MAC tools mentor scout touch diag tool, thoughts on it vs. OTC equivalemt

[toolslut6.0]

Looking at buy my first scan tool. I really like my buddy's otc genysis but they don't have updates for them. Please do t try and turn me towards and autel or snap on because I want it to do powerstroke diag. Mostly and otc is the king with ford. I also want class 8 truck diag ability which the scout touch offers. What do you guys think about buying the otc equivalent vs the mac mentor since they are the same?

 

[toolslut6.0]

Bump

 

[jsaw]

We have the OTC encore at work, bought it brand new off ebay. It works well for us

 

[Fedwrench]

The problem with OTC is that they introduce a scan tool platform, support it for a few years, and then drop it in favor of launching another new scan tool platform so, you're left with a scan tool you can no longer update

On a side note, if you work on Fords mostly, why not get the IDS, a laptop, and a service subscription?

Aftermarket scan tools are a compromise at best compared to factory level scan tools.

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

The problem with OTC is that they introduce a scan tool platform, support it for a few years, and then drop it in favor of launching another new scan tool platform so, you're left with a scan tool you can no longer update

On a side note, if you work on Fords mostly, why not get the IDS, a laptop, and a service subscription?

Aftermarket scan tools are a compromise at best compared to factory level scan tools.

If you are a shop in business and work mostly on Fords and a lot of Powerstroke, buy the IDS, if you buy a lot of Motorcraft parts from a distributor you can sometimes get the IDs for free or at a steep discount, many times the subscription can be made free too.

For a few home jobs I have a Snap On Ethos, works pretty good on Fords and you can snag them in the $300-400 range.

 

[ptschram]

I took a Mentor Touch in on trade when I had the tool truck

About a week after I got it, I went to turn it on and the hard-drive had failed!

Mac wanted ~$3500 to fix

What do you want to do with your PowerStrokes that you think a Snap-On diagnostic platform won't?
I have yet to find anything an obsolete Solus with recent software won't

 

[jsaw]

plan on spending $1k a year keeping a scan tool up to date. Our Snap on was the most expensive to keep up to date. and was the most expensive to purchase. We also have a Launch that was around $2400 and included 2 years of updates. then it was another $900 to update again.
You have to plan on the cost of keeping it up to date when you purchase one.

 

[toolslut6.0]

I took a Mentor Touch in on trade when I had the tool truck

About a week after I got it, I went to turn it on and the hard-drive had failed!

Mac wanted ~$3500 to fix

What do you want to do with your PowerStrokes that you think a Snap-On diagnostic platform won't?
I have yet to find anything an obsolete Solus with recent software won't

Not a fan of how the snap one are set up. They are complicate to perform the cut outs and what have you. Not a fan.. I also want to do class 8 truck so i cant use id's. A friend of mine has is so no biggy.


Also I stay fairly busy after my normal job at cat so it's not just a few side jobs. I figured the new scanner will pay for itself in 2 to 3 months in time saved

 

[toolslut6.0]

plan on spending $1k a year keeping a scan tool up to date. Our Snap on was the most expensive to keep up to date. and was the most expensive to purchase. We also have a Launch that was around $2400 and included 2 years of updates. then it was another $900 to update again.
You have to plan on the cost of keeping it up to date when you purchase one.

I get free updates through my dealer. So no worries there big fella

 

[toolenthusiast]

What Powerstroke coverage does OTC have which other scan tools lack? They constantly talk about the power balance test, but all scan tools seem to have that. I have a Launch tool and it can do PMI, retrieve keypad codes and other PATS stuff, power balance test, relative compression test, seat weight sensor recalibration, stop/start/clear adaptive trans tables, bleed ABS, retract electronic brake calipers, every imaginable actuation test, ridiculously exhaustive PIDs...

(I, too, am mainly interested in Ford support, so I want to know if I'm missing something.)

 

[bdelmar2]

Why do you say you can't update an otc Genisys?

http://www.diagnosticsuperstore.com...iateID=10056&gclid=CPaKv5HAq9QCFUIkgQodwygCzg

Just the first link I happened across with google.

People keep saying they don't make updates for the Genisys, have been saying it since I bought mine in like 2010.

But they do make updates, they seem to lag a bit behind snap on true, but they are cheaper and you can do them yourself easily.

Unless you work for a dealership that's not usually an issue anyway, and if you work for a dealership you will have the factory scan tool anyway. So pretty much a non issue.

Now if there has been some big announcement from them saying they are discontinuing support, please direct me to it.

I'm not sure how you manage free updates for a Snap on Scanner, we just paid $1000 to have the shops Solus Ultra updated a few months ago, and while we buy a fair amount of tools from them, he never seemed inclined to give away anything other than a calendar or a soap sample.

I do think they (Snap On) quite forcing you to buy all the updates in between though, before if you waited say 3 years to update, then they wanted $3000 to bring you up to date. Now I think they just charge for the current one. Not positive on that, but I believe I read it somewhere reputable.

I seldom use my Genisys much anymore though. Few reasons for that, shop already has a scanner there, I've grown to like using the solus, its more user friendly, and I am really disappointed in the scope module I bought, its junk pretty much - expensive junk at that, so it irritates me every time I look at it.

I've never had the Solus hooked up to a Powerstroke other than for a transmission issue - us being a transmission shop, but I will make a point to check it out the next time one comes in if I have time.

I have however had my Genisys on a lot of Powerstrokes, and I can verify it works fine for that. This last weekend for example, a 6.0 no start, no sync.

One thing about Genisys is you can just buy the heavy truck module and cabling - or buy a kit with it already, with Snap on you have to buy another scanner for that.

I don't work on heavy truck so I can't speak as to how well it works one would assume acceptably, but then again I thought the same thing about the scope module.

As far as Mac vs Otc, I don't think there is really any difference except where you buy it, same machine just different colors.

 

[toolenthusiast]

I think that any talk about free tools or updates was in reference to IDS, which is still pretty amazing. You'd have to be buying a ridiculous amount of parts or buying them at a reduced discount to justify that.