Had to choose between a cheap scan tool and a Matco one for diag work

Last month I needed a new scan tool for basic diagnostics on late model cars at my shop in Dayton. I almost grabbed a $150 generic one from a parts store, but I ended up spending $650 on a used Matco MD85. The cheap one probably would have worked for reading codes, but the Matco gives me live data and ABS reads on most things. Anyone else gone through this kind of choice for diag equipment?

3 comments

3 Comments

keith_rivera1923d agoMost Upvoted

Couldn't even read a transmission solenoid" sounds like my worst nightmare honestly. Did you at least save the cheap tool to use as a paperweight or is it just gathering dust in a drawer?

hunt.nora22d ago

Is it just me or does cheaping out on tools usually end up costing you double in the long run? @keith_rivera19 probably knows that feeling, same as when I bought a budget oscilloscope that died after three months and had to get a real one.

hannahm3923d ago

Oh man, I used to think any scan tool was fine as long as it pulled codes. Then I borrowed a buddy's cheap one and it couldn't even read a transmission solenoid on a 2018 Silverado. Changed my whole mind on that.