No Verus on this Snap On Truck

I stepped onto a Snap On truck today to get a close up shot of the Verus for this blog. The Snap On salesman said he couldn’t justify the expense of keeping a Verus scan tool in stock, it sells for $8895 without accessories. Quite understandable with today’s economic state and the price of the Snap On Verus scan tool approaching the cost of a new economy car like the Nissan Versa. 

$8895 Verus

$9990 Versa

The Truth. “Obviously there is a huge bias towards the OTC tools on this site, so it is pointless to try and make a direct comparison. The VERUS is an actual COMPUTER, running windows XP, capable of running numerous applications and going to unlimited websites. The Pegisys is simply a custom interface with a touchscreen. The ONLY websites you can access are for software downloads and identifix. All of the information in the “comparison info” on the OTC site is misconstrued and mostly lies. Having used both, the verus has the better screen, better interface, better true shop capabilities, etc, etc, etc… the list goes on and on. What are the major complaints here? personality keys? really? We have been using them for a very long time, it’s not that big of a deal. The wireless link to the pegisys failed multiple times during the demonstration by the napa rep, I wouldn’t try and use that day to day. Also, the verus stores customer information and vehicle information until deleted, not for just two weeks like pegisys. And the ability to graph and record ALL PIDS at once, instead of just the three on screen is critical! The verus is always recording pid data from when you enter the datastream, when I used the pegisys I noticed that the unit would start graphing other pids when you switched to them, but would lose the history of the ones previously shown. To the host here, how can you deny that pegisys is NOT a genisys with a touchscreen. Same information (less actually) no true online capabilities, no true computer capabilities. Why not tell a little truth now and then.”

Read the rest…

DenLors has many automotive tools for sale and we answer many questions everyday. The questions below were asked recently related to Genisys scan tools and I thought I would share my responses, in case it may help others when considering the purchase of a Genisys scan tool, accessories or European software updates. Keep in mind information on software and limited time deals are obviously time sensitive, so consider the date of this post. You may also be interested in a previous post – OTC Genisys Still Hard to Beat.

Answer: If you already have the Euro cables and an older Euro update like 2003, the OTC 3421-73  (2005 European update) is the most recent Euro update for the Genisys right now. If you don’t have the cables see the OTC 3421-74. But OTC says if you wait for a couple of months (til around January 2009) the new European software update will be available, possibly up to 2008, instead of 2005. It makes sense to wait if you can to take advantage of the extra coverage. 

Answer: Yes, we offer discounts on purchases over $1,000, see the Discount Coupon info. Basically, you get 3% off (DLTSAVE3) on purchases between one to two thousand dollars and 4% (DLTSAVE4) of on purchases over two thousand dollars.

Question: What’s my total going to be after sales tax and everything?

Question: I’m ready to buy a Genisys for my shop. How much is shipping and how long before I can expect delivery?

Answer: Ground shipping is free. Usually delivery times range from 1 to 6 days. We ship from the closest stocking warehouse to our customer and email a tracking information link once it ships so you know when to expect it.

Question: Do you have a Genisys replacement battery pack and charger available?

What’s in your toolbox?

Recently I sat in on a CarQuest sponsored auto technician training class for Auto Enginuity and the Carman Wi. Both of these scan tool softwares are PC (Personal Computer) based. The Auto Enginuity scan tool software is an up and coming player in the scan tool arena that has more USA Domestic capability than the Carman Wi. The Carman Wi is a Korean based auto scan tool software that has much more capability when it comes to Asian vehicles, in particular the Hyundai and Kia. The Carman Wi lacks OBD II function, it’s not surprising since this tool is made mostly for the Asian market place where OBD II does not exist. Each of these tools are a work in progress. Each tool had it’s advantages and disadvantages and apparently CarQuest is pitching them as a pair to be able to provide the most complete vehicle coverage. The Carman Wi had an extra module that was placed precariously on a side tray on the computer cart. The trainer warned as he displayed on the overhead projector, whatever you do “don’t drop the module.”  You guessed it, just as the words came out of his mouth, he dropped the module, catching it by the computer cables before it crashed to the floor, the classroom broke out into laughter. There is something to be said for scan tools that are encased in a durable shell that are designed for exposure to the real shop environment. There’s always at least one joker in the group, one in our group said that he would rather have a Nintendo Wii instead of the Carman Wi.

Many Cables.  Each tool had many different connection cables required for interfacing to different makes and models. Someone in the class made the statement that they should have all the cables incorporated into one, like the OTC Genisys Smart Cable. The instructor said that OTC has had a lot longer to develop their scan tools and that we just have to understand that improvements are on the way.  When either tool lacked in any area of capability, the trainer also responded by saying “it’s not cooked yet…it’s not done.”  This was his way of saying that both scan tool soft-wares are in constant development and are not complete at this time.

Colors on Parade.  The bar graphs for each scan tool were customizable by changing the colors of the background and the lines themselves to be able to see the readings more clearly. The Carman Wi being Korean made and losing some meanings in translation, calls the background color setting, the bottom, since it is the bottom color. I couldn’t help thinking that flat rate techs are not going to be too concerned with the color of the graphs, they just want to quickly diagnose the car and move on. The Carman Wi also did not show much of a reading on the graph, it looked more like a straight line. One of the techs pointed this out, the instructor adjusted the graph to show more definition as the tech just stood there and shook his head no, not happy with the degree of movement of the bar graph line. The Auto Enginuity’s graph was much easier to read variances since there was much more movement of the line on the graph. From what I gathered, both of these scan tool products will eventually have the capability to reprogram computers if the the updates are accessed through the car manufacturer’s paid website links.  

Genisys.  There’s no doubt that when these scan tools are further developed they will have great capability. I came away from this training class with a renewed respect for the OTC Genisys scan tool with the Smart Cable. The OTC Genisys may not ever have the capability of flashing car’s computers but with it’s user friendly interface and wide range of use, it will have a place in tool boxes for many years to come.