Updating 10.2 to 11.2

[kvr901]

First: I used to be professional mechanic, but out of the business for 20+ years, so I don't need the latest software etc.

I have a Solus Pro with 10.2. My wife's car 2001 Pontiac Grand Am needs to have new key fobs programmed (that is the newest car I work on - all mine are 1990's or 1980's). That used to require a Tech II I am told (thus was primarily a take it to the dealer item).

Two days ago Snap-On diagnostic support told me that item was added to 11.2 for the 2001 Grand Am. Also, they added instrument panel stuff for the same car. Here's my problem: I don't want to spend $1,000 for 12.2 just to program my wife's key fobs. Yes, I can take it to a dealer and have it done for $50.

My Snap-On dealer changed recently and I have yet to be able to connect with him. In the modis forum I read about someone complaining about a $1,000 update, and later someone saying it is $400 off a Snap-On truck.

http://productforum.autorepairdata.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7260

My questions are:

1. Is there any major risk in purchasing a legitimate (not a copy) 11.2 CF card? Snap-On diagnostics won't send me 11.2, nor will they sell me 11.2.

2. If I purchase the current 12.2 (which obviously I don't need spend $1,000 for a 2001 car just to program the key fobs), can I get it for a few hundred on a Snap-On truck like is mentioned in the Modis forum post?

Thanks

[hefaus]

Update

Hi. My thoughts would be to talk to a snappy dealer and ask them the price. You may be surprised. Check out the Ds708 from Autel. I know it does key fobs on GM and can be had for $1300 delivered to your door. Keep Smiling.

[kvr901]

Are you talking about 11.2 or the current version (either of which will give me the ability to program the key fobs). Give me an idea how surprised you think I **might** be with an experienced Snap-On dealer (200?, 400?)

Since I started in the business in 1975 I have never had an inexperienced Snap-On dealer until the past 2 weeks. My previous dealer had at least 15 years as a dealer. This new guy is new to Snap-On and difficult to connect with. Maybe that will get better. Also, on the phone regarding something else an experienced dealer would have known he said he had to call Snap-On for guidance.

I might look for a dealer out of my immediate area who is experienced. (Speaking of which.... since I'm out of the business and not in contact with service shops what is a good way to find a dealer? Snap-On customer support will not tell me, because I don't have or work for a shop).

Hi. My thoughts would be to talk to a snappy dealer and ask them the price. You may be surprised. .......

[hefaus]

update

In my neck of the Woods I can put my finger on 4 Snappy dealers. Should not be to hard to find one and ask. Can't offer any better advise than that. Have fun. Enjoy

[Snap-on_ULTRA]

I might look for a dealer out of my immediate area who is experienced. (Speaking of which.... since I'm out of the business and not in contact with service shops what is a good way to find a dealer? Snap-On customer support will not tell me, because I don't have or work for a shop).

Snap on dealer will not be able to sell you older software than the current. So he can only update your solus pro to the current software 12.2 and it is $900, and if you want euro it is $400 more. New software increases the value of your scanner so you are not wasting money.

Chance that you can find someone on ebay that has unused bundle CF card newer than 11.2 is very slim.

[kvr901]

Even on Ebay they would probably more than I am willing to pay. My local GM dealer can program the key fobs for $50.

Personally, I think Snap-On should provide me an "update" to 11.2 for free or a minimal charge. Previously they had told me there would be NO added capabilities to the software for my wife's 2001 Grand Am. Also, I don't consider it an update; rather a software fix. (I spent 10+ years writing software)

Last year they updated the software to 10.2, because the previous version completely skipped one of four brakes when doing the automated ABS bleeding. Even with 10.2 the automated ABS bleeding is out of sequence with my GM factory manuals and with Alldata.

If I was using a Solus Pro professionally I would be demanding my money back.

Chance that you can find someone on ebay that has unused bundle CF card newer than 11.2 is very slim.

[sandt38]

Even on Ebay they would probably more than I am willing to pay. My local GM dealer can program the key fobs for $50.

Then why are you continuing this conversation? You keep repeating this mantra yet you are discussing spending more money for something you will only have to do once.

Personally, I think Snap-On should provide me an "update" to 11.2 for free or a minimal charge. Previously they had told me there would be NO added capabilities to the software for my wife's 2001 Grand Am. Also, I don't consider it an update; rather a software fix. (I spent 10+ years writing software)

Indeed. They should make special allowances for you because you are spending a lot more money with them then those of us still buying tools and making payments on a weekly basis.

Last year they updated the software to 10.2, because the previous version completely skipped one of four brakes when doing the automated ABS bleeding. Even with 10.2 the automated ABS bleeding is out of sequence with my GM factory manuals and with Alldata.

Not really. I assure you that they did the update mid year based on more then an error for brake bleeding your vehicle. In fact, they do mid year updates every year.

If I was using a Solus Pro professionally I would be demanding my money back.

Why? We as service professionals are aware that we are responsible for updates on our diagnostic scanners. The vast majority of us do not whine about it. It just happens to be a part of what we do for a living. Since you are some kind of program writer, do you demand your money back every 3 months when the computer you are using becomes outdated? Do you think my wife demands money back on her mixer when Hamilton-Beach model is surpassed with an upgrade? I think I am going to send a letter to Bunn, because my 5 year old coffee maker has now been updated...

[kvr901]

....those of us still buying tools and making payments on a weekly basis....

Been there done that for 20 years starting in 1975. Been continuing to purchase Snap-On tools regularly since, however at a slower pace based on my needs now.

As for the rest of your rant: I have already made my point about the Solus Pro and Snap-On's costly software repairs buried within "updates".

One shouldn't have to purchase a new car each year just because a turn signal switch was not designed properly. You buy (or are supplied for free) a new turn signal switch which might include an updated, or even enhanced, design to replace the original problem.

[sandt38]

One shouldn't have to purchase a new car each year just because a turn signal switch was not designed properly. You buy (or are supplied for free) a new turn signal switch which might include an updated, or even enhanced, design to replace the original problem.

We buy updates and receive free updates to correct issues as well. So I still fail to see your issue with the free and paid updates.

[hefaus]

updates

I do believe Snap on is in this business because it pays them well. if they did everything right the first look at all the lost revenue they would have missed out on..I for one have purchased many updates and even to this day they don't have a crank relearn for my 07 Pontiac gt L32 even though they said it was there after I sent in a request NOT. Crusty is another with beefs about the way snatch your money on works. Wow I purchased 3 updates just for that reason. Got my 708 and its there and works. It's the cost of doing business.Keep Smiling..

[kvr901]

We buy updates and receive free updates to correct issues as well. So I still fail to see your issue with the free and paid updates.

Okay, so you fail to see my issue. I tried. Do you want another one?

Since I am no longer a professional mechanic I am looking for a single small feature. If I was still in the business I would be pissed if I had to purchase "updates" for a whole bunch of domestic and Japansese cars if I only worked on Fords.

(My professional background was Opel, Porsche, MB, Ferrari, BMW, and some minor others). If I had to buy every special tool for every car I worked on, AND a whole bunch of others I did not work on I wouldn't be happy.

As a software developer I am familiar with developing a large application distributed to hundreds of clients with discrete modules that apply only for particular clients. In my opinion (which you don't have to agree with) Snap-On should make the software available as an entire package for those who want it, but also make it in a la carte modules specific to make and/or model and/or year. It isn't difficult.

[Snap-on_ULTRA]

Snap-On should make the software available as an entire package for those who want it,

If company can make make money selling features separately then why would they bundle everything for the same price? This is capitalist country and if company can charge 1000 dollars for software update and they are able to sell it then why would they lower their price just for you?
Snap on does not care about your rant, this is the company that still does not have good competitor and they are still making good money, so they don't care.

Solus Pro is about to go obsolete anyway, they made their money

[sandt38]

We buy a tool that is close to a complete solution because we work on several vehicles. If I were to work on Fords, I would buy the IDS or NGS, knowing full well that no complete aftermarket solution will be able to perform all the tasks that the factory scan tool does. We also buy the tools knowing we have to buy a complete update.

Apparently you are not aware that Snap-On has to pay each manufacturer for their software programs. In order to make the updates affordable for broad coverage, they put all of the vehicle coverages into a bundle. If they chose to run an A-la-cart program as you suggest, imagine how much it might cost someone for updates on a less than popular car line. Or how much would it cost me to update everything on my tool, as I would choose to, even though I rarely work on Euros. Perhaps Snap-On might decide to drop certain manufacturers as they might never recover the money they needed in order to gain access to the software.

How much would it suck if I decided I didn't want to update my Suzuki and one came in that I needed the update for? I would have to ask my customer to come back later, or go online and update in a single car line (likely more expensive than a package) so I would most likely have to shine my customer on rather than spend an extra $100 just so I can turn 2 hours of labor.

There is a plethora of reasons why a complete package makes sense. We don't even get a complete package, we have to buy Euro separate from Domestic/Asian. I still had to buy several adapters in order to use all my OBDI software, so imagine how people like me feel who do a lot of work on OBDI and want a more complete solution.

If you really bought a scanner just for your wife's car, and I don't believe you did as your various questions on the forum indicate otherwise, than you are one of a small handful that would. You also did not buy intelligently, if you wanted to access just a 2001 Pontiac. You should have bought an older Tech2 on E-bay. These tools are intended for professionals who work on several makes and models.

Finally, you are a developer. You are developing new softwares. Snap-On has to buy the software from several manufacturers and develop their tools and softwares around them. They have a tremendous investment involved in these tools before they ever even begin revising it and developing it for use on their tools with their modules.

They are not there to keep things cheap for you, they are there for the general service technician... and to make money.

[rickc00]

Apparently you are not aware that Snap-On has to pay each manufacturer for their software programs

Snap-on does not BUY that information. They reverse engineer it. If they were buying it you would have 100% coverage on all modules on all cars.

[kvr901]

......If you really bought a scanner just for your wife's car, and I don't believe you did as your various questions on the forum indicate otherwise.......

I don't care if you believe me or not, but since you implied I am lying.....

In 2010 (or maybe it was 2009) I purchased a used MT2500 from my local Snap-On dealer. It was fine to deal with my cars and my wife's with one exception: the Solus Pro can perform an automated bleed of the ABS which the MT2500 cannot. **THAT** is why I bought the Solus Pro.

For years my wife was taking the car to dealers, who I discovered in 2009 were ripping her off by damaging the car, not using anti-seize, stripping bolts, misdiagnosing problems charging her hundreds and then having to redo their work adding other parts to fix the orginal problems, etc. etc. It is called flat rate rip-off of customers.

The Solus Pro I purchased had 8.2 or 8.4 (don't remember at the moment) high enough to service a 2001 car, and that particular version only bled 3 of 4 brakes! Where was the software testing for that version?

I was a cheerleader for Snap-On for over 30 years, until I saw this stuff and their current refusal to issue me at least 11.2.

Snap-On software engineering should be ashamed of themselves.

You're entitled to your opinion. I'm entitled to mine!