Auto Tech Diag Kit: Ethos Edge, Vantage Pro, Microscan III?

[noahwins]

Newbie Auto Tech Diag Kit: Ethos Edge, Vantage MT2400, Microscan III?

Hi everyone, I am an automotive tech at a small dealership with 5 racks, two in-ground scissor racks and we're getting an alignment rack. The shop foreman left for a new job so I am next in line to get promoted. I have been factory certified as a Level 1 Specialist and am trying to move up the ladder to Level 2 and eventually Level 4 Master Elite. I want to stay with this manufacturer and this dealership group because I like the brand and I like the people I work with. The culture is relaxed and we do quality work.

We do about 50% of our brand and 50% trade-ins and auction cars from Mannheim.

I've been borrowing the shop tools from the service manager, who has a Verus and a small handheld for quick code reading. We don't have a scope. I want to become the go-to guy for electrical and diag.

I got a brand new Vantage MT2400 from a friend because he never used it so the scope is taken care of. I want a quickie code reader that I don't have to wait to boot up so I was thinking Microscan III. I know the complaint about the Ethos scanners was they were glorified code readers but the new Ethos Edge has bi-directional controls and has Asian, domestic and Euro pre-loaded and comes with 19.4. We have Mitchell and Alldata on our shop computers for tech forums and of course Google. I like Snap-On products because we have our truck guy and the support from him and calling in to SO has been excellent.

Autel and Launch seem janky. The software was riddled with Chinglish spelling and grammatical errors in the interface and I don't trust software pirated in the PRC. Who knows what kind of spyware and malware is installed on it. I wouldn't plug that **** into my car and I don't want to plug it into a customer's car. Also looked at OTC/Bosch but they're too expensive.

So I can do a scope, code reader and scanner for under $2000. Does this sound like a good setup for a tech trying to move up the ladder?

 

[Mr_B]

vantage pro is useful bit of kit .
All scanners have some issues, autel is actually very useful for multibrand scan tool and I wouldn't want be without one .
Used snapon scanner never a bad thing and if you got a cool snapon tool rep and it be wise make most of used market and your rep for support .
I got snapon and autel and reality is need both and more get coverage, special functions and overcome bugs you find middle of the job .

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Mostly. I'd get a $20 code reader for quick checks of monitors and codes for direction. Lots of the cheap stuff has decided mode 6, and 40pids. You can diagnose plenty with just that if you know how to. Micro scan 3 looks kinda lame, at the point you need that get a real scanner.


Guided component tester is very nice, and a good way to understand scope usage. As you gain confidence, you'll usually know what to expect.


Il post more when I'm at a computer

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Oakland CA I would assume? What do you work on? When I filled in at a friends dealer, we did all makes all models +/- 25 years as the general rule.


Don't rule out Autel, extremely powerful for the price. If you want to be scared of chinese products, feel free, just don't look at your Snap on tools. I don't see USA made anywhere on the diagnostic website. I'd also assume you'd have the factory tooling for your brand. Do you need euro coverage? Ethos omits troubleshooter or suretrack, so you're paying snap-on pricing and missing out on some features; counter point is the updates are cheaper.


Are you the master of diagnostic, or do you have someone to fall back on? Can you dump garbage problem child cars back at the auction? Or does management not understand you can't fix everything profitably? Management isn't willing to buy any scanners I'd assume?

 

[noahwins]

Don't rule out Autel, extremely powerful for the price. If you want to be scared of chinese products, feel free, just don't look at your Snap on tools. I don't see USA made anywhere on the diagnostic website. I'd also assume you'd have the factory tooling for your brand. Do you need euro coverage? Ethos omits troubleshooter or suretrack, so you're paying snap-on pricing and missing out on some features; counter point is the updates are cheaper.

We have an amazingly powerful scanner and scope provided by the dealership...that works for our brand only.

Our used vehicles are pretty evenly distributed between Asian, Euro and domestic. If we could start selling even a few of those cars with simple problems thanks to my amazing diag skillz instead of dumping them at the auction, I would become a hero.

Bosch is US designed and made. One thing that's really attractive about Bosch. No piracy or weird spyware **** going on and it's not made by slave labor and they're not dumping toxic waste into the environment. Those Chinese scanners are "cheap" for a reason.

Are Fasttrack and Suretrack really worth the extra money? Because the Modis Ultra looks similar to the Ethos Edge but has Fasttrack, Suretrack, WiFi and guided component tests. And a scope built in.

I wonder how old the Modis Utra is and how close it is to the end of its lifespan. Meaning even if it's still updateable, the updates bog down the memory and processor so much it stops being a useful tool.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

We have an amazingly powerful scanner and scope provided by the dealership...that works for our brand only.

Our used vehicles are pretty evenly distributed between Asian, Euro and domestic. If we could start selling even a few of those cars with simple problems thanks to my amazing diag skillz instead of dumping them at the auction, I would become a hero.

Bosch is US designed and made. One thing that's really attractive about Bosch. No piracy or weird spyware **** going on and it's not made by slave labor and they're not dumping toxic waste into the environment. Those Chinese scanners are "cheap" for a reason.

Are Fasttrack and Suretrack really worth the extra money? Because the Modis Ultra looks similar to the Ethos Edge but has Fasttrack, Suretrack, WiFi and guided component tests. And a scope built in.

I wonder how old the Modis Utra is and how close it is to the end of its lifespan. Meaning even if it's still updateable, the updates bog down the memory and processor so much it stops being a useful tool.

IDK what those features are worth to you, if the shop has identifix, it may be moot anyways. Troubleshooter always just seemed like the pre-identifix, built into the tool. Modis would combine scanner and scope, which can be an issue if you want to scope something while using bi-directional controls. With the new "intelligent diagnostic" out, I imagine all the previous models are heading to the chopping block. But hey, in the aftermarket world, you can stay 2-3 years behind in coverage and be just fine.


The scope only works for your brand? Is the laptop locked up or something? All a scope does is voltage/time, if work supplies that then the only reason to get a snap-on scope is for guided component tester. Nice, but if you have decent service info you can often work around that. Although I won't lie, it is nice to have, especially for 90's connector pin-outs which may be poorly recorded in service info. It's all about how comfortable you are with a scope in the first place. Do you use it frequently? I'd try everything possible to just use the shops scope if it is up to the task.



I'd use a scanner with a giant purple **** graphic if it made me money. To each their own.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Final thought: You're outlaying the money for this stuff. Make sure you'll get it back. Spending 2k on diagnostic stuff and taking 2 years to make it back is a crappy return. Unless you will be making more money from these purchases, I'd suggest telling your employer to foot the bill.

 

[noahwins]

Thanks Scott.