Hi, I am looking at the Phoenix Plus vs the Phoenix Lite 2. It was advertising on Amazon as only $920 for the plus and $829 for the Lite 2. Due to the $100 difference I'm thinking of going with the Plus but would appreciate your opinions. I have been sending these questions to Topdon but it kept failing delivery.
The oldest vehicle is a '96 Camry?Corolla?, a 00 f250 SD 7.3 4WD diesel, '07 dodge 3500, and a '11 dodge ram 2500.
My questions are ....
1. Is the plus only wifi or can it be hardwired?
I need to be able to use the scanner even without a hotspot or wifi access.
2. If not hardwired does it come with the needed cord or does it need to be purchased separately?
3. Adaptors...does the plus have the same ones as the Lite 2?
4. Or do they have to be purchased separately?
5. When it comes to the Lite 2 my understanding is all the info and updates come with it for 2 years. After that 2 years of updates the info maintains the same diagnostic features and functions as of the last update and any future updates must be purchased for another year for each particular brand; Ford, Dodge, Toyota, etc.
I believe I read that the Plus has everything update wise for 2 years. After the first 2 years the system no longer has diagnostic features and functions unless another year is purchased. This update purchase covers every single brand of vehicle for another year...and only for a year before the unit no longer has diagnostic features or function?
Am I understanding this to be correct? If not, would you please clarify this for me?
6. What will the updates cost for the Plus and for the Lite 2?
7. If I buy it today Dec, '23 do I have to buy the new updates by Dec, '25? Or can I buy new updates in '26? Or even later?
8. Do both units offer AutoAuth access?
9. Any idea what is the oldest year the Plus and the Lite 2 will run diagnostics on Ford, Ram, Chevy & etc?
10. Does Topology come on both Plus and Lite 2?
I've seen pics of it on some Lite2 and some Lite2 don't.
11. What diagnostic tools do you recommend adding to make the system complete without "bloatware" or excessive spending?
I don't own either scanner but I do own a Thinktool Pros which uses the same case and software as the Plus. Both Launch based.
1. Are you asking if the tool can be hardwired to a computer or the blue tooth dongle? My Pros came with a cord to attach the tool to the dongle. The Plus probably has the same. I'm not sure about hardwiring it to a computer but I'm sure you could with the right cord.
2. Not sure.
3. Not sure. My Pros came with some different OBD 1 adapters as well as some different power adapters.
5. The Plus should retain full capabilities even after the updates run out. Ivan with Pine Hollow Diagnostics uses a Pros and he has never updated it and it still has full capabilities. I saw on an Amazon comment on the Plus that updates cost $549 a year after the free 2 years. The Lite should be cheaper than that. I paid $299 on sale to update my Pros this year for another year.
7. Updates are based on the month, date and year you bought so your two years will be up two years from the date you bought it.
8. I don't think either one currently offers AutoAuth access. Launch pulled access for all of their Launch based tools other than the official Launch branded tools. I think there has been some dispute over the other brands paying for access through Launch.
9. I'm not sure if the Lite 2 offers any OBD 1 adapters to be able to scan older than 1996 vehicles. The Plus should but probably won't have all of the adapters for every make of OBD 1. My Pros did not and I had to buy a OBD 1 Ford cable on Amazon.
10. The plus has topology but I don't know about the Lite 2.
11. For my Pros, I have the scope box, battery tester, bore scope, and printer.
Between the two scanners, I would go for the Plus as it has more capabilities than the Lite 2.
Topic Author
