Updated 2019 Best Scan Tools List

In 2019 if you are looking for the best scan tool I have you covered. First off, we need to get some things clear a code reader is a very basic scan tool. It is capable of reading stored DTC’s Diagnostic Trouble Codes from OBD2 vehicles. Code readers are typically the cheapest scan tools you can buy. You can get a basic code reader for less than $30 online here.

There really isn’t that much different between code readers on the market. Just be sure to get a code reader that works with your make, model, year vehicle. For example, it can be very helpful to get a scan tool that is specific to your make of car if you drive a rare car (i.e., a maserati, alfa romeo, or bmw). However, because OBD2 is a standardized system all modern code readers should real all basic codes on cars.

To get you started on just the cheapest OBD2 code readers in 2019 (they are all basically the same) click the link for an Amazon search. Pick the one that works with your make and model.

Best Honda Scan Tool in 2019:

1. FOXWELL NT510

2. FOXWELL NT301

3. Autel MaxiLink ML619

All of these are gaurenteed to work with your honda car and are great scan tool options in 2019. If you are willing to spend a bit more than the cheapest scan tool grab the Foxwell NT510 for any modern Honda. You can use it to read SRS codes and even reset the throttle position sensor. This means that it is bidirectional and has capabilities to interact and communicate with the cars computer system.

Best Toyota Scan Tool in 2019:

For Toyota cars you want to buy the techstream diagnostic system. This is what toyota dealerships use and due to people being able to copy the software and hardware you can have access to the same system. This means bi-directional capabilities and a dealership level scan tool at your fingertips.

The best part? The price. This costs less than a $100 to buy.

Here is one on Amazon that you just need to run off of a laptop PC and connect to your toyota. Just read the reviews and see all the stuff people are able to do with it.

1. DIAGKING Mini Vci J2534 TIS Techstream

2. LAUNCH Scan Tool CRP123X (Runner Up) 

Best Ford Scan Tool in 2019:

For Ford’s and other domestic brands there are certain scan tools that have more capabilities. They call it the Forscan and it is similar to the dealership setup. Here is the link on Amazon, and I recommend using youtube to guide you with the install and using the scan tool. Once again you will need a PC to run this type of scan tool.

1. WIFI FORScan OBD2 Adapter

Universal Best Scan Tool in 2019:

Do you work on a ton of different cars and are not looking for something that is brand specific? Grab one of these scan tools that are a great option if you work on anything and everything. These come highly reviewed from professionals.

1. Autel MaxiCOM MK808BT

2. Autel MaxiPRO MP808

3. Autel ML529HD OBD2 Scan Tool Upgraded (Cheapest but Still Packs a Punch)

Through my research these scan tools and oscilloscopes have come highly recommended and at a great value. The thing is without the factory scan tool, sometimes only available to the dealerships, you will never have the level of functionality that they do. That is where car repair is heading in 2018 and beyond. However, these scan tools and oscilloscopes will be able to do a lot of what you need to get started, and if a problem arises that you need the dealership scan tool. Well, then you’ll have to pay the dealership to do the diagnosis then you can do the work as they find necessary. No one can tell you what scan tool is best, or what oscilloscope is best either. It depends on the make, model, and year of your car and your level of experience. One thing is clear, to do car repair in 2018 effectively, you will need a multimeter, scan tool, and if you want to be advanced an oscilloscope. Here are my recommendations for the best value in all those categories: 

Scan Tools in 2018 Click To Check Price On Amazon (listed from most expensive to cheapest)

1. Autel MaxiCOM MK808
2. BlueDriver Bluetooth Professional OBDII Scan Tool
3. FOXWELL NT301 Obd2 Scanner

Oscilloscopes in 2018 Click to Check Price On Amazon Below

1. PicoScope (Pico 2205A 2 Channel) Links To Amazon For Price CheckYou will need a separate laptop to use this Oscilloscope. But this is an awesome starter kit. Many many professional technicians use a PicoScope daily in their shops (granted a more expensive model). But this is a great way to learn to use an oscilloscope.
2. DSO Nano Oscilloscope v3 (Link to Amazon for Current Price)

Do you need to be using an Oscilloscope in 2018 to diagnose cars?

First, lets cover what makes a scan tool and an oscilloscope different:

1. Scan tools read DTC’s stored in the cars on board computer. 1996 and newer cars made in the USA all had to have OBD2. There can be some weird discrepancy with cars as the switchover wasn’t perfect and OBD1 existed before a standardized OBD2 was implemented.

Everything in this article is based on you working on a car that is newer than 1996. For cars older than 1996, you have to google “how to read codes on such and such car.” Usually that involves shorting out connectors in the fuse panel (under the hood) and counting flashes of the check engine light.

However if you’re working on a 1965 Shelby GT 350, obviously you won’t have any storage system for trouble codes tripped by the on board computer. You still have electronics in the form of headlights, relays, and distributors– just, no on board computer that senses problems in the engine. No need for a scan tool, just your hand tools, a good ear, and a multimeter.

2. Oscilloscopes in the simplest form simply graph voltage on the vertical (Y axis) against time on the horizontal or (X axis). The definition according to dictionary.com “…a device for viewing oscillations, as of electrical voltage or current, by a display on the screen of a cathode ray tube.”

There are both analog oscilloscopes and digital oscilloscopes. However, for this article we will only be focusing on digital oscilloscopes recommendations. They’re the industry standard now for automotive repair, and I now refer to them in this article as DSO (Digital Storage Oscilloscope).

**Updated** While surfing I met a lexus factory service technician. He had been at the dealership for the last 10 years, and says while they do offer lexus factory oscilloscope training he has never needed to actually use an oscilloscope at his job.

Why do dealership technicians at lexus rarely, if ever, use oscilloscopes? 

The factory scan tools have gotten so advanced that he literally described it as a “plug n play” type scenario. If diagnosing a sensor or electrical problem he just said you follow the flow chart and look for specific voltages at certain places. The factory scan tools have gotten so advanced that they can detect bad voltages and bad sensors themselves.

Question: Why then do you still recommend learning and buying an Oscilloscope?

Answer: Unless you’re going to work at a dealership and only specialize in one type of car you will never have access to all the different factory scan tools that allows diagnosis to be that easy. You will need to learn how to use an oscilloscope because it will allow you to diagnose any car and any electronic sensor. It is up to you whether you want to be stuck following around a factory scan tool, or want to master a great skill (the oscilloscope).

Question: Should I invest in an Oscilloscope and which one should I buy?

Answer: If you’re an old school mechanic that works on mostly older cars, you probably don’t need to learn to use an oscilloscope. But if you want to be working on cars past 2018 then, yes, I highly recommend buying and learning on an oscilloscope. You can use them to diagnose everything from a misfire to a faulty knock sensor.

In this article, through my research, I will try to point you in the right direction of what to buy in 2018. And what type of Oscilloscope, Scan Tool, and Multimeter you should buy based on your budget, goals, and experience.

This is just based on my research, and what I would buy if I was starting out as a technician, DIYer, mechanic today.

If the article is too long for you to read here is the list of products I highly recommend in 2018. Everything on this comes approved by technicians that use these tools all the time to diagnose cars.

Start with the most important basic tool Mechanic and Technician needs to have, a quality Multimeter (all links below open tabs to Amazon to Check Price):

Multimeters in 2018:

1. Fluke 117 Multimeter (if you want top of the line digital)
2. Tekpower 7-Function Analog Multimeter (Less Expensive / Analog) click here to read my article about analog vs. digital multimeters.
3. An Add On Time Saver for Any Technician (not necessary, but an awesome tool. Power Probe III W/ Lead Set Kit

Scan Tools in 2018 (from most expensive to least) Click To Check Price On Amazon

1. Autel MaxiCOM MK808
2. BlueDriver Bluetooth Professional OBDII Scan Tool
3. FOXWELL NT301 Obd2 Scanner 

Oscilloscopes in 2018 for New Technicans or Budget DIYers: (links to Amazon) 

1. PicoScope (Pico 2205A 2 Channel) Links To Amazon For Price Check (Roughly $240)You will need a separate laptop to use this Oscilloscope. But this is an awesome starter kit. Many many professional technicans use a PicoScope daily in their shops (granted a more expensive model). But this is a great way to learn to use an oscilloscope.
2. DSO Nano Oscilloscope v3 (Link to Amazon for Current Price)

Want to know more about choosing what is right for you?

 

YouTube has now become a sort of proving ground for the different types of mechanics / technicians. There are now many channels where advanced technicians are showing off their diagnostic skills using specialized oscilloscopes. To them diagnosis of modern cars with only a scan tool and some basic tools is simply foolish.

I agree with that statement. If you want to be a fully capable modern technician. You need to understand and use an oscilloscope as well.

However, if you’re mostly a hobbyist or DIYer, you don’t need to spend thousands on an oscilloscope / scan tool in order to be competent mechanic. You simply need to be aware of the limitations of only using a Scan Tool / Multimeter. You will need to work extra hard to be sure you are confident in your diagnosis. If you are charging people $130 per hour in labor, I would argue you need to be pretty good at using an oscilloscope.

If there is one type of mechanic that won’t be making the big bucks in 2018, it is the guy or girl who can’t diagnose electrical issues. You simply CANNOT be a technician that just throws parts at a car anymore. You will stand out like a sore thumb, and the more honest, knowledgeable technicians will greatly improve their business.

What kind of scan tool and oscilloscope should you buy? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you want to make a career out of auto repair / you’re getting started around 2018?

2. Is your budget more or less than a 1,000 dollars?

It can be overwhelming, even before you look at the large price tags (sometimes upwards of $5,000 dollars). I will take you through how to decide what grade of tool you need, and whether buying an oscilloscope even makes sense for you. Let us jump right in!

There are hundreds of brands, copies of those brands, and thousands of different options they can have. That is why I have dedicated an entire page to Scan Tools & Scopes, to give you the best options in 2018.

The main thing you need to figure out is what is your budget, and what level of technician work will you be doing. For example, your favorites on YouTube will speak a lot to what kind of route you should take.

Do you mostly watch Scotty Kilmer’s videos, or are you watching Scanner Danner’s Channel. Would you consider yourself a new age technician, or a down and dirty old school grease monkey. Grease Monkey? Just buy yourself a simple Scan Tool. ScannerDanner fan? Better start saving for that nice oscilloscope, tablet, and code reader in one. 

Some other questions to ask yourself…

Do you mostly work on cars newer than 2005 or so? If yes, you should learn to use an oscilloscope.

Or do you stay away from new cars like the plague because they have tons of pesky electrical problems? Stick with Scan Tool.

Are you just getting into the automotive repair world in 2018? You will need: Oscilloscope, Multimeter, A Scan Tool.

Or have you been working on cars since the 1960’s? Just keep wrenching, you’ve got your ears to guide you (well hearing aids).

It should be pretty clear to you based on your answers to these questions what you should be looking at buying.

Do you have hundreds of dollars, or even thousands to spend on the latest equipment?

Or are you just looking for something to clear codes on cars, and help point you towards what needs replaced (you got it from there).

When a car comes in with a misfire are you one to think “cool, I get to use my cool electronic diagnostic equipment.”

Or do you go grab your long 1/4″ socket extension and start listening to injectors click?

Honest answers to these questions are the only way to really point you in the right direction, and find you the best value for your dollar. It also depends on whether you want to make Automotive Technician your career, or if this is a weekend hobby for friends cars.

I think you can already guess, but if you are more of a hands on type technician then you really only need a pretty basic scan tool with certain new features. These can be found for anywhere from $50 or less, to upwards of $400-800 dollars, depending on the features.

I personally am more in this category, and this is where I have the most experience.

You can get by pretty well with a good multimeter, and a decent scan tool that has certain new features (ABS, SRS, Live Data, etc).

However, every technician even that wants to get into using an oscilloscope should have a decent scan tool as well as a multimeter.

 

Uses of an Oscilloscope for Automotive Repair & Diagnosis:

1. Oscilloscopes can be used to test all of the electrical or electronic components in any vehicle. It can take the guesswork out of electrical repair, as you can visually see electronic impulses sometimes as fast as (1/1000th of a second) displayed on a screen so you can analyze them. You can diagnose a misfire, by analyzing a graph. By knowing you what looks normal, and what the car you’re looking at is displaying. You can find out a ton of helpful information fast, and take the guesswork out of automotive repair.
2. Why is this so useful? On modern cars there are sensors for everything, and sometimes it won’t be as clear as just reading a check engine code and replacing some parts. It may not be clear at all what is wrong, and it will take the exact measurements that an oscilloscope can give you to really pin point what is wrong.
3. This sets you apart from your simple shade tree mechanic. This is the new age of fixing cars, and an understanding of electronics and electrical components will be mainstream in the coming years. As cars continue to become more and more electronic, the tools needed to diagnose them will also become more and more electronically based.

For examples of YouTubers who are pushing Scoping as the newest means of making accurate diagnosis, check out these channels.

Schrodingers Box

I kind of see this guy as the guru when it comes to Auto Repair. I reached out to him about what Oscilloscope he recommends (August 2018) and this is what he responded /