Buying Code Reader/Scan Tool

[davbell22602]

I'm gonna invest couple grand into a scantool on my student discount from matco

 

[bucket]

I'm gonna invest couple grand into a scantool on my student discount from matco

I wouldn't say "invest". They drop in value drastically, just like driving a new car off the dealer lot.

 

[davbell22602]

I wouldn't say "invest". They drop in value drastically, just like driving a new car off the dealer lot.

Ok, Fork out a couple grand on a scantool.

 

[towman]

yes they do drop in value and then to update you cough up about 500 hundred dollars, sucks mine in good to 06 and i just can't justify the cost to upgrade

 

[davbell22602]

yes they do drop in value and then to update you cough up about 500 hundred dollars, sucks mine in good to 06 and i just can't justify the cost to upgrade

Matco equipment is cheaper in cost than snap on. Plus Matco has service man to service the stuff when it breaks. Snapon doesnt have a service/repair man in my area so all the shops ditching snapon and switching to matco or other brands that territory service man to fix it when it breaks.

 

[crazy4offroad]

I dont think you get what he's saying Dave, you pay for updates, like how your computer automatically updates but you have to pay for updates when new vehicles come out.

 

[davbell22602]

I dont think you get what he's saying Dave, you pay for updates, like how your computer automatically updates but you have to pay for updates when new vehicles come out.

Yea I got what he said that part of the business in auto repair. Start charging your customers $100-200 to hookup the scantool to there vehicle to see whats wrong. Thats how you get the money to update it.

 

[HotRodPC]

You're a fool to spend mega bucks on a Scanner. For one, a big expense like that should be a shop tool that the owner of the shop or the dealership buys, sorta like lifts and transjacks etc. The way technology changes, you'd spend over $2K and long before you got it paid off it would be antiquated and old school. I'd just get a good hand scanner for about $600 at the most. I have an Acrton CP code reader and eraser with software and all that BS. It was $200 in its day, and was on sale at PepBoys for half off and I jumped on it for $100 brand new. Acrton seems to be a good brand IMO.

 

[davbell22602]

You're a fool to spend mega bucks on a Scanner. For one, a big expense like that should be a shop tool that the owner of the shop or the dealership buys, sorta like lifts and transjacks etc. The way technology changes, you'd spend over $2K and long before you got it paid off it would be antiquated and old school. I'd just get a good hand scanner for about $600 at the most. I have an Acrton CP code reader and eraser with software and all that BS. It was $200 in its day, and was on sale at PepBoys for half off and I jumped on it for $100 brand new. Acrton seems to be a good brand IMO.

If I went that route it would have to read brake codes, engine codes, and bleed brakes.

 

[HotRodPC]

If I went that route it would have to read brake codes, engine codes, and bleed brakes.

That is what I'm saying, a tool that does all that, should be a shop expense. I can't imagine every tech in an auto repair facility have a $4-$5K tool. I was a smog test and repair technician in CA. I never bought a scope for ignition tuning, never bought a smog test machine or a sniffer. Those are shop expenses. Just like I was an alignment tech for a short time at Firestone, but I never once bought an alignment rack either. I also never bought a tire mount machine of wheel balancer. Some things are just shop expenses. IMO, the scanner you speak of is a shop expense. You'll have to do mega work for many years for that tool to pay for itself. All you'd work for, is to pay for the tool, then it would be time to buy another up to date tool. JMO though.

 

[davbell22602]

That is what I'm saying, a tool that does all that, should be a shop expense. I can't imagine every tech in an auto repair facility have a $4-$5K tool. I was a smog test and repair technician in CA. I never bought a scope for ignition tuning, never bought a smog test machine or a sniffer. Those are shop expenses. Just like I was an alignment tech for a short time at Firestone, but I never once bought an alignment rack either. I also never bought a tire mount machine of wheel balancer. Some things are just shop expenses. IMO, the scanner you speak of is a shop expense. You'll have to do mega work for many years for that tool to pay for itself. All you'd work for, is to pay for the tool, then it would be time to buy another up to date tool. JMO though.

I'll probably end up going that route anyway. Probably have to spend around $1000 to get one that does brake/abs codes and brake bleeding in a bottom line scantool with limited features.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Might as well give up, HR. Some people you just can't reach.

 

[towman]

yes that should be a shop tool, i bought my own only because the shop owner wouldn't, never again as he gets all the money for the repairs

 

[davbell22602]

Might as well give up, HR. Some people you just can't reach.

How you figure? Code readers only read engine codes. You to buy a scantool for brake/abs codes and bleeding brakes. But correect me if I'm wrong.

 

[crazy4offroad]

You can get them that read brake codes too.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...n-Tool-Actron_99994273-P_N3389_T|GRP2018_____
That's a lot more than I spent because I dont need to diagnose ABS/brake codes, but it's a large measure cheaper than what you're thinking about getting. I think your school is trying to fool you into believing you NEED all that crap when you really shouldn't, like HR said it should be on the garage to supply that kind of stuff. If they dont have it you dont need to work there!!!