Interesting link ro-longo. I've been there before but forgotten all about it.
In my eyes that kind of reads like an iPhone with built in obsolescence. Which is understandable to a point being as it's 2017 and technology moves so fast. But on the other hand it's really forgetting about the smaller guys that still spend a large percentage of their income each week to keep up with necessary tools. There may be big profit individually from big shops but collectively the smaller guys must be a large customer base.
I feel for guys like you Tyler that have a very expensive brick. How old is your scanner? Did you buy it new?
So my rep had one on his truck today and said he has sold two already. It comes with a steep price tag of 15K. Its geared towards techs who have beginner or novice diagnostic skills. It kind of "holds you hand" during the process. With a code scan it will bring up related TSBs and a list of parts that may have fixed the issue. You can click on a code and it will bring up related live PIDs and "flag" ones that are not "normal" range. It has the same shape and size as the Edge and mostly same hardware (scope, processor, ram, ssd). The VCI is what I like the most its really small (not as small as the Launch) no wire and has a led light to help locate the DLC. Will also drop right into the Edges docking station. I did not have a lot of time to play with it as I had a busy day. However my rep knows I have no intention on buying one, but said he will leave one with me to put though its paces and give him some feedback. Sorry for the long post but wanted to give as much info as I could.
matt.white wrote: I feel for guys like you Tyler that have a very expensive brick. How old is your scanner? Did you buy it new?
My Modis Ultra? I got it brand spankin' new a few years ago. I dunno that it's a brick, 'cause I still fix cars with it daily.
I honestly don't feel like I wasted my money - I got a TON of use out of it. But, if I could go back, I probably would have waited for a used one. Or, just gotten a laptop + Pico + J2534 stuff and been better off. Oh well. :silly:
I'm sure it was expensive new. I got mine used. I have about $1000 into it, which certainly isn't throw away, but was the best dollar value for the amount of tool you get I could find at the time.
I certainly feel like I made a good investment. I had no intentions of getting another tool until this one recentlt decided it didn't want to work on cars anymore.
Found a good review of the zeus here
gotta say im not impressed, I was hoping for better coverage but it looks like its just a verus with a bunch of unneeded features. and at 15k they are out of their minds, my autel was 2k and does everything my verus does and then some.
i could care less about the intelligence diagnostics and the troubleshooter. thats what all data or mitchell even google is for. they need to add more features! especially on ford. autel and launch do the programmablemodule installation for less money. they need more initialization/module setup
My Snap-on dealer had one on his truck when he came by on Thursday. I went to check out to see if they had made any improvements to the scope and from the 5 minutes I played with it, I could tell it was the same old scope. Very disappointed.
I should be moving into my own shop the 1st part of October, when I go to choose a new Scanner I am going to see if I can test drive it for a week to see if it's worth the 15k. I have a feeling it wont be.
"Silver bullets are for killing Werewolves, not fixing Cars." -Rob Longoria-
cheryl hartkorn wrote: i could care less about the intelligence diagnostics and the troubleshooter. thats what all data or mitchell even google is for. they need to add more features! especially on ford. autel and launch do the programmablemodule installation for less money. they need more initialization/module setup
I was going to ask you about this. Was looking at an Autel with J2534 capability, but wasn't sure how that'd compare to a Drew Tech + Laptop?
cheryl hartkorn wrote: i could care less about the intelligence diagnostics and the troubleshooter. thats what all data or mitchell even google is for. they need to add more features! especially on ford. autel and launch do the programmablemodule installation for less money. they need more initialization/module setup
I was going to ask you about this. Was looking at an Autel with J2534 capability, but wasn't sure how that'd compare to a Drew Tech + Laptop?
There are only a few J boxes approved by most manufacturers. autel is not one of them. I have a drewtech cardaq m, wouldnt trade it for any other box. Drewtech also has awesome tech support, they will walk you through almost any problem.
for modules that still communicate i dont see why they still cant do it. all it does is downloads the data from the module stores it in the scanner then downloads it to the new module. its good for a module that has a burnt out driver or something. for the ones that dont communicate thats when drewtech and the ford software come in!
Snapon topend scantools are absolutely rediculous. The Zues just takes it to a knew level of rediculousness. $15k for a scantool and a scope, really? Anyone that buys this thing is foolish. Especially if you're not a shop owner. The Solus or modis if you want a 2 channel scope has the same scantool features as the verus or Zues. Spend your extra money on other scantools to expand your capabilities or use that money to buy a pico or pay for training. All the bells and whistles they are adding do nothing but hurt the industry because techs think they can buy this tool and it will help them fix the car. Get training and learn the circuits. That's what will help you fix the car. All this thing is doing is adding another tool to shotgun parts at a car
We have the Modis Ultra, and man I can't wait to get an OTC or launch scan tool.
Had issues with snap on not offering certain data pids, functional tests on DOMESTIC vehicles. I mean I can understand some features missing from the Euro side of things. However, I can't look at VCT data on a 2005 Ford 5.4l on snap on's overpriced garbage? OTC's scanner had it. Also a power roof module on 2004 gmc envoy not listed, on the OTC tool it was. And it keeps happening.
If you're going to claim you're the best, you better be able to back it up. Get some young software engineers on your payroll snap on and get with the times. Not trying to bash so hard, but when my rep is even saying the Zeus is compete garbage I think I'm ok.
LarryTheCarGuy wrote: There are only a few J boxes approved by most manufacturers. autel is not one of them. I have a drewtech cardaq m, wouldnt trade it for any other box. Drewtech also has awesome tech support, they will walk you through almost any problem.
cheryl hartkorn wrote: for modules that still communicate i dont see why they still cant do it. all it does is downloads the data from the module stores it in the scanner then downloads it to the new module. its good for a module that has a burnt out driver or something. for the ones that dont communicate thats when drewtech and the ford software come in!
This is what I like to know. I liked the idea of owning an Autel to cover the gaps in Snap-On coverage AND getting programming capability, but it sounds like a Cardaq is the real way to go.
Tyler wrote: I liked the idea of owning an Autel to cover the gaps in Snap-On coverage AND getting programming capability, but it sounds like a Cardaq is the real way to go.
When I started the conversation about Autel with my snap on rep, he said something about legal issues with Autel and manufactures, and said it was really going to hurt the company and make Autel scan tools useless in the latest updates. Any truth to that or just fear mongering to make a sale, I don't know.
Tyler wrote:
This is what I like to know. I liked the idea of owning an Autel to cover the gaps in Snap-On coverage AND getting programming capability, but it sounds like a Cardaq is the real way to go.
I highly recommend the autel for a scanner, I have the ms609ts it was just under 2k and runs circles around my verus. If I could give my verus back to snap on I would. If you do dealer level driability this tool will just hold you back.
For programming I went with drewtech because its approved by all manufactures and their awesome tech support.
BTW many other brands of j boxes are just rebranded drewtech products, even the snap on pass thru pro is a drewtech.
Or, just gotten a laptop + Pico + J2534 stuff and been better off. Oh well. :silly: 
