Bought a $200 diagnostic tool that only works on 2010-2015 Honda Civics

I grabbed this fancy OBD2 scanner off some dude's Facebook Marketplace listing last month, figured it was a steal for the price. Turns out the thing is locked to one car model and one year range, so it's completely useless for 90% of the laptops I work on. Anyone else get burned by a niche tool that looked good on paper but flopped in practice?

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan8981mo ago

Honestly I used to think those cheap diagnostic tools were a solid deal for anyone turning their own wrenches. But after watching a buddy sink cash into one that only worked on Subarus from 2010 to 2014, I get why you'd feel played. A niche tool like that is a gamble unless you're sure it fits your exact setup.

jamesm381mo agoMost Upvoted

Wow, yeah that actually makes a lot of sense. I was one of those people who figured any cheap scanner was better than nothing, but hearing about your buddy's Subaru-only situation really changes how I look at it. @morgan898 you're right, it's a total gamble unless you know exactly what you're working on. I think I'd rather save up for a proper one that covers a few common makes instead of risking it.

rubys8029d ago

That whole thing about Subaru only from 2010 to 2014 is wild, @morgan898 reminds me of my neighbor who bought a cheap scanner and found out it only worked on diesel trucks. He drives a Honda Civic, so that was a huge waste of cash right there. Guess you really do get what you pay for with those things, huh?