Do you have some idea of your budget and the functionality of the scanner you need?
I have a small collection of scanners and code readers beginning with the most basic to a couple of those that have made me stretch my tool budget quite a bit more.
Having started many years ago with the most basic of basic, I found after getting and using a tool, I would often find a need or want to do more.
Back in the day, simply reading codes was really all I needed since that fit pretty well in my understanding of the systems in modern automobiles.
As time moved forward and I began tinkering deeper and deeper, I found the last tool I had purchased no longer provided the information and functionality that I thought I needed.
As I moved up the scale, I began to understand that the more I wanted to do, the more money I was going to have to spend.
There is no way to get around that.
No matter what tool I now own, there is always some tool that can see and do more than the current best one I own.
So, in order to keep me from having to dig out some of my older and now pretty much unused set of tools, I will share a few of them that I tend to pull out as the need arises.
Understand, these may not represent the latest and greatest of the options out there today, but rather tools I already own and still use.
Several years ago, I found myself needing to troubleshoot some ABS related problems I was having with our 2012 GMC Acadia.
Whatever code reader I was using at the time was completely unable to read and present me the actual ABS codes in any meaningful way.
Working within my budget and more limited knowledge of the ABS systems, I did some research and decided to purchase an
Autel AutoLink AL619 OBD2 Scanner.
I like this inexpensive handheld ODBII scanner as it read the ABS codes in both the Acadia and later in my 2003 Avalanche and pointed me to the faults in both vehicles and I was able to affect repairs.
Some time after I bought the AL619, the bluetooth OBDII devices began to be popular.
My first bluetooth device was the
BlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBDII Scan Tool.
Being curious in what these new devices had to offer and also being a fan of my Autel AL619, I bought later an
Autel MaxiAP AP200 OBD2 Scanner.
Both of these devices were a step up from the AL619, and I have found that all three still have something to offer and I still use all of them.
I tend to keep one of the bluetooth devices in the glovebox or console of my trucks all of the time, to use out on the road in a pinch, if needed.
While technically not scanner/code readers devices, I later found the need and desire to access modules at a deeper level to both interact and update those modules.
For those instances, I found a need for some sort of J2534 interface device that would allow a laptop running the appropriate software to interact with various modules.
At first, my research lead me to purchase, what I later found to be, a Chinese clone of a J2534 interface device that also included a trojan infected hacked version of the Tech2Win program that runs on a laptop.
It took some doing on my part to finally develop a crash and burn laptop running a dedicated install of Windows to be able to run the software and accomplish my goals.
The set up actually did what I needed it to do.
I looked and I find this device is still being sold on Amazon, but the reviews now mention much more the difficulties in getting the software to run and the included malware.
I feel my technical background allowed me to use this device in a way that might not be possible for someone that does not have those technical skills.
For that reason, I will not share the name of the product.
My install of their software is on a dedicated hard drive that contains nothing but their hacked software and nothing that can be compromised.
I'll keep this device and the dedicated hard drive tucked away, just in case.
However, after learning the shortcomings of that device and software, I still needed a J2534 interface device to troubleshoot and repair problems that later arose.
That lead me to research and purchase a more expensive J2534 device.
This time, I was determined to get a legit device that would work with the
ACDelco Service Programming System (SPS2) service.
The device I chose was the
Mongoose-Plus J2534 OEM Vehicle Interface Cable - GM OEM Reprogramming and Diagnostics device.
This device is fully supported by ACDelco and works great.
But, as you can tell, in order to do more things properly, the cost of doing business is beginning to get serious.
Not only will you need a legit J2534 interface device, but you will need to purchase subscriptions from ACDelco, as well.
Once you get to this level, things start to get a little spendy.
But, with those higher costs, you also have more capability.
You have to decide what it is you want to do and how much you are willing to invest.
My latest interest is being able to interact with the vehicle's systems in a bi-direction manner and to be able to communicate with modules and devices and troubleshoot problems on a much deeper level than what is possible with any of my other devices.
But once again, this can be a slippery slope when it comes to purchasing a capable device and trying to stay within some sort of budget.
I am a DIY'er and not some sort of a qualified mechanic, but I still want devices that will allow me to expand my knowledge and allow me to possibly repair things without having to rely on a shop all of the time.
That being said, I am a follower of Scanner Danner on Youtube and a couple of his videos discuss what he feels is a good, lower cost scanner that should serve DIY'ers well.
These scanners are from the
Topdon company.
Topdon has some very expensive professional grade equipment, but there are also some lesser priced devices.
Trying to stay within my budget, I waited until a sale on Amazon and I bought the
TOPDON Phoenix Lite 2, Bi-Directional Scan Tool.
When I looked just now, Amazon has a $120 off coupon to help soften the financial blow, somewhat.
Still, this is a very expensive device and may not fit everyone's budget.
I'm just trying to share what I know and maybe give others some insight.
This is a robust and capable scan tool that I find myself using almost exclusively now.
The technical support appears to be pretty good and they have online groups, such as a Facebook page where they have an ongoing presence and seem to be willing to help out their users worldwide.
There are some other accessories from Topdon that will add additional functionality to the scanner I bought, such as an o-scope and battery tester, that I plan to add to my collection later on.
While there is always something better out there or coming along, I am hoping this device satisfies my needs for some time in the future.
Anyway, you can see where being a curious tool guy can be an expensive hobby.
Best of luck finding your next device.
