Pico Technology makes diagnostic electronics that plug into a computer. Their tools help mechanics look at electrical signals in the car to diagnose problems.
PicoScope is a diagnostic tool that shows electrical signals as graphs on your computer. Instead of just reading error codes, it helps you see what’s happening in real time so you can find the real cause faster.
Live waveforms are basically graphs that show how an electrical signal changes over time. In car repair, they help you confirm whether parts are working correctly by looking at the signal pattern.
ADOS is a name for a guided diagnostic process on some scan tools. It usually means the tool walks you through specific steps to test or set up a system, not just pull error codes.
TPMS service is work related to the system that monitors tire pressure. A diagnostic tool can help reset/relearn the tire sensors and confirm the readings are correct.
Advanced safety systems are the car’s newer safety tech, like sensors and driver-assist features. When something is repaired, a diagnostic tool may be needed to check the system and make sure it’s set up correctly.
Term
deepening a connector
They’re talking about a tool used to work on a wiring connector. Some connector repairs need a special tool so you can fix or adjust the connection without breaking the electrical parts inside.
At a car dealership, the service department is the team that does repairs and maintenance. They’re the ones who decide what tools they have for different kinds of work.
This is about keeping a list of the tools the shop owns. If nobody tracks them, tools can go missing and the shop may have to buy replacements instead of using what’s already there.
They’re basically talking about whether it makes financial sense for an employee to buy their own tools. If the shop can reliably give them enough work, the tool purchase is more likely to be worth it.
A wiring harness is the bundled set of wires and connectors that routes electrical power and signals throughout the vehicle. Replacing a harness is usually more expensive and labor-intensive than replacing individual connectors, which is why the speaker compares the two approaches.
This means swapping out broken electrical plug-style parts in the car’s wiring. If a connector is damaged, the repair may require replacing it so the electrical connection works correctly again.
A scan tool is a device that connects to the car’s computer. It can show error codes and sensor readings so a mechanic can figure out what’s causing the problem.
A timing chain is part of the engine that keeps the camshaft and crankshaft working in sync. When it’s serviced, the timing has to be set correctly, often with special tools.
High-voltage batteries are the main energy storage units in EVs and many hybrids. They’re typically hundreds of volts, so diagnosis and service require specialized procedures and safety precautions.
This means the electronic “messaging” between the car’s computers. If that network has a problem, the car can behave strangely even if the main parts seem okay.
ADAS is the set of driver-assist features that help with things like braking and staying in the lane. If you repair something related to sensors or cameras, you may need to diagnose and calibrate it.
TPMS is the system that monitors tire pressure and warns you when a tire is low. After tire work, technicians may need tools to reset or reprogram the sensors.
“Replacement cost” is the money it takes to replace what you lost. The point is that some plans look cheaper until you include the real cost of starting over.
“Cost per mile” means you take what you spend on the car and spread it out over the miles you drive. It’s a way to compare different ways of paying for car problems.
“Two weeks notice” means an employee tells the boss they’re quitting about two weeks before their last day. The shop then has to cover the work and train someone new, which can be costly.
This is a diagnostic computer tool for an engine. It runs tests and helps you figure out what’s wrong—like ignition and other engine signals—using built-in measurement screens and automated checks.
An oscilloscope is a tool that shows electrical signals as a graph over time. Mechanics use it to see whether ignition or sensor signals look right, not just whether they exist.
An exhaust gas analyzer measures what’s coming out of the tailpipe. By checking gases like CO and unburned fuel (HC), it helps you judge whether the engine is burning fuel correctly.
Carbon monoxide is a gas that can show up when the engine isn’t burning fuel completely. Higher CO readings can point to a combustion or mixture problem.
Hydrocarbons are basically unburned fuel that comes out in the exhaust. If the numbers are high, it usually means the engine isn’t burning the fuel properly.
A head gasket is a seal between the engine block and cylinder head. Head gasket testing is how you check if that seal is failing—often by looking for signs that combustion gases are getting where they shouldn’t.
Edge is a company that makes aftermarket car electronics. Here, they’re mentioned as the builder of a diagnostic tool that was sold under a different name.
Sun 300 is a particular model line of engine diagnostic equipment from Sun. The host is using it as an example of the kind of analyzer they used in a shop.
Term
Sun 450
Sun 450 is a specific Sun engine analyzer model the host brings up as part of the same tool family. It’s an example of the higher-end options in that lineup.
These are engine diagnostic tools that use a computer as the main interface. Instead of a standalone screen, the PC handles the software and display for the tests.
Term
MDA
MDA is a short name for another Sun diagnostic tool model. The host is listing it as part of the set of Sun analyzer acronyms.
Term
MEA
MEA is a short name for one of the Sun diagnostic tool models. The host is listing it along with other analyzer model acronyms.
Term
MCA
MCA is a short name for another Sun diagnostic tool model. It’s mentioned as part of the lineup of analyzer acronyms the host used.
PCM is another name for a car computer that controls the powertrain. Think of it as the brain that helps manage the engine (and sometimes shifting too).
A scope is a tool that shows electrical signals as a graph over time. It helps you see what’s really happening with sensors and actuators, not just whether something passes a simple check.
Current probes measure how much electrical current is flowing. That’s useful for confirming whether something like a fuel injector is actually being driven the way it should.
A shorted injector circuit means electricity is leaking where it shouldn’t. When injectors are shorted, they can fail in ways that simple tests might miss.
Low impedance means the circuit lets current flow more easily than normal. If a fuel injector circuit is “too easy” for current to flow, it can point to a short inside the injector.
A current waveform is a graph of how current changes over time. For injectors, it helps you confirm the injector is actually behaving correctly when the computer commands it.
An inductive kick is a brief voltage spike that happens when current to a coil-like component is turned off. If the spike looks wrong, it can point to an injector problem.
A resistance test checks how much electrical resistance a circuit has. The issue is that some injector problems don’t show up on resistance alone, especially when the parts are hot.
Load testing means you check the part while it’s actually working under demand, not just with a simple static measurement. For injectors, it helps confirm they perform correctly when the system commands them.
Term
automated tests
Automated tests are computer-guided checks that a tool runs on a car. Instead of a mechanic doing every step by hand, the tool runs a set of checks and reports what it finds.
Fluke 87 is a popular handheld electrical testing tool (a multimeter). Mechanics use it to measure things like voltage and resistance when diagnosing electrical problems.
A multimeter is a tool that measures electrical values in a car. It helps you figure out whether power is getting to a component or whether a circuit is broken.
Brand
meger
Megger (spelled like “meger” in the transcript) is a company that makes electrical testing tools. The host is basically saying they wouldn’t buy just any cheap multimeter—they’d want a specific, trusted one.
Brand
vantage pros
Vantage Pros refers to Vantage Pro diagnostic tools from Snap-on (commonly discussed as shop-grade scan/test equipment). The host mentions using them instead of buying a basic multimeter, implying they’re used for broader vehicle diagnostics beyond simple electrical checks.
Snap-on is a company that makes car diagnostic tools. “Vantage” is the name of one of their handheld scan tools, and the host is comparing how capable it is versus other tools.
“Two channels” means the tool can look at two signals at once. That helps when you’re trying to compare what the car is asking for versus what it’s actually doing.
A “graphing meter” shows measurements as a graph instead of just a number. That makes it easier to see problems that come and go or change quickly.
Term
histograph
A histogram is a chart that shows how often different values happen. In car diagnostics, it can help you understand whether a signal is steady or all over the place.
Duty cycle tells you how long a pulsing signal stays “on” versus “off” during each cycle. It’s useful because some car systems use pulsed signals to control power and behavior.
OTC makes car diagnostic tools, and “Perception” is one of their tool models. The host is saying it was an alternative to the Snap-on Vantage for certain diagnostic tasks.
GM OBD-1 is an older computer diagnostic system used on some older GM cars. Because it’s older than today’s standard, you usually need a compatible scan tool to read the trouble codes.
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This is the Automotive Repair Podcast Network.
Welcome everyone to yet another episode of diagnosing the aftermarket day dizzy.
I'm Matt Fonsland.
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I guess I have to go back again to reference a video short that I uploaded or had uploaded for me, really.
Because I don't do much of anything on my own.
But there'll be a link below for the episode or for that short, really.
I guess I hope you listen to it or watch it.
Not so much just to view it or anything like that, but honestly, to get your take on it.
It's had quite a bit of activity, but I want more.
I want to get a better handle on what's the reality, what's really out there.
Because I do wonder if I'm not somewhat sheltered where, you know, geographically where I live and what shops are surrounding me.
Being in a not really metropolitan area more.
I don't know if it is technically rural.
Well, I have to say like where I live, my house is definitely rural.
I don't know about where the shop is so much being rural, but close enough.
Certainly surrounded by rural communities and roughly an hour away north and south of more metropolitan type areas.
And the video is about referencing a phone call I got from a friend who works for a local dealership.
And he wanted to borrow a tool, a piece of equipment, really a tool for deepening a connector.
I don't want to just go over the whole video for you.
But ultimately it was the service department did not possess what I would think would be an essential tool.
But I guess the manufacturer would just define what's essential or not.
And then I'm not even sure exactly what the rules are for that.
You know, do they get sent the essential tools?
And if they're lost, broken, I guess those would be the two main things.
It's up to the dealership to replace some.
Nobody is really keeping track of an inventory of tools.
The dealership or the service department is not investing in this deepening tool or an entire kit.
And a technical specialist, mechanical specialist is considering buying their own.
I can see some economic logic to that if they're guaranteed to get all the work.
And there's enough of that work depending connectors, whatever, replacing connectors themselves instead of harnesses.
If there's a fair bit of that work and they're guaranteed to get all of it, maybe that makes a lot of sense.
That investment pays big dividends.
To me, that's an interesting risk.
And why is an employee taking it?
That's where it starts falling apart for me.
And the question ultimately is how many of you are required to buy equipment tools?
And then where is the line?
What's the threshold to where now that's a shop thing?
Like, I get it that I think most of us agree, most shops buy the hoists, air compressors, maybe a scan tool.
I guess we don't really do brake lights much anymore, but if there's a brake light to be owned, the shop probably bought it.
Maybe a press, tire changer, wheel balancer, alignment machines, AC machines, maybe one AC machine.
But you start getting below that, whatever that means, I guess physical size and maybe cost.
When does it start shifting to the requirement of the mechanical or technical specialist?
And that's where I feel like the argument for employees being required to own equipment starts falling apart is how do you define that?
And then what's the logic of owning a business that you advertise certain capabilities but the shop itself employees aside,
like the actual person to do the job aside, the shop itself is ill-equipped to be able to do that.
Like, just for an extreme, if you're advertising that you do wheel alignments, but you don't have an alignment machine, how does that work?
And then again, at a terrible extreme, you have a technical specialist or mechanical specialist who is now invested in some sort of,
we'll just say an alignment system, okay, maybe not the whiz-bang top of the line, but something that's still expensive to do wheel alignments.
I don't know that maybe some of you are thinking that's a genius idea and I've just wrecked some careers, but there's a certain absurdity to that.
You know, a shop advertising that they replace tires, that they do tires, but they don't have a tire machine or a wheel balancer,
or advertising that you do AC service, but you don't own any AC equipment, like it's falling on the employee to purchase these.
And we see this with scan tools and diagnostic equipment and maybe like, I struggle with the word, right?
I don't know what a good word would be, lower level things of we need to do a timing chain on this vehicle.
The shop doesn't own the proper alignment, like timing chain alignment or cam alignment tools.
Is the mechanical specialist looking to buy that to be able to complete this job?
And is the shop doing something where basically it will help purchase the tool, but then take so much money out of their checks, if you will, to pay it back.
And then it is the specialist's tool.
Is this like the reality? Is that what's really out there?
I mean, don't get me wrong.
When I got into this, the first couple shops I worked at, you were required, I expected, which I guess is the same meaning, to own for a lack of a better term, basic.
You were expected to have the basic tools, wrenches, sockets, stuff like that.
And screwdrivers, of course, stuff like that.
But you start getting into more of the special tools, you know, a specialty socket, a puller of some sort.
Then the shops typically took that on.
So evidently, maybe I'm just sheltered.
And I guess I'm not looking to make excuses, but try to explain it.
That is something I'm not familiar with.
And yet, looking at many of the comments, it's common that they're buying more than just basic hand tools, that they have quite the inventory of equipment that would normally be associated with the business owning.
The service department, the shop, the facility owning, the shop owner owning, or manager, usually an owner, right?
That it wouldn't fall on the employee, but yet, that's what happens to be able to do the jobs correctly or efficiently enough to make time to justify, to do efficiently to maximize income.
And then hoping you're going to use this tool or piece of equipment again.
I don't know, I use this word, and I've already used it, but I used it a multiple times in the video.
I find this absolutely absurd.
I'm not sure the right and wrong of it with owning the basics, wrenches and sockets and ratchets and stuff.
I understand to a point wanting to own your own.
It's yours.
No one else should be using it, at least without permission.
You can buy what you like.
I mean, I get it, but also from a business slash managerial perspective.
If part of my purpose is to take care of my people, and if I really believe that if I take care of my people, they will take care of, quote unquote, my customers or the customers.
Then one feature of that is to try to maximize their incomes, their expendable incomes, if you will, which is maybe a bad term because that's really up to them to a degree.
But at least maximize their take home pay, minimize their financial responsibilities to do the jobs that they're hired to do.
I do that in exchange of help the shop make the most amount of ethical profit you can.
I firmly believe that.
I mean, it's been repeated on this podcast over and over and over, maybe ad nauseam, I don't know, but I can't buy into this idea of expecting fairly significant investments to do the jobs we're advertising we do.
I don't know what to relate it to.
You know, I'm just thinking about it would be more like independent contractor level stuff where, you know, barbershops I think rent space or a chair to an employee.
Or I don't know if they're even considering an employee, but they're under the banner of whatever the barbershops name and then they have their own business practice underneath that banner and a place to do it.
And, you know, the power of the name of the facility or business to draw in.
But then for that barbershop, what if you're advertising like hair coloring or certain styles, I don't know, and you don't do that.
Or no one else in the building can accept you because you've made investments in training or equipment to do it.
I don't know how to wrap my head around that.
And my concern with this is true, like it's true that businesses specifically repair shops are shifting that responsibility on to employees.
There isn't a, again, for lack of a better word, it's probably a horrific word, but a lack of a lucrative return.
And you're building up these inventories of tools and equipment.
Why wouldn't they just quit and start their own business, which is in the comments, that's what happens a fair bit is a lot of them have made significant investments in tools and equipment.
And then just decided, I have everything, I'm just going to open my own shop and they do so.
And, you know, the ones that comment always are, it's the best thing they ever did.
Now they're making so much more than they did as an employee.
And for them, I'm guessing it's true.
I'm sure they could lie and we'd see certain handles or names associated with success.
But I, is it that important or for them they did, but statistically how many failed and businesses in general, like startup businesses fail at, you know, whatever rate it is, I guess we're not going to go into that.
It's not important, but they do fail.
We're not seeing people post or respond comments like, yeah, I built up this huge inventory of equipment started my own shop and it failed epically in a year or two.
And I went back to working in a shop and happy to do so.
That doesn't seem to happen, or we don't see that people don't at least make comments like that.
But if it's true, I guess I'd like to know it's true.
But I have a suspicion as they either go into business for themselves, succeed or fail.
Or if they go into business for themselves and fail, they're out.
They're not going back to work in a shop.
So they're out of the industry, or they don't go and open their own shop and they're out of the industry.
I think that happens a fair bit.
It makes sense because we've unwittingly set the brass ring to be ownership.
There's economical sense in a business owner or manager, but really we have to focus mainly on owners.
Managers in this case would be those tasked with executing these strategies or desires of ownership.
But there's a really sound economical reason for business owners in general, but shop owners to make it, again, for lack of a better term,
lucrative enough to be okay being an employee, make enough money, have money for the future, retirement.
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I don't think there's any nefarious intent with this.
I don't mean this as a negative in the fact that take advantage of risk aversion.
I'm not trying to say that the shop owner, the evil shop owner,
is trying to take advantage of your risk aversion to keep you from opening your own shop and treating you like dirt.
I'm just saying, if I pay you well enough, if I give you enough money,
if I compensate you well enough, benefits, whatever they all mean.
We could go on and with all what that is, but if that's good enough,
then you're looking at opening your own place and the risk involved
versus what you feel is stable and good, comfortable, stable, you probably won't open your own shop.
The reason to do that is really a couple things pop into my head.
I guess I'm making this up as I go a little bit, but the reality is,
one, the talent pool, we're talking about a lack of qualified technicians, right?
It's hard to find good help.
And if you have good help, it doesn't make a lot of sense to let them go open their own shop
and then you've lost that talent and they're going after talent eventually.
So you shrunk the talent pool. That doesn't make any sense.
I guess I'm jumping a little bit here, jumping around,
but not too long ago there was a thread on one of the professional forums.
I think it's more of a shop management, shop ownership type of a forum or Facebook group, to be honest.
Talking about discussing with clients or customers when enough is enough on their vehicles.
When is this a good investment to fix it and when is it a bad investment?
And customers often jumping to the conclusion that the value of the vehicle is $5,000.
It makes no sense to spend $7,000 to put the new engine, transmission, whatever to do the repairs.
They're not taking into account replacement costs or maybe even better yet a better calculation,
I'll buy it maybe a little more difficult to come by and calculate is cost per mile.
And then they'll find the investment in the repair far outweighs the investment on a more steady or predictable payment every month
versus I've just dropped $7,000 on this vehicle to fix it up and I drove it for three months and now it needs this.
That unpredictability even if the cost per mile is lower to keep repairing it.
That unpredictability is very off putting.
I don't need to go down that rabbit hole, but I find this logic somewhat comparable in if I have an employee or I have a my favorite word culture built up
where it's viewed the brass ring the real way to make a nice living and live comfortably and I don't know have it made is to own your own shop.
Then the owner with this thought this strategy or again this could be part of the shadow game where they're not aware of this.
They're not aware that this is what is being demonstrated or communicated even if it's wrong that you're no longer factoring in the replacement cost of that loss of an employee.
And don't get me wrong.
I've seen articles.
I've heard presentations by coaches and whatnot about, you know, when it comes time to, you know, review an employee and talk about pay raises or they come in and ask for a raise.
First thing to do is you start to graph out and plot out production and get it like that makes sense.
But then you have to consider how much would it cost to replace that person when they leave if they put in their notice two weeks notice they're gone.
Are you going to be able to have somebody in that spot doing the same things in two weeks?
Are they going to do it as well?
Are they going to do it better?
And then are you really going to have somebody in in two weeks?
How long are you vacant?
How long are you without that production?
And then you do get somebody in.
What if they're not nearly as good?
And now you're trying to get them trained up to wherever that person was.
So there's a steep replacement cost.
And then of course, if it ends up a revolving door, now you have that reputation to deal with.
If it gets around that you have a revolving door, eventually people are just not going to come.
They don't care.
They don't care what's on the inside because they see all these people go in, work a few months, work a couple weeks.
A couple of years and then they're out.
Why?
Why is that?
I am.
I'm just I am extraordinarily interested to know how many of you were expected to make heavy investments in equipment.
Me personally, I had my basic hand tools from when I went to my two year college.
Like that was part of the program.
Even you got an equipment list and you could go to various vendors.
Snap on, Macco, Mac, Napa were the heavy hitters.
Sears was another one to buy all these tools.
And the most expensive single piece was the probably the roller on toolbox.
And then after that was probably the Fluke 87 or 88 multimeter digital multimeter.
After that was, you know, ratchets, sockets, stuff like that, the basics.
I had that and then when I started working for the first couple of shops I really started working for,
I would end up buying some specialty tools.
But building up arsenals of, you know, at the time pneumatic was really the way cordless was very unreliable.
Short battery lives, not very powerful.
So pneumatic was still the way to go.
So I was buying more and more pneumatic tools, ratchets, impacts.
And then I ended up working for a shop that bought really almost everything.
There wasn't a whole lot.
Maybe, again, if there is something that the shop only had one or two of and is something I would use a lot,
I might buy my own or there are certain things that I just liked another version of that I would buy myself.
And then, yeah, my ego is what drove me to buy a lot of diagnostic tools like scan tools and scope, stuff like that.
That was 100% ego driven.
That required, the shop didn't require me to do that.
And as time went on through various shops, seeing what it meant to have certain capabilities,
the shops offered to take more and more of that responsibility or work out some sort of a deal that would help me recoup faster.
So by and large, I was pretty insulated from the heavy, heavy investments.
But did that still stop me from making heavy, heavy investments?
No, because I think the reality is, at one point, I was pretty close to or in excess of six figures for tools and equipment.
I really didn't buy much for toolboxes.
I didn't spend much with that, but where the money was spent was scan tools, diagnostic tools, equipment, stuff like that.
And I bought a lot of it, especially scan tools, because I wanted to be able to do stuff.
Did it pay dividends?
The dividend would have been I was doing that stuff long before most people in my region were.
So it gave me a huge leg up and then reputation, I suppose.
I don't know that it was a smart move.
It may have worked out.
I don't know if that means it was a good move.
If you get my meeting.
So I keep saying it, but I am.
I really want to hear what have you had to buy?
What do you think you should buy?
What do you feel is the right way?
Should employees be expected to buy anything?
Because Riverside right now, shop by Matt, that I'm shop manager for, that we don't require anyone buy anything.
We've had newbies, if you will, where we have bought the tool box or old cabinet, outfitted it 100%.
And they worked for us for however long.
It's all kind of worked out.
And after that time, it's theirs.
We still have employees that buy their own tools, but it's their money.
They can do whatever they want.
They're just not required to you.
And a few of them I've had to go have discussions with, because they have purchased something that really should be a shop tool.
Either try to buy it from them, have bought from them, so they aren't shouldering it.
And if it's something they really, really want, that if they're going to use it on something done in the shop, that somehow the shop is trying to make things right.
So yeah, I would really like to know, where do you feel that line is?
Is there a line?
Where is that line?
You know, how many of you have made massive, massive investments in equipment?
And is that what led you to open your own shop?
And has everyone that's opened their own shop succeeded?
Yeah, I really, really look forward to the comments section.
If you do watch the video, or even if you don't, check out the comments there, comment on there.
If you like, that would be really great.
If you're watching this on YouTube, please give it a like.
It really helps the channel subscribe so you get alerted for new content.
And yeah, in the spirit of a comment I had made in the video about possessing a fair number of vintage scan tools, which was really like, you know, pre OBD2 or early OBD2 factory scan tools.
I thought I would do a Mount Rushmore of vintage diagnostic tools.
And again, you get tripped up with what's my favorite versus what is really like the Mount Rushmore.
So with that, I think one I will put up there is the Allen Smart Scope or Smart Engine Analyzer, the SEA.
If you haven't seen one, they're tall, they're big.
They have like three, I guess you can buy them in different configurations, honestly.
But many of us had like a three or four banks, if you will, or almost their modules that are different levels.
So, you know, and it was touchscreen with a pen.
It would do some automated tests, like essentially cranking current relative compression.
And then I would do, it had like a oscilloscope, an analog oscilloscope.
It would do vacuum and ignition, of course.
It's a very pretty scope.
Exhaust gas analyzer.
Turns out you can get that in a couple of configurations, which I got burned by.
There was a two gas configuration that did carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
Still okay enough, I guess, for like head gasket testing, but honestly, four gas is the way to go.
Five, I suppose, is arguably better yet, but four is great.
Not knowing that I had purchased one that had two gas, and that was a surprise.
So yeah, that's going up.
The next one is it was built by Edge, but sold with the sun machines.
Namely, I think it had to be like the sun 300 and up.
So I think there's like the sun 300, maybe a sun 400 and a sun 450.
Maybe there was a 350 in there.
I don't remember, or maybe it was just the sun 300 and then the sun 450.
But they were PC based engine analyzers.
And that was fine.
Like those were good machines.
And sun had many good machines, the MEA, the MCA, MCS, and then I think an MDA.
But this Edge system, you could buy harnesses to TN with engine control module, I should say.
I'm sure some were PCM, so engine, ECM or PCM, it would TN to it.
And it had some automated tests.
I remember at one time a shop I had worked at for a long time.
If it matters, it was prebs repair.
And I was using scopes and current probes and all that.
And I was without the special tool from General Motors finding the low impedance slash shorted
multi-injectors with either low inductive kicks or you could see the current waveform, right?
So I was nailing these all left and right.
And a lot of other shops struggled with this because if you couldn't get to the injectors fast enough
when they're hot and failing, they would pass a resistance test with flying colors.
You know, not that was so complicated, but if you knew to cycle them a bunch or, you know,
power them up, power and ground to get them hot and fail, you might miss them.
But one shop was very good about finding them.
And I was asking them one time how they were finding them, what were they using?
Because I guess I knew they had the sun machine, but I didn't know if they were using the scope portion.
And they showed me where they bought the harness and teed into the engine control module
and it ran a battery of tests and it load tested the injectors and they were finding them.
I thought that was cool as it all get out.
I don't know how expensive. I think it was quite expensive.
It was quite the investment to get the edge system and then the various harnesses.
I mean, probably nothing compared to nowadays, certainly with pin numbers, but also just sheer configurations.
But dang, I thought that was so cool.
So that's going up.
The sheer cool factor and maybe ahead of its time.
I think, you know, manufacturer specific, I think SBDS did something very similar for Ford.
They just didn't have those type of issues.
The automated tests like that, that was pretty next level.
It's somewhat interesting.
We didn't see more and more manufacturers going that way where you had maybe like a PC based big system.
I know some of them we did like we really did see some of it going that way.
But like ultimately, it's not what we've seen.
So I find that interesting, but I think ahead of its time and maybe a little too cost prohibitive to become mainstream.
But yeah, I think that's got to go up.
Third, how do you not put a Fluke 87 up there?
How many freaking cars has that fixed?
I suppose you could make an argument for like the 88 that was a little more automotive specific.
But for all around testing and how many manufacturers based a lot of their material on that tool,
I think without trying to cop out on just a generic multi meter to name one the 87.
I mean, it's still hold its own to this Dave as a meter.
I can't bring myself to buy a straight up multimeter.
It would have to be a meger.
I can't bring myself to buy a straight digital multimeter.
It would have to do something special.
You know, so most of you know, I would use like vantage pros, which I better be careful that'll end up on the freaking list.
I might have accidentally talked myself into that.
But honestly, the 87, I think that deserves a nod.
So we're up to three.
We got one more.
Man, the vantage pro.
It was vastly superior.
We're talking about the Rushmore.
The Rushmore of presidents is like founding.
We're going to have to go back one.
The snap on vantage.
The vantage pro is superior, but it is.
But I think the vantage came out.
I could be wrong.
Maybe I should look this up before I just blab this, but I think the vantage was really the first of its kind.
Handheld two channels.
Screen definition was less than desirable, but a power graphing meter so that it was kind of plotting min max to a degree.
It was looking for the greatest change and plotting out and graphing histograph, if you will.
All of the measurements, ohms, amps, or resistance in ohms, ohms being the scale, resistance, current, duty cycle, pulse width.
You had the OTC perception around, but I want to say that that was the answer to the vantage.
I don't think that it was before the vantage.
The perception was all right, too.
Slightly different strategy.
Still a power graphing meter, but if I recall, they used some mathematics for almost statistics that had a threshold drawn,
like an envelope drawn or calculated around the signal and anything that exceeded that got plotted,
or was sure to be plotted.
I'm thinking the vantage was first.
So yeah, for vintage diagnostic equipment, the SEA, I'm sure there's some machines like the Bear 100,
some machines, Bear Machines that came before.
We had a lot of those big, big monster engine analyzers, but I don't know, the SEA was kind of special.
The thing would pull codes on a GM OBD-1, now that I think about it.
Adaptors to T2, the ignition control modules.
It could be used on anything, but it was very, it could be made much more specific to GM.
I think it was at one time the GM essential tool, one that they really did have,
unlike some of their deep pitting tools.
So yeah, SEA, Edge, Edge Systems, and the Fluke 87 and the Stamp On Vantage.
Let me know what you think.
I very much appreciate you guys listening.
Thank you so much to our sponsors, Autel and Pico Technology.
Thank you to the Automotive Repair Podcast Network, and until next time, take care.
you
About this episode
A debate sparked by a dealership employee borrowing a specialized connector-deepening tool turns into a broader argument about who should pay for repair equipment. The host questions the logic of shops advertising capabilities while leaving expensive, job-specific tools to employees—especially when basic hand tools are one thing but alignment, AC, or diagnostic tooling is another. He compares it to independent contractor models and worries it shifts costs without fair return, even though some commenters claim buying tools and starting a shop pays off.
In this episode, Matt digs into a question that sits underneath a lot of shop economics, technician frustration, and industry culture: who should be responsible for buying the tools and equipment required to do the work a shop advertises?
The discussion starts with a real-world example involving a dealership service department that did not have a connector depinning tool available, leaving a mechanical or technical specialist considering buying the tool personally. From there, Matt explores where the line should be drawn between personal hand tools and shop-owned equipment.
Basic hand tools may be one thing. But scan tools, diagnostic equipment, specialty service tools, alignment systems, AC machines, tire equipment, connector service kits, and timing tools raise a different question entirely. If a shop sells those capabilities to customers, should the employee have to make the investment?
Matt also looks at the long-term consequences of pushing too much cost onto specialists. If a specialist builds up enough personal tooling and equipment to perform a broad range of services, the industry may be quietly encouraging them to leave employment and open their own shop. That may work for some, but it also shrinks the talent pool, increases turnover risk, and may contribute to people leaving the industry altogether.
The episode closes with a shift into diagnostic tool history, including a short “Mount Rushmore” of influential tools and equipment: the SCA, the Edge/Sun systems, the Fluke 87, and the Snap-on Vantage.
Where the line falls between personal tools and shop-owned equipment
Why “the specialist can just buy it” may be an unstable business strategy
The difference between basic hand tools and equipment required to sell a service
How tool investment affects technician income, risk, and career decisions
Why shops should think about replacement cost when evaluating pay and retention
How industry culture can unintentionally make shop ownership look like the only real path upward
The difference between a tool investment working out and it actually being a good decision
Vintage diagnostic equipment that changed how specialists worked
Notable Ideas
A shop advertising a capability should be equipped to perform that capability. If a shop sells alignments, AC service, tire work, connector repair, diagnostics, or programming, it becomes hard to justify the employee carrying the primary equipment burden.
There may be some economic logic to a specialist buying a tool when they are guaranteed the work and the tool pays for itself. But that logic becomes unstable when the employee is taking the risk while the business is selling the service.
Tool ownership can become a shadow path to business ownership. When specialists personally acquire enough tools and equipment to operate independently, the industry may be unintentionally training them to leave.
Retention math has to include replacement cost. Production numbers matter, but so does the cost of losing a capable person, leaving a bay or role vacant, recruiting someone new, training them, and risking a revolving-door reputation.
A tool purchase can “work out” without having been the smartest move. Matt reflects on his own history of buying diagnostic equipment and scan tools, noting that it helped build capability and reputation, but that does not automatically mean it was the best financial decision.
Listener Question
What tools or equipment have you been expected to buy personally?
Where do you think the line should be between employee responsibility and shop responsibility?
Should mechanical and technical specialists be expected to own anything beyond basic hand tools, or should the shop provide everything needed to perform the services it sells?
Mentioned Diagnostic Equipment
SCA diagnostic equipment
Sun/Edge PC-based engine analyzer systems
Fluke 87 digital multimeter
Snap-on Vantage
Snap-on Vantage Pro
OTC Perception
Sun engine analyzers
Four-gas and five-gas analyzers
Pull Quotes
“What's the logic of owning a business that advertises certain capabilities, but the shop itself is ill-equipped to be able to do that?”
“If part of my purpose is to take care of my people, then one feature of that is to try to maximize their take-home pay and minimize their financial responsibilities to do the jobs they were hired to do.”
“It may have worked out. I don't know if that means it was a good move.”
Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology
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Thanks to our Partner, Autel
From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com
