Need Another Scan Tool?

"What is the best scan tool?" is a question technicians commonly ask. Unfortunately, there is no one scan tool that will do everything you might want it to. If you're considering asking for a new scanner this year, here are some thoughts to keep in mind.

Cost is a factor but remember it is not just the initial cost, but also the recurring cost of updating the tool. Ask, too, if updates can be skipped without causing any problems when you do decide to bring it up to speed. Don't forget to ask how those updates are delivered.

Another question to ask is "Who will be using the tool?" If you're a shop owner, consider the skill level of the techs that will have access to it. Many aftermarket (and some OE) tools offer repair tips and other built-in job aids designed to help less experienced techs complete a successful repair. Those aids are not limited to software. A few offer modular designs that allow the addition of digital storage oscilloscopes and even exhaust gas analyzers at a later date.

Maybe you just want a generic OBDII tool for quick reads. There are all kinds of "baby" scan tools today with features that rival the larger units of even a few years ago. Or consider adding a data recorder that you can use to help finally nail down that nagging intermittent that's been haunting you.

You Know You Want One

A digital storage oscilloscope (DSO), that is. As with scan tools, there are as many opinions on scopes as there are scopes in the marketplace.

Do you really need a scope to fix cars? Many of you are doing a fine job of it and have never even touched a scope. A good scan tool provides a lot of information and the ability to graph changing data parameters, uncovering problems that they couldn't in the not to distant past. Others swear by their scopes and make routine use of them. I suggest the true ground is somewhere in the middle.

Scopes allow a technician to view actual data independent of the scan tool's screen. Perhaps what the scan tool is being told is inaccurate? Scopes also give a tech the ability to view any electrical circuit operating in real time. It paints a picture of the circuit operation by plotting a voltage reading over time. It's an ideal tool for catching intermittent or momentary faults.

And the cost of adding such a tool to your arsenal is affordable, depending on the scope you choose.

After the Holidays

Adding a scan tool, scope or any other tool to your toolbox will only be an exercise in spending money if you don't know how to use it. One investment that will always pay you back is the one you make in yourself; so add some training material to your wish list. Be honest with yourself about your current skill level and the areas you know you need to improve in.

Make a New Year's resolution to invest a little time each day, each week, each month to learning something new. I guarantee you will see the results reflected in your paycheck.

Training doesn't have to be with your butt parked in a chair in some hotel meeting room (though there is nothing wrong with that).

Several companies offer web-based training events and we try to promote all those we can in the AutoPro Workshop, our online community. Others offer DVD programs featuring nationally known trainers that allow you to review the information as much as you need to make it your own. And there still are others that have interactive training modules you do yourself, at your own pace, with immediate feedback on your progress.

In addition to the webcasts, Motor Age also produces a monthly video called The Trainer. These short videos are featured each month in our e-magazine, Motor Age How2, available to you at no cost and delivered right to your inbox. They all are archived for viewing anytime you like.

Last, but certainly not least, you can subscribe to our e-newsletters for bi-weekly tips, tricks and techniques that will help you in your day-to-day challenges at the shop.

Get involved in an automotive forum like the International Automotive Technicians Network (www.iATN.net) or our own AutoPro Workshop. You can learn a lot simply by hanging out and asking questions. There are many talented technicians around the country eager to help those folks who really want to learn.

With all the resources available today, the only thing keeping you from becoming a better tech is you and maybe that's the best thing you can ask for this holiday season.