ALLDATA vs. Mitchell vs. Identifix for ind. repair shop

[68 mustang]

What do you guys think? What's best for a small repair shop?

 

[joedodge]

I prefer all data over Mitchell

 

[mtwaterguy]

Friend in PDX uses alldata says it work great. Has a 4 man shop.

 

[celticbhoy]

Haven't used identifix, but I have used alldata and mitchell. I prefer alldata over mitchell.. much easier to use and find what you're looking for, but sometimes I have had to go on to mitchell to find information that alldata may not have.

 

[SC-AW11]

Someone at school mentioned that they thought mitchell was better. I tried it today and it seemed like a google search lol. hard to navigate and find what you need. Not user friendly. went onto all data and got exactly what I was looking for in about 30 seconds. The first time I used all data seemed simple to learn and navigate. Havent tried identifix.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

Alldata hands down.

Mitchells is a jumbled, unorganized mess.

 

[Nitroinsane]

Identifix is not a shop repair manual. Helpful in diagnostics but won't get you anywhere. Snapon has shop key. I prefer all data. although I have Mitchell pro demand and and I use Mitchell shop setup for workorders.

Mitchell software has come along way with pro demand

 

[fordnut85]

I dropped Mitchell awhile ago, like others said, it's a jumbled mess of information. Currently I have Alldata and Idetifix. Alldata has better info however Identifix has some factory manuals in there and I find myself looking up a code, finding the common problem along with test data and repair info all in one place. There are gaps in their coverage here and there that are filled by Alldata currently but they are constantly adding info and it seems to get better month by month. The other upside Identifix has is that there is no commitment or contract. If I was to open my shop today I would get Identifix then add Alldata as soon as I had the volume to support the cost.

 

[jamesc]

my work just went from motor alldata to just alldata

what a difference, motor alldata seems so fast and efficent, I can't seem to find anything in a reasonable amount of time on this alldata, also for some reason the loading times are just terrible, and the layout is horrible.

anyways we have mitchell too but I use it only as a last resort. Identifix is awesome though it has all sorts of information on there that isn't on mitchell or alldata. I would recommend alldata and identifix.

 

[G-Ram]

I prefer mitchell. Their features for their wiring diagrams is the bees knees. Being able to highlight a particular circuit, and "hide" the rest of it really takes the strain off your eyes and poor ol' noggin.. To each their own I suppose.

 

[383novamike]

I have both mitchell and alldata on a hard drive.+1 for the mitchell wiring diagrams.Not only the highlighting feature,but they are color coded also.However as others have said mitchell is all over the place.I def use alldata most of the time.

 

[Saiga1974]

We have them all... But I use Alldata as my first choice for ease of navigation like others have said....

 

[greasemonkey44]

personally i like and use identifix
alldata was great; i used it alot
but identifix now gives you dealer service manuals on most makes and models so its pretty damn good

 

[Bryanthegreat]

Mitchell shop manager program is nice I have no complaints. The ondemand is difficult to find things like others have said.

 

[patrickn]

Identifix is what we use in the field to aid in diagnostics. It is awesome for finding repair trends and tips from others in the field. Mitchell I find is better than Alldata. Get Identifix and mitchell....

 

[amlv20]

I used all data at another shop I worked at, it was cool.here we use Mitchell. It took a while to get used to, I also like the wiring diagrams and the estimator for labor times.

 

[firebox40dash5]

I haven't tried Mitchell. We have Alldata at work, Repair, Manage, and Pro online. Repair is decent for getting stuff quick, like time for one job, or fluid type/capacity specs, I've found Online is usually pretty good for diagrams and repair info.

We've been borrowing Identifix for a few weeks. I don't use it unless something stumps me, but when I do it's usually pretty helpful. Like in those cases where the diagnostic steps are "disconnect the PCM and probe these 17 pins just to rule them out"... when I look up the code and 124 people all reported fixing the same problem the same way, well...

 

[dfreeman616]

i've used all three, my current shop has alldata and identifix.

mitchell has nice wiring diagrams but otherwise i would only rate as decent for repair info. you can also read and submit tech tips in the repair/diagnostic info, which is nice, although not nearly as developed as the identifix setup. i love the shop manager program though, great integration for parts ordering and everything.

identifix has the best diagnostic info overall, and it is my go-to service. having common repairs and specific tests to do beyond just the factory info is nice, that has always been my favorite feature. as said, they keep adding info and it gets better and better. they still need better import coverage though from FSMs.

alldata is good for repair procedures, ok for wiring diagrams, and limited to factory procedures for diagnosis.

overall, if i had to chose 2 it would be identifix and alldata. if only one...it depends on how much you need info for imports. i don't think the repair info is quite to where i could go just identifix, so i would probably chose alldata.

 

[jeeper93436]

all of them. alldata for everyday use, mitchells for some wiring diagrams or to double check when in doubt from alldata, identafix for asian or domestic, iatn for eauropean cars. im not a owner so i dont know how much it cost to have all of them but definately worth it. i have always had alldata and mitchells at the 4 shops i have work for. always used identafix for asian and domestic and now im at a eauropean shop and iatn has saved my ****.

 

[68 mustang]

I used Alldata a few years back and liked it. Never used Identifix but it sounds useful. Do you think you can get away with just having Identifix now if its getting the manuals?

 

[bradnyc]

I'm just a shadetree mechanic. I've been thinking about subcribing to Alldata. I have a 2011 BMW 3-series (w/n55 engine) and unfortunately Bentley Publishing manual only goes up to 2010 (n-54 engine). Could anyone tell me if this is availble on Alldata. I'd hate to pay only to find it's not available. Also, can files be saved or viewed only?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Skin]

Brad look into this, far cheaper.

http://www.alldatadiy.com/

 

[firebox40dash5]

I'm just a shadetree mechanic. I've been thinking about subcribing to Alldata. I have a 2011 BMW 3-series (w/n55 engine) and unfortunately Bentley Publishing manual only goes up to 2010 (n-54 engine). Could anyone tell me if this is availble on Alldata. I'd hate to pay only to find it's not available. Also, can files be saved or viewed only?

Thanks in advance.

I can only speak to Alldata Pro, if you're considering the consumer version (if they still do that) YMMV.

It "has" almost every car, it's a question of how much detail it's got on what you want, and the quality of what the manufacturer gives them. Sometimes there's a job with a bunch of difficult ****, and the repair info just says something like "Remove ______________. Reassembly is reverse of removal."

You can "save" any of it with a .PDF printer driver.

 

[skulldrinker]

Had Mitchell at work that I didn't get to play with. Only came in on one computer and that was in the bosses office. Had to ask for everything. Don't work there any more. At home
I have AllData and think it's good except some of the illustrations ****. At school we have Alldata, Mitchell, Identifix, and Shop key. Shop key has the worst search if you ask me. Alldata has the best in my opinion.

 

[davesnothere]

Alldata. Identifix is nice too.

 

[bradnyc]

Brad look into this, far cheaper.

http://www.alldatadiy.com/

I can only speak to Alldata Pro, if you're considering the consumer version (if they still do that) YMMV.

It "has" almost every car, it's a question of how much detail it's got on what you want, and the quality of what the manufacturer gives them. Sometimes there's a job with a bunch of difficult ****, and the repair info just says something like "Remove ______________. Reassembly is reverse of removal."

You can "save" any of it with a .PDF printer driver.

Thanks guys, I didn't realize there were 2 versions (Pro and DIY). I was only familiar with www.alldatadiy.com

 

[wafrederick]

Mitchell is owned by Snap On,a lot better than Alldata.Had Alldata and nothing but bad service.Diagnostics for the European and Japanese vehicles,you won't find on Mitchell or Alldata.They won't let the diagnostics out and that gets bad when figuring out a diagnostic code when it appears.The European and Japanese car makers are trying to shut down independant shops down.

 

[jan-alldata]

What do you guys think? What's best for a small repair shop?

Hi 68 Mustang,

My name is Jan and I work for ALLDATA. If you would like to send me your shop name and number, I can have someone contact you with a free trial, so you can decide for yourself! If you are interested, please send your info to [email protected]

Thank You

 

[dfreeman616]

I used Alldata a few years back and liked it. Never used Identifix but it sounds useful. Do you think you can get away with just having Identifix now if its getting the manuals?

not yet. they are expanding a lot, but the factory service manuals are not for all the diff. imports yet.

 

[drewzfoster]

I use Mitchell crash software everyday...it is pretty user friendly...

 

[fordnut85]

I used Alldata a few years back and liked it. Never used Identifix but it sounds useful. Do you think you can get away with just having Identifix now if its getting the manuals?

They do have quite a bit of good info but there are gaps, I think a guy could "get by" for awhile with just identifix since they just added the "create a quote" feature. But your gonna wanna add something to fill in the gaps as soon as work load pick up enough to justify the funds and contract.

 

[Inkncraig]

I have used all those websites. Between them all data and Mitchell. Alldata is easier to navigate. Mitchell has information that alldata doesn't. And vice versa. Mitchell has launched a new site called prodemand. It has a lot of new features. Like forums and vintage section.
Identifix is a good site. IATN is also a good one. IATN has much more info. Identifix has more direct language with fixes and test procedures.
If you already have Mitchell on demand. Your password should work on pro demand

 

[got2boostit2]

Have used Alldata for 20 plus years. Like it over Mitchell as AD is easier to navigate. Alldata has been somewhat responsive with information response on special requests which I appreciate.

The big BUT, I got burned on a GM "J" car a few years ago that had intermittent starter run-on that had a recall campaign and the wiring diagram had no note indicating the wiring would not match the car. Took serious research by me to find that out. Would have been nice to have seen a Note in the starter section of Alldata to indicate the possible change. Have other such instances where the ability to tag their data with notes would be nice.

 

[Haveblue]

We have Alldata and Identifix. Alldata isnt too bad, easy navigation...easier to find specs than identifix. Identifix has been a major plus at times on diagnostics.. a real time saver.

 

[kunkernator]

Alldata, Somedata, Nodata, all the same thing (that's what we call it at school).

In all seriousness though, once you get to use a program for a long time, and know the ins and outs, you like it. I don't think you could go wrong with using any of the three programs. I actually like Alldata.

I would go with what has the cheapest subscription.

 

[shoebox55]

ALLDATA by far. Also, I disagree with buying the cheapest. ALLDATA is a very good tool, and as such, one must invest in the best tools out there. Get the best you can afford. Hell, it will pay for it self almost from the start!

 

[Dusty61]

i have my own copy of alldata pro, i love it. i work at a transmission shop and do about 90% of the diagnostic work and its a great resource for trouble shooting

 

[sandog]

I have tried alldata and mitchel for my audi and both are far from being super helpful. I would look into which makes of cars first and start from there. For me, I use elsawin and it works perfectly but this for VAG only.

 

[bran1har]

They're al good but the mitchel wiring diagrams are the best. They rewrite the all so there is no relearning legends and that **** between a toyota and a chevy. Otherwise, they're all good.

 

[Jose at ALLDATA]

Hi everyone,

Great discussion! I work at ALLDATA and just wanted to remind shop owners that you can always request a free trial of ALLDATA Repair at this link:

http://www.alldata.com/newshop

I hope this can help the community as it sounds like a few folks are doing their research and may not have had the chance to try out ALLDATA in the past.

Great forum! Keep the conversation going!