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Automotive Scan Tool
- Thread starter Jethro
- Start date
Mr.Nutcase
Well-known member
I own the craftsman one when they went on sale for $200. Its ok Ive used it only a couple of times.
The craftsman is a innova, stay away from that brand, if you want a good scanner go with OTC...
txz28
Well-known member
I have the Actron 9180. I like it. The only real feature that is different from the 9190 is the graphing capability and the extra connectors for legacy OBDI stuff.
Coach James
Well-known member
The craftsman is a innova, stay away from that brand, if you want a good scanner go with OTC...
Why stay away from Innova?
Coach
tonydanzah
Well-known member
just get autotap for a laptop.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The craftsman is a innova, stay away from that brand, if you want a good scanner go with OTC...
Innova has sold over 500,000 units and are often rebadged and sold by everyone from Craftsman to the tool trucks. Anything less than a factory scan tool is a compromise at best. I have used OTC scan tools from the ancient Monitor 2000 up to the Genisys I currently have and I can tell you they are far from perfect.
Choosing an aftermarket scan tool depends basically on how much money you want to spend and what capabilities you want the tool to have. Most lower end scan tools lack bidirectional controls (the ability to turn something off and on) which is essential in advanced diagnostics. Secondly, the scantool may not be able to access all of the information you need. You can get a lot of information under generic OBD II but, there's a lot more that may be proprietary to the vehicle OEM that you can't access with a generic tool.
You also want to get a tool that is updatable and relatively affordable to update. Don't forget to consider laptop based programs such as autoenginuity either. They're not cheap but, the capabilities give you a lot of bang for your buck.
Most lower end scan tools lack bidirectional controls (the ability to turn something off and on) which is essential in advanced diagnostics.
Can you recommend a generic scan tool that has bidirectional controls? I agree that's an essential feature.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
.. Don't forget to consider laptop based programs such as autoenginuity either. They're not cheap but, the capabilities give you a lot of bang for your buck.
Is the autoenginuity really good? For the price, I may get one.
Chris
daveblank
Well-known member
Can you recommend a generic scan tool that has bidirectional controls? I agree that's an essential feature.
OTC Genisys & Pegisys.
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
Is the autoenginuity really good? For the price, I may get one.
Chris
i have the generic package and i like it. it is very limmited though. i needed something to go past 2000 for home use and at $400 for a used laptop and the software/cable it was affordable. at some point i would like to upgrade to the pro version when the money is available.