TIL paying $150 for a good scan tool actually saves money in the long run

I used to buy those $30 code readers from AutoZone thinking they told me everything I needed. Last month my buddy's shop had a sale on a used Autel scanner and I snagged it for $150. Stuck it on a car that had a check engine light and it showed me the exact cylinder misfire count per cylinder, not just the code. Saved me from throwing parts at it. That one job paid for the scanner. Any of you guys made the switch from cheap readers to real ones and notice the difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_stone9d ago

lol yeah I was that guy too, bought a $20 reader and it just spit out "P0420" and left me scratching my head for weeks. Found out later my cheap reader couldn't even tell me if the misfire was on cylinder 3 or 4, so I basically paid a shop $200 to do what a $150 scanner woulda done in five minutes.

kimfisher9d ago

Pat's right, those cheap readers just tease you with basic codes and leave you guessing.

dylan_brown309d ago

Hang on though, I think there's something to be said for starting cheap. My first code reader was $30 and honestly it forced me to actually learn what P0420 meant and how to diagnose the problem myself instead of just reading a screen and replacing parts. Sometimes not having the answer handed to you makes you a better mechanic in the long run.