I’m thinking I need to get one as I mess now with these “newer” cars. I would appreciate your recommendation as I am lazy (though I have looked through those BW posts) and you have experience. Paying someone (who is not Joe) would cover some of the cost.
What I divined from the BW posts is that buying a HDD loaded with the software and the Fancy Box with connectors from a chinee vendor is the way to go, then buying the Special Flavor of laptop (some specific Compaq model if I recall) to put the HDD in. I looked up those computers and found a bunch cheepcheep on eBay. --FT Sent from iPhone > On Jun 27, 2019, at 10:06 AM, Dan--- via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > wrote: > > I don’t recommend the SnapOn scanners for a first time user. As Mitch > mentioned, they have gaps in what data they can access and display, so you > end up not having visibility into some things. I have a SnapOn MTG2500 that I > like to take for inspections, as it’s easy to use and powered by the car, so > I don’t have to worry about getting power (necessary for the SDS.) However, > it doesn’t do everything the SDS does, so I lose some visibility with it. > > There is a good but very long thread on the SDS clones on the BW R129 forum. > > You can find a good clone with a laptop, cables and MUX (multiplexer) under > $500. If you plan on working on just about any MB from the early 90s through > late 2000s (2000-2010/12) the SDS is indispensable. You’ll wonder how you got > along without it once you have one. > > I figure mine has paid for itself many, many times over in time saved and > confirmation of diagnoses. > > -D > > On Jun 27, 2019, at 9:33 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > wrote: > >>> I know several of you guys have SDS clones. Dan I think recommended an old >>> SnapOn setup. Autel has a pricey tablet. Icarsoft has a dedicated MB >>> tablet. >> >> I recommend you find 'Joe's Garage', where Joe is a guy who likes to buy >> tools (I can tell you where to go in Bellevue Michigan, but that's about >> it), and see if Joe will plug in his fancy scanner, select the appropriate >> year and engine size W163 from the menu, and display and clear all the >> engine and transmission codes. There's a good chance Joe will do that for a >> picture of Jackson (Tubman?) and no paperwork. >> >> I know a Snap-On Soleus Ultra will link up to the TCU in a 2003 ML and >> display all the transmission stuff. >> I strongly believe it'll clear all the transmission faults. >> But it doesn't do EVERYTHING. For instance, I can clear airbag faults from a >> late model GM car, but I can't clear crash data and make the SRS light go >> out. The owner of the Ultra says the other Joe down the road has a better >> scanner that can clear crash data. >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> >> > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
