the Maxidas has some coverage for every car in the universe and is dirt cheap you might also get one to help out while you realize your future.
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I agree with JefferyD that laptop are the way to go now. My customers are having a lot of luck with the EASE diagnostic software based scan equipment at http://obd2.com. I’ve also bought a few factory scan tools on eBay since GM and Chrysler shut down so many dealerships. I bought a loaded Tech2 for under $600 that now allows me to program GM computers.
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I am SHOCKED at the number of people who said to buy the OEM specific
tool. I’d be broke if I had to purchase the OEM tools for the cars that
I work on most… We see them all from Domestics to Euro to Japanese
imports to every other damned thing in between! Being transmission
oriented there’s not much that an OEM tool will do that my SnapOn Modis
won’t and we use some specific trans tools after that.
If I had to make a new purchase along those lines, I would be looking
into the laptop based solutions as well, as I would like to be able to
flash ‘puters.
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You are in a specialized business that does is not based on systems competence, except maybe transmissions. I have fixed atleast 5 transmission issues this year through programming, 1 VW, 1 Audi, 2 MBs and a BMW, maybe two BMWs.
You may live with a general business model though specialized, but a repair shop that does systems diagnostic work is a fraud if it doesn’t have the testing, diagnosting, and programming capabilities built into the systems they claim to be able to work on. The tooling to do that is cheaper now than it was 25 years ago and is the smallest cost of business in a modern professional shop.
The proper tools make money they don’t cost money. They enable a competent business, and they assure a productivity that works to make a profet.
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Not sure if you’re calling me out or what Steve, but I feel like that
post, as poorly written as it is, was directed at me and my business.
My shop and my investments are far from a “fraud” and when we work on
a vehicle we build a customer for life with honest hard work for a
fair price on their entire vehicle fleet. I’m very glad you feel you
have fixed up to five or six European vehicles within your shop. We
fix five or six transmissions a day in my shop on a good week.
Anyway, good luck to you, let’s let this thread get back to its
original purpose.
Steve Brotherton wrote:
> You are in a specialized business that does is not based on systems
competence, except maybe transmissions. I have fixed atleast 5
transmission issues this year through programming, 1 VW, 1 Audi, 2 MBs
and a BMW, maybe two BMWs.
>
> You may live with a general business model though specialized, but a
repair shop that does systems diagnostic work is a fraud if it doesn’t
have the testing, diagnosting, and programming capabilities built into
the systems they claim to be able to work on. The tooling to do that
is cheaper now than it was 25 years ago and is the smallest cost of
business in a modern professional shop.
>
> The proper tools make money they don’t cost money. They enable a
competent business, and they assure a productivity that works to make
a profet.
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I don’t know your business so apply what I say as you wish. I need no comparison with accomplishment. I own a 25 bay shop with 12 techs and work on ten car lines which we do professionally. We even do transmissions on a number of them.
If you advertise competence and take on systems you are not tooled for you are a fraud. It is a simple matter of definition. If you tell folks you will do your best within your limitations you may be the best place for much of the market. The top of the market wants competent professionals and having the proper tools is the cheapest part of meeting that market. Training and payroll are real costs, tools are cheap.
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ross tech for vw
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If buying stolen property suits your business needs clone can do some but not all of the work. For MB you can not program with a clone as the programming has to be SCN coded to work properly. That requires an online hook-up to MB.
We use Vag Com considerably but it is not even close to the capabilities of our OE VAS 5052A. Programming some coding and guided diagnostics are required to get the job done in so many issues.
BMW can be done considerably with a clone but the current clone ISIS/ICOM run near $10k. A subscription 3GIO hook up through a ICOM is slower but less money and fully capable. Autologic is the efficient way to go with BMW/Mini but without testplan guidance one is left to pander the forums for guidance. BMW, MB, VW/Audi/Bentley, and Volvo all require OE tools to access diagnostic info that appears NO WHERE else. IDS for Jag and Land Rover also includes a huge amount of Diagnostic info available no where else.
The techs at dealers using aftermarket tools are doing that because they don’t want to wait, they have been there before many times, they want a faster tool, and they aren’t being paid for diagnostics.
Once one has the tool to get the job done there are many tools that can do pieces and parts faster with more mobility. Our current quick reach tool is the Autel Maxidas. Great tool for a code clear, a quick data read, a service reset, a activation such as emerg brake retracting for doing pads with electric emerg brake or deactivating the SBC brakes on MBs with SBC electric brakes when doing pads.
Lots of tools get the job done, but if you can’t do all the tasks designed into the system then you ought to leave it alone
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For Josh, the original poster; we need to know your (or your techs) experience and competence level using scantools. We also need to know exactly what you wish to accomplish,both short and long term.
Seems complicated? It’s because it is. There are many ways to acquire tooling, but without some sort of plan you are likely to waste thousands down the drain. Sooner or later, we ALL buy a dud (tool with limited use/discontinued/obsolete,etc). Learn to avoid those as much as possible. A TechII in the hands of someone barely able to read and clear codes is a waste, and a Snap On solus Pro would be better in this case.
Knowing your market would greatly aid the responses as well. Try listing the appr percentages of the makes you service or want to service, and an appr. budget you have for this tooling.
FWIW, I would DEFINITELY not invest in a Genisys, much less TWO of them!
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anyone used autoenginuity scan tools?looking for lap top based,ease seems good?
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Karl,
The best, most complete response in the entire thread.
Scott
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Hi Jeff
tell me does the autoegin program the can systems.
i do work alot on bmw and mercedes cars . can you recommend someone to buy and how much was yours?.
mbote
kenya
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The tool you need for programming and all other functions for BMW and MB would be the Autologic. The best tool would be to get the OE tool but in your locality that may not be possible.
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I use autoenginuity for Domestic and Asian only. It handles many tasks better than my Solus Ultra. I haven’t bought into Autoenginuity for European yet because they don’t handle Volvo. We do 0 reprogramming so I can’t help you with that either. Sorry.
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I have used autoenginuity. A little better than a generic tool. Nowhere near the OEM tool.
Way off topic:
That being said I have to say I think Steve was wrongly thrown under the bus for what he said. The points he made are very valid. He is a specialist, as am I. He is correct that for the European cars generic tools do not work. The OEM tool is the ONLY tool that will give you truly complete information. If you want to be able to completely repair a car you will need the OEM tool.
I would assume that Steve’s comments stem from being in the same situation that I have been many times before where a customer brings us his car after going to a general repair shop that was not able to fix the car correctly because they lacked the proper tools to repair the car. We then are in a position where we have to talk the customer off the ledge because they now do not trust any mechanic based on past experience.
Now I am not saying every shop should be a specialist like I am, just this: Know what you are and be honest with the customer. Do not be afraid to tell them that you lack the proper tools to work at the level their car requires. Doing this will only help our industry as a whole and keep customers from automatically assuming we are trying to take advantage of them.
Thank you for your time.
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Thank you!
The problem is that the general shop has very little chance of being honest with the customer when they can not even be honest with themselves. It doesn’t matter what car one works on, capability means being able to execute all the testing, adaptations, and programming designed into the on board diagnostics of the systems involved. That is not posible without the OE tool. The majority of shops don’t even know what I’m talking about. Without the capability they wind up never seeing the cars with the problems and that portion of the market. That portion of the market; late model whatever, is the lucrative part.
One gets into that portion of the market through capability or massive marketing. Doing it through capability is the less expensive way, especially after gaining a reputation. At that point marketing costs are minimal.
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Hi Guy
Am really enjoying and appreciating the kind of support going on here. am really in-need of a Diagnostic tool that can do programing on Renault vehicles especially Engine ECU and Immobilizer ECU’s
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look into this one, we got ours from MATCO – I don’t know if Renault is covered, but we really like this unit
http://www.autel.us/Products/ds708.htm
Frank Scandura III
President Scandura’s European Service DBA Frank’s European ServiceFormally Frank’s Mercedes Service
http://www.frankseuropeanservice.com/
Editorial Advisory Board Member, ImportCar magazine
Advisory Board Member, College of Southern Nevada (Automotive program)
Independent Business Coach, Elite. http://www.eliteworldwidestore.com/ -
If buying stolen property suits your business needs clone can do some but not all of the work. For MB you can not program with a clone as the programming has to be SCN coded to work properly. That requires an online hook-up to MB.
We use Vag Com considerably but it is not even close to the capabilities of our OE VAS 5052A. Programming some coding and guided diagnostics are required to get the job done in so many issues.
BMW can be done considerably with a clone but the current clone ISIS/ICOM run near $10k. A subscription 3GIO hook up through a BMW ICOM A2 is slower but less money and fully capable. Autologic is the efficient way to go with BMW/Mini but without testplan guidance one is left to pander the forums for guidance. BMW, MB, VW/Audi/Bentley, and Volvo all require OE tools to access diagnostic info that appears NO WHERE else. IDS for Jag and Land Rover also includes a huge amount of Diagnostic info available no where else.
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The Autel MaxiDAS DS808 Kit tablet was light and compact and was very comfortable in hand. For such a compact package, the Power Sources is optional incl.: Internal Battery Pack, vehicle power, external power supply by connecting the packed power adapter. For the battery life it has a large capacity 3.7 V/3200 mAh lithium-polymer battery. Besides its new processor (Cortex-A9 processor (1.5 GHz), 7.0” LCD Capacitive Touchscreen and the Ambient Light Sensor which can detect ambient brightness when it is inside the workshop, thanks to the screen finish and a good quality display
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Difference between MS908SP and MS908P
1.Operating System:
MS908SP:AndroidTM 4.4.2, KitKat
MS908P :AndroidTM 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich2.Processor
MS908SP:Samsung Exynos Six-core Processor (1.3GHz Quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 + 1.7GHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A15)
MS908P :Samsung Exynos Quad-Core Processor 1.4GHz3.Memory
MS908SP:2GB RAM & 64GB On-board Memory
MS908P :2GB RAM & 32GB On-board Memory4.Connectivity
MS908SP:Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
USB: 2.0
BT v.2.1 + EDR
SD Card (Support up to 32GB)
HDMIMS908P :Ethernet: RJ45 Ethernet Connection,
Cellular: 3G/4G
module: WCDMA -
I believe that you do not need to buy 2 identical scanners. As for me, the scanner is not suitable for everything, each of them has pros and cons. I bought Genesys for myself in wall work trucks, and I keep it close because I can quickly grab and connect it. You also need a good sight to use the scanner. Someone mentioned Pico. This was my task for me, the updates are free. It is also a laptop tool. Laptop scanners are a way to the future, I think.
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