Had to pick between a used Snap-on scanner or a new Autel last month

I was staring down a $3000 budget for a diagnostic tool after my old one bricked on a job. The Snap-on was a 2017 model with no updates left for $2200, and the Autel was a brand new MX808 for $1800. I went with the Autel cause I figured updates matter more than a nameplate. Three weeks in, I had to use it on a 2024 Freightliner and read DPF regen data no problem. The only thing I miss is the Snap-on's build feel, but the Autel does everything I need. Anyone else choose new tech over used premium and regret it or not?

2 comments

2 Comments

owens.laura9d agoTop Commenter

Honestly, new tech has worked better for me every time.

sagejackson9d ago

Gotta say I've been burned too many times by old tech lying around. Picked up a used router from a friend once, spent three hours fighting with firmware updates just to get basic wifi working. By the time I bought a new one and plugged it in, everything just worked right out of the box. Same thing with my last phone - tried swapping batteries and clearing caches on an old model, but the new one actually holds a charge and doesn't freeze mid-text. Sometimes the extra money upfront saves you the headache later, plain and simple.